Crosscut Saw Thread

[Square_peg]

6' felling saw is a useful size, great for trailwork.

About the largest I ever see carried up the trail for trailwork unless there's a known fall that needs a bigger saw.

 

[Agent_H]

Looks good to me. Those are the right type handles for that saw.

6' felling saw is a useful size, great for trailwork.

About the largest I ever see carried up the trail for trailwork unless there's a known fall that needs a bigger saw.

I am interested in the time investment of training to do some trailwork with a crosscut saw - right down to watching guys do it and doing whatever auxiliary does at first.

Speaking of packing this - are they packed with the handles attached? They are definitely awkward to haul about with the weight of the Western handles on the ends.

One of my goals is to build a saw vise that attaches to a movable table in my work area. That will free up my bench for flat work then have a separate "station". I might even get away without much a swivel if I can simply move the whole rig to the other side and turn it around.

 

[trailtime]

On National forest land with a dedicated crew, you would be considered a trainee and no certification would be required, provided you had at least a B-level sawyer on the other end of the saw. You learn as you go, but you'd still need to get carded if you wanted to lead a crew of your own. Classroom and outdoor practice time usually takes place at weekend workshops.

This is my filing vise from a few pages back. Angle of tilt is adjustable and C-clamps make it easy on-easy off. The Rockler cam locks make for a quick release/hold down on the blade.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/crosscut-saw-thread.885774/page-41

 

[muleman77]

They're a lot easier to pack with the handles off. It only takes a few seconds to put a western handle on or off with a little practice.

If you put a lattice channel guard on, it stiffens up the saw a lot, and makes it easier either way.

I agree with what T trailtime said about the card process.

 

[Square_peg]

I am interested in the time investment of training to do some trailwork with a crosscut saw - right down to watching guys do it and doing whatever auxiliary does at first.

In the NW certification is offered by the Washington Trails Association (mostly reserved for crew leaders), the Back Country Horsemen of Washington (I would guess Oregon has chapters) and the Pacific Crest Trail Association. I think there's also a Spring class in the Columbia River Gorge but I don't recall who runs that.

Volunteering with the PCTA would be a good way to gain some experience. The WTA also runs works parties in SW Washington out of their Vancouver office. Both the WTA and the BCHW run dedicated logout work parties. The WTA runs some of these as 'Volunteer Vacations' where your food and supplies and transported for you. The volunteer vacations in the Lake Chelan area are extremely popular and fill up fast. Other saw-intense WTA work parties are the Back Country Response Teams. These are pretty hard core. You're expected to provide your own food and lodging for 3 nights and 4 days of work. This often includes serious elevation gain carrying your pack and personals plus trail tools. These trips are not for the inexperienced hiker or trail worker.

 

[Agent_H]

Bath day.

Saw.west by Agent Hierarchy

Several pumice stones and constant hose later:

Saw.west by Agent Hierarchy

Sand paper at this point?

 

[Square_peg]

Yes, sandpaper. Maybe 200 wet/dry on a block. Just go easy on the etch if there is one. The gullets can be de-rusted with a dowel wrapped with sandpaper or with a Dremel mini sanding drum. The saw has hardly been used and won't require filing of the gullets.

 

[A17]

When I was up in Idaho at Schweitzer ski resort's fair I saw a booth of people using and letting/teaching people how to use a large two-man saw. I want to say they were part of the Idaho trails association? Maybe someone who's a member on here was one of them?

 

[phantomknives]

Disston No.12 panel saw with a 17- 40 medallion

 

[A17]

I have the spitting image of that. The only difference was that mine was rusty with a gray handle when I got it, whereas yours's nice and shiny.

 

[phantomknives]

I have the spitting image of that. The only difference was that mine was rusty with a gray handle when I got it, whereas yours's nice and shiny.

couldnt pass it up for $12 in that condition, there were about 7 teeth that had the tips broken, other that that i didnt have but an hour's work, light sanding, sanding the hardware and a touch up, doesnt even need set.

I like 10 TPI, it seems to be the balance between effort and cutting, it cuts just as smooth as silk

 

[A17]

As I recall, mine was $4-5 I think.

 

[Agent_H]

I picked this Morin gauge, marked FEB 8, 1910:

I notice here that there is a shim on one side and it’s missing on the other. I imagine this was user done? Would I be better served removing the existing shim and set it up with matching ones as opposed to trying to match the intact one? What depth would a guy want if any at all?
Also, any recommendations on removing the glue/epoxy completely?

 

[phantomknives]

I picked this Morin gauge, marked FEB 8, 1910:

I notice here that there is a shim on one side and it’s missing on the other. I imagine this was user done? Would I be better served removing the existing shim and set it up with matching ones as opposed to trying to match the intact one? What depth would a guy want if any at all?
Also, any recommendations on removing the glue/epoxy completely?

i think those black pads are to protect the teeth, if that's what you're refferring to

 

[Agent_H]

i think those black pads are to protect the teeth, if that's what you're refferring to

I believe you’re right. One is missing though. Those “spacers” are acrylic or maybe pieces of cut pane glass. They where glued/exopied on there. One side is solid but the other has dried adhesive of some sort.

Since it’s important those surfaces are the same on either side of the pin, I was curious for ideas on whether or not the best route would be to completely remove all traces of them for a clean slate and rebuild each side.

And if I go that route, is there a desired thickness and/or materials members here might envision using? Or is it simply most important that they are both exactly the same thickness (or as close as I can get) to either side of the screw?

 

[phantomknives]

oh, oh no.
Oh this is terrible.
So i got to looking at one of my saws i kinda disregarded and i think it's a late Disston No.76.

The thing is it was a little warped so i tried to...

straighten it with a hammer.

you can see where this is going. Anybody here very competent in their skill with a saw anvil? i warn you it's pretty F.U.B.A.R

 

[Agent_H]

The saw isn’t done but my arm is for today:

So, I tried to go easy on the teeth and rakers. What I gather is it’s too easy to remove material and ruin the set? Many of them have light pitting but a few at one end are more serious hold outs. Tips on smoothing those guys out would be appreciated.

Seems I’ve come late to the party and seem to have more questions than sense today.

 

[Agent_H]

oh, oh no.
Oh this is terrible.
So i got to looking at one of my saws i kinda disregarded and i think it's a late Disston No.76.

The thing is it was a little warped so i tried to...

straighten it with a hammer.

you can see where this is going. Anybody here very competent in their skill with a saw anvil? i warn you it's pretty F.U.B.A.R

That is bad news.

 

[phantomknives]

the camera wouldnt focus on the spine, it was too thin

 

[Square_peg]

What I gather is it’s too easy to remove material and ruin the set?

Don't give a 2nd thought to that. You're going to have reset the saw anyway. Clean/file the back of those cutters good so you can make a good point. When you're setting whether you have to change a particular tooth by 1/1000 or 12/1000 makes little difference.