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RWW 141 The Neanderthal’s Apprentice

17 comments
12 years ago
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I may be a hand tool woodworker, but I still have band saw in my shop and it actually gets some use. There are times when the band saw can speed things up and add some accuracy when I don’t feel my hand sawing skills are up to the task and this is why the band saw is often called the “Neanderthal’s apprentice”. In this case, I’m building a frame for a Roubo frame saw and the 8/4 Poplar combine with a 50″ plus rip cut seems like a good excuse to use the band saw.

In Hand Tool School Semester 4 we will be taking a close look at resawing by hand. As a precursor to that lesson, we will build this Roubo Frame saw using a great hardware kit made by a local blacksmith. It should be a lot of fun!

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While editing this video I starting doubting why I even bothered with the band saw. I’m pretty sure I could have ripped this board faster by hand and gotten some exercise to boot. With a frame resaw in the works and a more robust frame saw for curves on the drawing board, I wonder how long it will be before I fire my “apprentice”. What do you use your band saw for that you could not live without?

Update

Apparently only 10 months as I just sold the bandsaw. My Roubo Frame saw has made it obsolete. Yes I know how ironic that statement is.

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Bob Easton

Ohhhh Shannon….
You’re offering a prelude to “resawing by hand” by doing just the opposite? hmmmm?

You know, that 54″ rip in 8/4 poplar only uses up 1/3 of a Snickers bar. Make it oak, and you’re only up to 2/3 of a Snickers bar. 🙂

… and after you complete the Roubo frame saw, it’ll be even easier.

Ben Lowery

Alternatively, here’s how I handled it: http://blowery.org/2011/03/15/thickolson-the-big-rip-and-flattening/
😉

    Shannon

    Great post Ben. That upright, English sawing technique definitely has its merits and I use it a lot for smaller parts and thinner pieces where I can clamp it securely to the bench.

Joe 'the Pro' Sainz

Shannon,
I’m definitely interested in your local blacksmith’s offering for hardware. I’ve had a 4′ resawing blade sitting in the shop yearning for some good hardware.

    Shannon

    I’ll be posting about this in the future. I’m going to see the prototype of the hardware this weekend and once it is ready to go, the kits will be published for purchase on his site. Though, there is already a list of over 150 people who are Hand Tool School members that have reserved kits for our upcoming build so I can’t say what his lead time will be like once production starts.

Joe Cunningham

I used Roy’s big frame saw at the Woodwright’s School and will make one of these as well sometime soon. I think I’m going to make a wider version though for ripping rather than resawing. I found the big frame saw easier to control than a hand saw for long rips, and less work as I could use my entire upper body rather than a single arm. Bob Easton’s setup also looks like a good option with a pair of saw benches, so I might dimension the saw around that.

I use my band saw for cutting guitar bodies to shape, also 8/4 stock. I then flush cut them on the router table with a template. Each time I do that operation, I remember why I like mostly working with hand tools. Nothing is as piercing as the high pitched whine of a router.

    Shannon

    Joe, I’m playing around with this idea too and I have used several wider, yet shorter frame saws at the Steppingstone museum for this exact action. It does take some getting used to. Think about making a turning/bow saw for those guitar bodies then clean it up with a draw knife and/or spokeshave. I’ve come to realize just how much control this tool combination will give you for shaping and sculpting.

Byrdie

Was it just me or was there the cover of another bandsaw peeking out of the corner (just to your left) when you were making the first crosscut to bring your plank to length?

Personally, I see nothing wrong with using hybrid methods. There are times to use handtools – bringing out the final product – and times to get production work done so that you can get to the project at hand. I’d tune up that saw and touch up that blade and hang on to it for a while longer.

    Shannon

    Nope only 1 bandsaw here. Maybe I have power tool ghosts sent to haunt me.