Let's talk saws! (Specifically.. fretting saws)

[cheerup347]

I'm in the market for a descent fret slotting saw. And after using both dovetail saws, gents saw's and Japanese pull saws. I have to say I am open to the idea of any of them! I've seen excellent results with each.

If I were to go for one that looks like a gents saw.. what I am I specifically looking for? because I'll be cutting across the grain only.. What type of cut am I after when looking for one?

A depth stop may be good (What do people think about them) but I've had success using common sense and practise up til now so might just spend the extra money on a descent saw!

Am I right in thinking the "Kerf" is the width of the cut it produces? where's good to buy a suitable saw (preferably in the UK)

Thanks!

[szlash280z]

I bought the stewmac power saw blade. I mounted it to a radial arm saw and I love it! works great and it's fast!

[vista]

Pax(Thomas Flinn) is a UK company that make quality saws. I own their fret saw and it is very nice. In North America, Lee Valley carries them.


Brian

[Shepherd]

If your on a budget this saw is great (.022" kerf) at $7.50 vs $30 and you can get it locally.
Woodcraft 14 Saw (zon35-350) Zona Razor Saws Hack Saws


I also have the SM table saw blade but like all SM stuff overpaid for it, you can get one at half the price here Pricing in US Dollars

[Brian I]

Originally Posted by Shepherd

If your on a budget this saw is great (.022" kerf) at $7.50 vs $30 and you can get it locally.
Woodcraft 14 Saw (zon35-350) Zona Razor Saws Hack Saws


I also have the SM table saw blade but like all SM stuff overpaid for it, you can get one at half the price here Pricing in US Dollars

Shane (highmountaintonewood) is very highly recommended on most luthier forums and from what I've heard, his fret saw blades are as good if not better than the stew mac blades.

[Ole'Lefty]

Shane is really good people. My next top set is stabilizing in my living room and some beautifully grained brace stock.

I have recommended several times that a membership to OLF is valuable for folks here who have no thought of building an acoustic.

Now for some heresy--on my #1 Shopsmith, a StewMc blade runs at .00015 TIR. On my RIDGID 3650 TABLE SAW in my either hotterthan hell or colderthan---- basic garage , the blade runs with the "1" a decimal earlier;truth be told, for StewMc frets, the .0015 gives a nice fit whether pressed or hammered-damn, I like that little deadblow. I added an index pin to an Incra Miter Express with a middle-high level Incra mitre gauge. Right now the Express is carrying a Shopsmith compatible guide bar-one of Shopsmith's most aggravating characteristics(and, not enough meat to have it reliably opened up). It is a love/hate deal----may I get some backing from some members in the Shopsmith closet here-I know you exist?

Here in the USA, the run of the mill Harbor Freight dozuki will usually mic at/in fret tang range.

[bruce bennett]

I can build you a very nice gang arbor saw similar to the ones used at Gibson in any scale length for about 3500.00

this one can saw 25 slots and cut off both ends in 2 minutes average. and its in 24.75 scale.

[Ole'Lefty]

Nice mig welds on the top portion. Bruce, do you know if anyone is doing a multi-scale like that with precision switchable spacers? It is the kind of thing that J. Olson does-a few of your production jigs look like construction he does-he is known as much for his clever jigs and execution of relatively standard tooling as he is for his builds.

[bruce bennett]

Thank you Lefty, your the first one that recognized that they were done with a MIG!

I can't take credit for those though.
I have a friend that was a welder at Combustion Engineering for 35 years.. He stopped by and did my welding on this piece. my own welding leaves a little to be desired. and with a single shaft spinning 26 blades at 1200 rpm, I wanted a pro on this job.

I drew up the design and then did all the machineing and fitting, and after it was welded, I did all the final assembly and tweaking.

I did have the idea to make it with interchangeable scales.. but that thought came AFTER it was welded.. this one is too short to hold anything larger than a 24.75 scale.. but the next one will be interchangeable. and hopefully i will be able to just swap the shafts with a couple of levers and a belt rollover. but thats likely a ways down the road.