a bowsaw from pallet wood

These saws have intrigued me for a while. After looking at yours, I may just have to make one for myself. Nicely done and a good use of pallet wood.

-- Jack - Mission Viejo, Calif

awesome

-- Dusty56@comcast.net

It’s surprising what you can find in those tossed out pallets huh? Good job!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Great project!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Very neat project but it looks like work to use. mike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Wow I would have never thought of making something like that out of pallet wood. Our local lumber and hardware supplier puts ads in the paper for free pallets. I know there is all kinds of different lumber in that stack. They get a lot of there products from overseas. When I got my table saw the pallet it was on was made from glued up wood shavings. There were depressions in the pallet to make up the ‘legs’. My better half noticed them and asked if I could cut them out so she could have them for flower pots and starter pots for the garden. I thought they would either just fall apart upon the first rain storm (and oh how it has rained here.) but they didnt. My next thought the resiin that held it all together would harm the plants, but the plants are thriving. Hmmm maybe the lead in the resin helps. Oh did I type that? I might have to check out the pallet stack today, you have me all inspired now. note to myself, pick up dust mask. Check country of origin of pallet stock Off to Stoll Brothers I go…..Zoom

-- God bless the men and women who protect our counrty.

Very nice! Thanks for the links, another thing for the todo list :)

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

This is the kind of project that sends me running for the shop. Thanks for the great saw.

Very nice work! If nothing else it was a seriously low cost solution. THe remaining question is; How well does it cut?

-- Chris

Nice. It seems like the bowsaw has not gotten the press that it deserves. Put a wide blade in it and you can do some serious resawing. It was (is) one of Tage Frid’s favorite tools. I myself nowdays prefer a bandsaw, but for the had tool guys, that is just sweet. Maybe you should do a review of it. Thanks for the inspiration.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Nice saw.

I have one of those part-way done, and the project has gotten buried somewhere. I’m using those same plans as well as the pins that toolsforworkingwood sells.

IIrc, their instructions say to use fishing line for the tension cord, which I’ve wondered about. Is the lace you used leather? How is that working?

-- johnjoiner

Thanks for your post johnjoiner.

for pins i used door hinge pins $2 at Home Depot (get some nice brass colored ones), cut the head off and with a sawsall with a metal blade cut the slots, file them smooth and set them in epoxy in the handles.

the leather works, but i need to take the tention of the saw when i do not use it to save the leather strep, i broke one already leaving it tight overnight. so maybe i might have to check out the fish line. the tention on these saws needs to be pretty high to keep the blade straight and for easy cutting.

but this is a saw i will be using a lot, i do not have a bandsaw.

i bought the 12” blades for this saw, but i might make a second saw for the 6” blades they sell at the lumber yards.

i had thought about taking an old bandsaw blade, cutting 12” off, unharden the ends to be able to drill holes and use it for this saw, but did not have the time.

-- Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary ...

Hand made tools are the beginning of a truly handmade project. Nice job, will be scouring the website for some ideas of ‘must have’ tools.

-- I can so I wood but why are my learning curves always circles

Great job! I want one now. Thanks

-- Joey~~Sabina, Ohio http://sleepydogwoodworking.blogspot.com/

A great use of pallet lumber.

Very nice!

You can also use your old bandsaw blades.

-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Very nice job but I would not use pallet wood on my tools you never know what you can find a hidden nail or staples and the would the cheapest you can find I pick some up for fire wood ,also you are left with a smell in the wood…..by the way is it all pallet wood or you had to add good wood with it,thanks for posting

-- - - Tools are nice to have but you need someone to work them - -

About your leather soak it in oil (any oil) for 48 hours then wipe it and make sure you don’t have any small nicks that is where it is going to break

-- - - Tools are nice to have but you need someone to work them - -

Yes GHman, ALL the wood came from wooden bins we get our Taiwanese plant material in. These bins were specially made to ship Sago Plam trunks and Pachira braided cuttings. There is white wood like a tight pine, but harder like maple in it, there is Mahogany in it and a harder pinkish type of a wood with closed grain, I made the handels of. And I try to be very carefull about the hidden nails, but i have have hade no problems. For me it was just the challence of using this wood that I have seen coming through and ending up by the trash can.

Dick, I was going to use a used blade but could not fine the time. In order to use a used bandsaw blade you do need to untemper the metal, by heating it and slowly cooling it at the tips where you drill the holes for the pins.

Thanks for the comments.

-- Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary ...