Working with a bow saw. How to choose a hacksaw for wood? Choosing the right hand saw

If you set out to find a bow saw, then searching on the Internet will not lead you anywhere beyond garden saws. And for a thin sheet of 4-5 mm, you can immediately go to Ebay or Amazon, because in Russia there is definitely no such thing. Lucek from bent pipe this is not at all what I needed.

I planed the width of a template that I made from cardboard.

Before cutting out the saw posts, I drilled holes for the handles and used a chisel to make a recess for the tenon of the spacer bar. All irregularities after the jigsaw were removed with a plow.

Then with a hand plane I made a narrowing of the upper parts of the racks, having previously marked the center for reference.

At the bottom I worked with a rasp and a file in the area of the holes for the handles, and then used a plane to make a narrowing towards the bottom. It turned out like this.

Most of all I had to tinker with the handles. Since I don’t have a lathe, I got out of the situation using a jigsaw. I applied a profile to 4 sides of the block, and then sawed it off on all sides to the marking line. Use a chisel to knock down the resulting comb. I straightened the corners with a rasp. I drilled holes for the bolts before this procedure.

Covered the saw water stain“old oak” and teak oil. My bowstring is made from postal twine.

As shanks I used a furniture bolt with a diameter of 7 mm, in which I made cuts for attaching the canvas with a pin. I drilled a hole in the canvas and used stainless steel wire with a diameter of 1 mm as a pin.

The ends of the spacer (middle) were rounded, having first cut out a tenon, and at the junction at the post, a recess was made with a rasp. It turned out to be a kind of joint.

The canvas was used from the usual one band saw 6 mm wide. There are several cuttings with different tooth frequencies 4 and 6 tpi I will try. The first tests with a blade at 6 tpi showed that the blade requires regrinding because the tooth angle is too aggressive and sawing is not easy, but quite possible. At small radii the saw cuts perfectly. The cut cannot be called clean, but that may seem to some.

In the arsenal home handyman There is always a functional and easy-to-use circular saw. But there are situations when you need to saw off a part and perform a small amount of woodwork, but there is no time or desire to deploy and connect the unit. In these cases, a hand saw is a great help. But how to choose hand saw on wood, so that it is convenient to use and can easily “gnaw” any type of wood, let’s look at it in more detail.

Saw is rightfully considered the ancestor large family hand tools. Since the creation of the first type of tool from iron, the saw has undergone many changes, having acquired numerous “sisters” capable of performing dozens of jobs.

IN household It’s impossible to do without “toothed helpers”: they are indispensable for garden pruning, small carpentry and joinery work

Hand saws for wood differ in many ways: blade size, steel grade, tooth shape, handle design. Let's look at each parameter in more detail.

How should a hacksaw blade be?

The main part of the tool is the hacksaw blade. The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a product is the length of the canvas. The possibilities of its application largely depend on this parameter. At the same time, the longer the blade, the more springy it is, which also complicates the process, especially when working with hard wood such as ash, maple or oak.

A long stroke makes it possible to use less effort when sawing, since the cut is performed by a large number of teeth in one stroke

To cut small elements such as plinths, bars or narrow slats, you can get by with a hacksaw with a blade length of 25-30 cm. Planning to use the tool when performing more serious construction work, choose a product with a canvas of 45-50 cm.

When determining the length hacksaw blade follow the rule that the length of the saw exceeds the diameter of the elements being processed by 2 times. Failure to follow this recommendation will only make your job more difficult. The teeth of a short hacksaw will jam inside the wood, and everyone will have to make a lot of effort to move the tool to free it from sawdust. Uncomfortable work will cause premature fatigue.

Traditionally, the width of the product canvas varies in the range of 10-20 cm. Models with a narrower canvas technical reasons are not allowed because they fail at the slightest bend. But it is worth considering that too wide canvases are inconvenient for manual work.

The material used to make the blade, which is most often alloy steel, as well as its degree of hardening also play an important role.

For hacksaws, tool alloy steel with a high content of silicon and carbon grades is used:

65G, 60 C2A;
8 HF, 9 HF, 9 HS;
U7, U7A, U8, U8A, U8G, U8GA, U9A, U10

Hardening of metal is carried out due to the influence of variable magnetic field, at which it appears electricity high frequency. Spreading over the surface, it heats the surface layer of the metal, which is hardened after cooling.

The standard parameter is considered to be a metal hardness of 45 HRC, but it is still preferable to choose products whose blade hardness is 55-60 HRC. A hacksaw with a blade of high hardness will have sufficient flexibility, but at the same time high stability of the teeth. Upon external inspection, such a tool can be identified by the darkish tint of the sharpened teeth.

Parameters of teeth on the blade

The determining indicator of the tool’s performance and the accuracy of cutting wood is the size of the teeth.

The teeth of a hacksaw for woodworking perform a dual function: they cut the wood and, at the same time, remove sawdust

Sawing accuracy is determined by the “TPI” indicator - the number of teeth per inch.

Between these technical parameters there is an inverse relationship:

blades with large teeth set a high speed of work, but the cut is rough and sloppy;
hacksaws with fine teeth guarantee a clean and precise cut, but at a relatively low speed.

When determining required size teeth should be guided by the type of material being processed. For example, for working with chipboard, where high cutting accuracy is required, choose a tool with a high TPI of 7-9, and for sawing logs and garden work, where the cleanliness of the cut is not so important, choose a TPI of 3-6.

When choosing optimal option hacksaws, follow the rule that minimum thickness the log should in any case be larger than a pitch of three teeth

If we compare a hardened and a regular tooth, the difference is that in the first option, provided that it is used in everyday life, the product does not become dull for a long time. But a hacksaw with a hardened tooth cannot be sharpened again. When it starts cutting badly, you just have to throw it away.

An ordinary tooth can be sharpened. This can be done periodically using a special file marked with an accident (for sharpening saws). To sharpen the blade, it is enough to perform several movements on each tooth.

Depending on the type of teeth used, there are three types of hand saws:

For longitudinal sawing. The products are equipped with teeth in the form of an oblique triangle and look like hooks. The tool allows you to cut wood along the grain. Such saws are sharpened on both sides of the tooth, thanks to which they are able to cut both when passing forward and in the opposite direction.
For cross cutting. The teeth of the instruments are made in the shape of isosceles triangles. This design makes it easy to cut material both when moving the cutting edge forward and in the opposite direction. But this type of tooth is only suitable for working with dry workpieces, but not with fresh wood.
For mixed sawing. The products have a combined composition, in which triangular edges are combined with slightly elongated semicircular notches. This solution allows the semicircular teeth to perform a guide cut when moving the hand forward, and when returning, the triangular teeth expand the channel, removing chips and sawdust from it.

Some types of modern tools are equipped with teeth that are shaped like a trapezoid. This solution makes the fabric more durable and wear-resistant.

But it is worth considering that sharpening such a blade is very problematic, since it is difficult to give the trapezoidal teeth the desired shape. This significantly reduces the service life of the product, after which it is necessary to change the blade or purchase a new tool.

For sawing fresh branches, it is more convenient to use blades equipped with triangular teeth processed by parallel sharpening, in which each element is sharpened only on one side and in a checkerboard pattern.

You can often find a modernized type of hacksaw on the market.

Modernized hacksaws can be easily distinguished by the teeth located on the blade in groups, between which the spaces are clearly visible

Retrofitted hand saws are effective for cutting raw wood. Wet chips easily come out of the cut through the spaces between the teeth during the cutting process, without impeding the movement of the tool.

Types of hand saws for wood

A small narrow saw is a structure that consists of a straight flat blade and a handle. It is used to perform delicate work: through cuts, sawing out curved parts.

This type of tool is designed for cutting wooden blanks, the thickness of which does not exceed 8-10 cm, cutting small branches and minor works in the garden

When making narrow models, manufacturers install blades with triangular double-sided teeth, or with parallel sharpening. The disadvantage of the tool is that when pressed during operation, the blade can deviate from the given direction.

Option #2 - regular

A standard hand saw can be equipped with any type of teeth and often comes with replacement blades various types and execution.

To be able to cut workpieces at a certain angle using a standard hand saw, you have to purchase special miter boxes

But despite the stated versatility of their use, it is not advisable to use saws of this type in the manufacture of furniture.

Option #3 - with a butt

Both narrow and regular saws with increasing rigidity of the processed material, they are prone to bending. In these cases, it is effective to use canvases equipped with a backing, which acts as a kind of stiffening rib.

Hand hacksaws equipped with a backing are designed to create shallow cuts in wooden surface any thickness

The presence of a backing prevents the saw from making a cut deeper than the width of the blade, since it prevents the cutting blade from passing further into the tree.

Option #4 - archery

Bow-type saws are more bulky devices that act as an analogue of a jigsaw.

The main purpose of saws of this type is to create an accurate cut when working with surfaces located at any angle.

Thanks to the solidity of the design and threaded connections handles, bow-type saws are able to easily overcome knots, cutting along radii and curved patterns.

Depending on the purpose and constructive solution saws can be:

sweeping – for longitudinal cutting;
transverse – for sawing workpieces across the wood fiber;
round - for cutting holes, making roundings and figure sawing;
tenon - for cutting connecting tenons, as well as cutting out simple geometric shapes on the workpiece.

Only with a bow-type hacksaw can you cut the material lengthwise and crosswise, sawing workpieces with complex lines and doing the work alone without the involvement of an assistant.

The procedure for choosing a hand saw for wood is quite simple:

Determine the purpose for which the tool will be used. For carpentry work, choose products with fine teeth, which ensure high cutting accuracy; for carpentry, choose blades with large teeth.
Frequency of application. If the hand saw will be used only for one-time work, choose a tool with hardened teeth. The service life of this type of product is quite long. In addition, you will not have to worry about sharpening and setting teeth during operation.
Uniformity of the canvas. While inspecting the tool, try to carefully bend the blade, setting an angle of 30-45°, and then release it. Re-inspect the blade: the slightest deviations at the bend point, even within 2 mm, indicate poor quality of the metal.
Product cost. As with other tools, keep in mind that quality models leading brands are always an order of magnitude more expensive than consumer goods. This overpayment acts as a kind of guarantee of the wear resistance and durability of the saw. But for one-time jobs there is no point in spending money on an expensive tool.

Conventional handles are made of plastic. Prefabricated plastic handles, made of two halves, do not have sufficient rigidity. It is much more convenient to work with a tool that has a one-piece handle, which is equipped with a rubberized backing for the fingers. The presence of a rubber insert allows for a tighter grip, preventing the formation of calluses on the palm.

Pay attention to the design of the tool handle: it is desirable that it has an ergonomic shape that allows you to correctly transfer force to the blade

There are products on sale with standard and reversible handles. The second option is convenient because it allows you, if necessary, to replace the worn blade with a new one.

Keep in mind that not all hand saws come on sale already sharpened. And this seemingly trifle largely determines how quickly you can get to work.

There are many companies producing hacksaws on the market. Judging by the reviews, they have proven themselves well: the Zubr hacksaw domestic production, Gross Piranha joint German-Chinese cooperation, Irwin Xpert made in the USA. They are famous for their decent quality at a low price, which varies between 10-20 USD.

Finally, we invite you to watch a video with tips for choosing:

Almost every home craftsman has a power saw in his work suitcase. But sometimes it is necessary to saw off a part or do some woodworking, for which there is no desire to unwrap the device from the suitcase. And in this case, it would be nice to get a hacksaw for wood. Its manual version will be an excellent assistant if necessary. Let's take a closer look at the question of how to choose a hacksaw for wood!

Characteristics of a hand saw for wood

There are many differences in this tool, such as: blade sizes, steel grades, tooth shapes, as well as the design of the handle itself. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

What should a hacksaw blade be like for wood?

This element is the main parameter of the hacksaw. And the main thing about it is its length. Depending on it, the tool can be used for different purposes. There is one caveat, which is that the longer the blade is, the more springy the tool is. This complicates the process of wood carving, especially if you need to work with maple, oak, or ash.

A length of 25-30 cm is quite suitable if you need to cut small elements of beams, slats, and baseboards. If it is necessary to carry out more serious types of work, then a hacksaw should be chosen with a blade of 45-50 cm.

The basic rule when choosing the length of the blade is that it should be twice as long as the elements being processed, otherwise it will be more difficult to work. Standard sizes The width of the canvases is up to twenty centimeters. Too much narrow models They will quickly fail, and wide ones are completely inconvenient to work with.

Hacksaws are made from alloy tool steel, which contains a lot of carbon and silicon. The standard hardness of the material is 45 HRC, but for work it is still worth choosing a hardness with an indicator of 55-60 HRC.

Characteristics of hacksaw teeth

It is the size of the teeth that is the most important indicator. Their number per 1 inch shows the TPI, which determines the accuracy of the sawing process. In addition, these parameters are interrelated:

· If the blade has large teeth, then the speed is quite high, but the cut is sloppy.

· If the teeth are small, the speed of work is also low, but the cut is precise and very neat.

When faced with the question of which hacksaw to choose, focus on a TPI of 3-6 for garden work, or 7-9 for working on chipboard.

The teeth of a hacksaw can be ordinary or hardened. If the tool is used at home, the hardened teeth will not become dull for a very long time. But when it becomes dull, it can no longer be sharpened, and the tool will have to be thrown away.

Regular teeth can be sharpened using a file marked with an accident mark.

There are 3 types of hacksaws, depending on what teeth are used:

To cut longitudinally

· Sawing in a transverse manner

Mixed sawing

If you use a modern hacksaw, in which the teeth are trapezoidal, you can create a blade that is durable and wear-resistant. But it is very difficult to sharpen, which means the service life of such a product is much shorter.

How to choose a hacksaw? Types and purposes

Narrow saw version

Saw small sizes, narrow shape, very effective when cutting raw wood. Wet chips come out very easily through the gaps of the teeth, so the movement of the saw is not hampered.

During the manufacture of saws of narrow shapes, their blades have triangular double-sided teeth. The only disadvantage of this tool is its ability to deviate from the desired direction.

It can have absolutely any teeth, as well as be equipped with replaceable blades.

Regardless, these types of saws are best used in the furniture manufacturing process.

Saws that are equipped with an axle can be said to have stiffening ribs. But when using hacksaws and increasing the rigidity of the materials being processed, they can bend. This is why drying is so important. Its main task is to prevent the cutting blade from passing deep into the wood, for which it controls the depth of the cut with the saw so that it is not wider than the blade itself.

Such devices are already more cumbersome. To some extent they resemble a jigsaw.

To begin with, you should decide on the purpose of using the tool, as well as the frequency of its use. Decide how uniform the canvas should be, and of course, what price you are willing to “accept” and buy hand saw.

The handles are ordinary, plastic. And the presence of a rubberized insert will help protect the master’s hands from the formation of calluses in the process of performing wood carving with a manual version of a hacksaw.

Among carpenter's tool Bow saws have long held a place of honor. And although their design and design have changed significantly over the years, the basic principle of operation of these saws remains the same. What is the advantage of this tool and what makes it stand out from the rest?

What is a bow saw used for?

It is convenient to use a jigsaw to make short, mainly transverse cuts, and a hacksaw to make long, longitudinal cuts. And only with the help of a bow saw can you make a variety of dividing cuts, both with dry and wet wood. In addition, for a bow saw for wood, it does not matter how the wood is cut - along or across the grain. If we add to this the ability to work with one hand (the first “bows” were exclusively two-handed), it turns out that the tool in question can be used for cutting wood:

in longitudinal;
in transverse;
in figured;
in an angular direction.

The only insurmountable obstacle for bow saws is the transverse dimensions of the workpieces - for thick logs it is still better to use a power tool. However, you have to work much less often with thick logs...

Three circumstances give versatility to bow saws for wood:

Adjustable tension saw blade(in some ways this process is similar to stringing a bow, hence the name of the instrument). Testing shows that bow saws can create tension forces of up to 100...120 kg without destroying the saw blade.
The special shape of the teeth allows for both roughing and finishing cuts.
The size of the saw is compact, which ensures its use even in cramped environments.

Modern manufacturers of bow saws and accessories for them - trade marks Bahco, Stanley, Intertool, Fiskars and others complete their products different types and designs of saw blades, which increases the ease of use of the tool.

The device of a bow saw for wood

The modern “onion” includes:

Frame made of rolled profiles. Depending on the size of the saw blade - and they are usually standard: 350 mm, 530 mm or 760 mm, the frame can be made in the form of an oval trapezoid (for longer blades) or an oval triangle (for shorter ones).
A handle whose profile prevents sudden injury to the worker’s fingers.
Saw blade.
Devices for tensioning saw blades.
Fastening the canvas to the frame.

Presented to the frame of a wood bow saw special requirements– it should be rigid and at the same time light, so as not to increase physical activity while sawing. A special tubular profile with a very small width satisfies the task. This makes it easy to bend it during the manufacturing process to the required frame configuration without losing the strength of the part, providing the saw with the necessary mobility.

One of the main differences in the design of modern bow saws for wood is the principle of saw blade tension. For example, the Gardena or Proline brands use a handle with an eccentric for tensioning: by using it, changing the angle of inclination of the handle relative to the longitudinal axis of sawing, you can thus adjust the tension force.

Manufacturers of saws from Bahco Stanley have taken a different path: there a special screw mechanism for tensioning the saw blade is mounted in the handle. The choice is determined by ease of use, however, the presence of a screw mechanism provides increased tension accuracy, and does not depend on random movements of the user, when the position of the handle during sawing can randomly change. That's why swivel mechanism It is recommended to use tension if you have some experience working with a bow saw.

To fasten the saw blade to the opposite part of the “string” (frame), removable cotter pins or wing screws are used. The latter are more reliable, since the cotter pin, usually made of mild steel, wears out over time and can spontaneously come out of the mounting hole.

Bow saw blade

The versatility of this tool also determines changes in the design of the saw blade, in particular its teeth. Most often used:

Saw blades with uniform tooth pitch. They are intended for smooth cut wood with a relatively short length.
Canvases with the so-called “American” tooth, when after 3..4 ordinary teeth there is a double or “Kremlin” tooth. This configuration of the cutting part of the saw blade allows for longer and more complex cuts. The frequency of alternation determines the accuracy of the result: the closer the double teeth are located to each other, the less clean the cutting line will be.
Spatial teeth with wide spacing. A blade with such teeth is useful for maximum sizes sections of cut wood. The cutting force and the amount of waste increase, but sawing productivity becomes the highest possible.

Depending on the tasks assigned, the material of the saw blade also changes. For tools of relatively small sizes (350 mm, partly 530 mm), blades with a uniform pitch are used, which are made of structural chromium-nickel steel of type 45Х, 40ХН or 45Г. The blades undergo high-frequency hardening, as a result of which their surface hardness reaches 45...48 HRC. However, such blades are very sensitive to changes in the sawing axis, which easily changes due to the flexibility of the blade, and break at extreme bends.

For blades with double teeth, high-carbon steel 7HF or even high-speed steel is used. The durability of such blades (if they are not made in China) is very high, since as the percentage of carbon in steel increases, its elastic properties increase. In addition, the blades do not need to be cooled, since the vanadium and tungsten contained in such steels are highly heat resistant.

For teeth with wide spacing, the decisive factor for durability is considered to be abrasive wear from wood rubbing against metal. Therefore, the Finnish company Fiskars applies a Teflon coating to the tools it produces, which reduces the coefficient of friction, thereby increasing the durability of the saw blade. Other manufacturers (for example, Bahco) produce bimetallic blades: the base is made of structural steel, and the cutting part is made of tool steel.

I found this gadget on one of the sites,
and folded _

TTX: Folding saw with handles.
Canvas length: 32 cm
Working size: 40×19 cm
Folded size: 41×2.5 cm

but according to Murphy's laws, all the good things have already been sold out)!!

I decided to study the topic in more detail and as a result summarized the following:

According to reviews from experienced people, few other saws can compete with bow saws in speed and energy savings. The design allows you to saw with one hand, and therefore the second is released to hold the log or insure that the tree being cut falls on you (within reason, of course)) Next is a quote from forum http://guns.allzip.org/topic/21/321929.html, author kazimirov 05-02-2010 13:26 "

“Modern bow saws cut faster and easier than all other saws.

The bow is more practical than the two-handed one. For a two-handed saw, two workers with great skill are needed, only then does it cut brilliantly, truly better than anyone else. For everyone else, it will be eight, pinched and take away strength and time. Luchkova will cut ANY KETTLE quickly and easily.
If you need to cut very thick logs, a hacksaw will be more practical than a two-handed one. Here in another thread the author praises the 60cm Kremlin saw. I haven't tried it. But I'll try.

A homemade bow made from a bent barrel is much worse than a metal one. It will not give the required tension - it will be more difficult to saw. And heavy to work and carry. Donate your strength to carry a few hundred grams of the saw and it will thank you a hundredfold.

Durability. If used correctly, the canvases last a long time. More expensive ones last longer. They're fired up. Swedish, for example.
You can't cut oak- lands the saw very quickly. Also the saw becomes dull, if the wood is contaminated with soil, especially sand.
Avoid pinching the fabric in cutting - the gap decreases, sawing becomes harder, and independent cutting during a hike is uneven, a protruding tooth quickly becomes dull and slows down the saw."

Two types of blades are used for bow saws:

1. For sawing raw wood with a chipping tooth (in common parlance, the Kremlin tooth - resembles the teeth of the Kremlin wall))

2.For sawing dry, seasoned wood and for transverse sawing raw wood

The blades can be simple or with hardened teeth. A blade with hardened teeth is of better quality, cuts better, but is extremely difficult to sharpen and set, and is much more expensive. Conventional blades are correspondingly cheaper, require a little more energy when cutting, but are easier to sharpen and cut. If you have a multi-tool with a file, the cutting and sharpening of the blade can be done practically while sitting on a stump - if you naturally have the desire and steady hands). Again, according to reviews, if treated with care, ordinary canvases serve enough long time.

The depth of the cut is limited by the distance from the blade to the spacer bar.

There are, of course, options for homemade bow saws

But here we return to the opinion of an experienced user - " A homemade bow made from a bent barrel is much worse than a metal one"!

CONCLUSION - I WANT IT!! Dear SKLAD, may you consider this device as an addition to your product range?