New unscientific, but I'll expect nothing but honest answers poll

I believe that a fretsaw is typically has a deeper frame than a coping saw and, as you suggest, is the hand-saw equivalent to a scroll saw. For dovetails in thin material, a fretsaw is probably a good choice. For thicker stock, I believe a fresaw might prove too tedious for me.

-- Daniel, Southern Indiana -- "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." -- http://blackdogwoodshop.etsy.com

Hmm, I did know about the difference between the two but did not know that you could use a scroll saw blade in a fret saw. Look forward to checking out your work!

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

Fret saws are a little easier to control – but then there are jeweler’s saws, which are usually more adjustable. Scroll saw blades can be a little hard to keep rigid, just so you know – I am still looking for the perfect combo to saw out dovetail waste. Good luck.

-- "No Board Left Behind"

Thanks guys. I’m going to check out the fret saw and scroll saw blade combo and see how it works for me.

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.

I’ve got a couple of fret saws – one with a deep frame and one standard sized. I was under the impression that the difference was just the fact that the fret saws had the adjustable frames that let you use pretty much any blade that can be held in the top/bottom clamps (even short pieces of broken blades). And the coping saws needed the fixed sized pin end blades??

-- Use the fence Luke

Doug – I’m getting the same general impression. However, the fret saw is apparently much easier to use simply because you can use any blade appropriate for the job.

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.

I have one of each but don’t know which is which.

-- Bruce from Central New York

fret saws have a deeper loop.. at least that is what I understand

-- making sawdust....

I saw the difference, but I didn’t fret about it. Now I’m coping with the consequences of my ignorance. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Yes, I also fretted about the availability of the two saws. Being unable to cope with the lack of availability of the fret, I fretted with an inappropriate use of the cope. After quitting fretting and giving up coping with my cope, I got a fret and fret no more. They are different. Just FYI, it’s actually easier to cope with a fret than to fret with a cope.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Sounds like a cop-e out to me, Tom.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Either one seems to be able to generate any number of puns…

I’m not sure, but I believe the fret saw originated to deal with the fancy fretwork one might find in, say, a Black Forest Cuckoo clock, whereas the coping saw is built a bit more rugged to handle coping trim work. Lately another form of fret saw has surfaced, used to cleanly cut fret slots in guitar fingerboards. I guess the difinition lies in the usage.

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

You guys are a hoot!

Bruce and Moth——you can get fret saws in a three inch or 11 inch frame. And Texasgaloot is right. I’ve been looking a bit about these saws and they were designed for the finer scroll type work. Coping saws are more rugged, and I might add, for this gal hard to use.

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.