« back to Woodworking Tools, Hardware and Accessories forum
| Forum topic by Betsy | posted 282 days ago | 643 views | 0 times favorited | 23 replies | ![]() |
|
282 days ago |
I need to get a good dovetail saw for my class I’m taking in May. What saws do you all use? What about this saw/ http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=57113&cat=1,42884,57152 thanks all. -- Betsy - GO BUCKS! |
|
282 days ago |
Lie Nelson $75 ti $125 -- WOOD/DON (...one has the right to ones opinion but not the right to ones own facts...) |
|
282 days ago |
I’m sure Lee Valley’s is a nice saw, but I haven’t used it before. I have the Lie Nielsen dovetail saw and I really like it. You can read my review in the LJ Reviews. I recently found this web site www.dilegnosupply.com, and they sell Lie Nielsen tools for under list price. It’s the only place I have found that sells Lie Nielsen for under list price. The dovetail saw at their site is $119. I bought a nice mallet from them recently and really like it. |
|
282 days ago |
I use a Crown gent’s saw which only cost me about $15-20. It does a fine job, especially for the money. I would like a full-handled saw for a better grip, so that Lie-Nielsen sure looks like a beaut. However, I’ll be getting a ryoba (Japanese) saw soon, and look forward to trying that on dovetails. Have fun on your class and be sure to report back on how it went! -- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com |
|
282 days ago |
Betsy, I actually like a lot this saw: It is super fast cutting, very light and has a very narrow kerf (0.015). It only costs 23$. It definitely puts to shame my Pax dovetail saw (big, clunky and 86$). Alin -- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida |
|
282 days ago |
Betsy, If possible, you should see if you can make some test cuts on a western saw and then on a Japanese saw and see which style you prefer. That would help narrow your selection down by about half… -- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/ |
|
281 days ago |
I bought a Japanese dovetail saw at Rockler for $38.00. It cuts on the pull stroke, and has a thin blade. -- Maplewood, MN |
|
281 days ago |
Betsy, That saw is made my Wenzloff & Sons, who have a great reputation for quality saws. I’m not sure if Lee Valley has them in stock though, so you may want to call and find out first. Wenzloff’s website says they have something like a 21 week wait for new saws. Everyone I’ve talked to who has them, love them. Another option is Tools for Working Wood’s Gramercy dovetail saw While it’s back ordered too, it should be back in stock in the next week or so, per my phone call recently about them. Hope this helps :) -- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll! |
|
281 days ago |
Betsy, There are a couple of individual sawmakers that do really good work if you are interested in going that route. The Wenzloff saws are probably the best thing going right now though. All of the above are great and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. -- S. Box --- "But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." - John Adams |
|
279 days ago |
i agree with tomcat on his posting. i have a lie nielsen and i really like it, but the wenzloff and gramarcy are highly spoken of always. one good thing is there is no waiting for the lie nielsen. i live in ct and get super fast regular delivery from them. i think most woodcraft stores carry them as well. greg -- Greg, CT |
|
279 days ago |
Thanks for the advise fellas. I split the difference and went with http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48033&cat=1,42884 from Lee Valley. I’ll let you know how it turns out. -- Betsy - GO BUCKS! |
|
279 days ago |
Hello I found an old copy of Fine Woodworking that reviewed the saws. They reccomended the Crown gents saw as the best deal and best saw. It is very reasonablly priced and comes very sharp. -- Scott, Kentucky ----- "Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry" Mark Twain |
|
277 days ago |
betsy, I was in ther same situation and made the same choice, it tunr out great, good luck dovetailing. -- Artesano Taino |
|
276 days ago |
Betsy, I have the saw you decided to purchase and I do not like it a bit. I prefer the 4 times cheaper dozuky I indicated in my previous post by a mile. The PAX saw is heavy, clunky and has a kerf that is way too large. With a little more money you can get a rally good western dovetail saw. The PAX is clearly not worth the money. Alin -- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida |
|
276 days ago |
It’s worth figuring out your preferred style for cutting dovetails – western or eastern. I’ve tried Japanese saws and I can’t work with them. It’s entirelly a personal prefernece and before investing $$ in a saw I’d figure out which you like better. I personally love the Lie Nielsen saw and just could’t imagine any thing else, but that’s my style…you need to decide on your own. Good luck! |
|
273 days ago |
Got my saw from Lee Valley yesterday. (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48033&cat=1,42884). Returning it today. It’s very apparent that it is much to heavy for me and the handle is much to big for my hand. I was surprised, even though they tell you the weight, how much it really did weigh. So Alin – you were right! I’m going to try some of the other recommendations you all have given until I find the right saw for both the job and my small hands. Thanks again for all the input. -- Betsy - GO BUCKS! |
|
273 days ago |
Nothing beats the dozuki for fineness of kerf and a somewhat “flatter” learning curve. You don’t have to spend a bunch, I picked up a modestly priced one from a Woodcraft store. Also, I can get replacement blades for it too. I also have a pair of L-N saws, a dovetail w/rip teeth and a carcass w/crosscut teeth. For Western saws they are hard to beat but pricey as they should be. Neither is superior just a different kind of “groove” for the woodworker. I guess the killer is that I spent about $30 for the dozuki and over $125 each for the L-Ns. They sure are pretty though… always, -- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein |
|
273 days ago |
This thread is making me even more impatient for UPS to bring my new saw! I ordered the dozuki that Alin recommended; supposed to arrive Monday. |
|
273 days ago |
Betsy, If you try a Dozuki make sure you get one that is filed rip, not crosscut. It probably be stated in the ad copy. Cutting dovetails is in the vast majority of instances a ripping (with the grain) operation. Some “dozukis” are offered with either. And as you discovered with the one you ordered the Pax so called “dovetail” saw is available in a crosscut version. The difference is in the actual shape of the teeth. A crosscut blade has a secondary bevel to each tooth called a “fleam” that helps to slice the wood crossgrain. Check out http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/glossary.html for a far better explanation than I can give. |
|
273 days ago |
Recycler, I have to warn you that it takes some getting used to in order to learn how to use a dozuki. It will feel weird at the beginning but after a while it will go really well. I suggest you do practice cuts on scraps until you feel comfortable using it. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Betsy, I truly recommend the small dozuki. It has the rip (not crosscut) teeth and it cuts really fast and precise. Unless I work with really thick stock, it is my saw of choice. I’m sure the other dozukis on LV are good as well but I did not use them personally. Alin -- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida |
|
273 days ago |
Betsy, -- Gerry |
|
271 days ago |
Mine arrived this morning. I’m impressed—as Alin said, it cuts FAST and the kerf is fine. Now the only weak link is skill. ;) This weekend I bought two poplar boards, 1×3x24. As a drill, I’m dovetailing them together, then cutting off just enough of the joined ends to hold together. Shoot the ends, then start over. Bonus is I’m getting practice shooting and was inspired to order a LA block plane. So far today, I’ve cut three joints, and the third is almost not especially embarassing. |
|
271 days ago |
I bought a Crown saw this weekend to play with a bit – it’s ok—- but I honestly get better results with my tiny Zona saw. I feel like I have better control of the saw with a rod type handle and not a pistol grip type handle. Will keep trying different ones until I find one that feels good in my hand and gives a good cut as well. -- Betsy - GO BUCKS! |
|
269 days ago |
For the record, I know of one more site that sells LN tools under list. They don’t sell all of the LN stuff, but a good number of their tools. The dovetail saw is listed for $113 there now. -- johnjoiner |
|
You must be signed in to reply.
|
|
| Sponsor | Forum | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Become a sponsor |
Woodworking Skill Share
|
1336 |
| Become a sponsor |
Woodworking Tools, Hardware and Accessories
|
1778 |
| Become a sponsor |
Safety in the Woodworking Shop
|
123 |
| Become a sponsor |
Designing Woodworking Projects
|
371 |
| Become a sponsor |
Sweating for Bucks Through Woodworking
|
108 |
| Become a sponsor |
Woodworking Trade & Swap
|
251 |
| Become a sponsor |
Coffee Lounge
|
1003 |
| Become a sponsor |
LumberJocks.com Site Feedback
|
284 |
Your Online Shop - Your Support Is Greatly Appreciated - Your Woodworking Showcase - 3 Ways To Help, Financially - Your Woodworking Community


































