# Bandsaw hand-tool replacement?



## ajw2250 (Apr 17, 2011)

Hi everyone,

New to Lumberjocks, not new to woodworking!

My current obsession is having a hand-tool only woodshop, inspired by Tom Fidgen.

My question - what is the best hand-tool to replace the bandsaw? Two categories: resawing/ripping and cutting curves.


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## saddletramp (Mar 6, 2011)

You might want to look at these links:

http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/advert/aw95.htm

http://www.vintageprojects.com/power-tools/scrollsaw.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/You-can-build-Foot-Powered-SCROLL-SAW-Plans-/190506092106?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5b0c464a#ht_1099wt_948

http://cgi.ebay.com/Woodworkers-Treadle-ScrollSaw-Woodbodied-Foot-Operated-/190471593562?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c58fdde5a#ht_4394wt_714


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

for resawing /riping you can both use a handsaw and a frame saw 
for the curved work a framesaw with a thin blade , fretsaw big and small is the right choice
dependig of sice and thickness of materiel

good luck onto the journey of the Galoot lane 
welcome to L J enjoy and have fun
take care
Dennis


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

Treadle scrolls are one of the coolest things in existence. I'm a handtool heavy guy myself but I don't seem to do a lot of curved work. Resawing by hand is an impressive goal. A massive ripsaw and a nice sawbench might be handy. A bowsaw and coping saw should get you around the curves. Good luck!


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can saw veneers with a bowsaw. You can saw dovetails,
tenons, and rip fast with a rip blade with it.

If I could have only one saw, it would be a bowsaw… but I'd
resent not having a ryoba as well.

If you're into making your own you-powered machinery, look up
walking beam saw plans.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

I only occasionally fire up my bandsaw when I have lots of cutting or I am cutting metal. Here is what I have for my main saws:

A couple frame saws. One set up rip, one crosscut. You can also get narrower blades for curves.









(Pic is from Traditional Woodworker-Highland Woodworking sells also but I like the ECE better than the Ulmia Adria Tools also sells the ECE)

I have a big one with a rip blade and a smaller one with crosscut.

(The rest of these are from Toolsforworkingwood.com)
A bowsaw










A coping saw










A fret saw










But, I'm not giving up my bandsaw.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

>what is the best hand-tool to replace the bandsaw?

A BIGGER bandsaw!  Or maybe a Jointmaker Pro ( http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/tag/jointmaker-pro/ ).


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## ajw2250 (Apr 17, 2011)

David Kirtley - exactly what I was looking for!

How did you prepare the blades on your big ECE frame saws. I have used one and the cut always drifted to the right, regardless I what I tried - any advice?

Thanks…


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

most highly the way you hold the saw when you saw
but it cuold be a few teeth on the right side that have a little bigger set than 
the others …. that wuold get any saw to drift

Dennis


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## bubinga (Feb 5, 2011)

This guy here builds furniture with hand tools only, he has a lot of great videos, some showing how to make the tools, check it out
Welcome to the New Logan Cabinet Shoppe Blog
http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/


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## ajw2250 (Apr 17, 2011)

Thanks Bubinga!


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

Ajwilson:

The only thing I did to my saws is get rid of the metal screw tightener. I put dyneema line on it with a toggle. If you are not familiar with it, dyneema is just an ultra low stretch line.

Just tension the blade and make sure it does not have any twist and you are good to go. You do have to make sure that you don't try to push it too hard or it can drift (for the same reason a bandsaw does if you feed the stock too fast). Let the teeth do the cutting.

Also, you don't want the blade to be in line with the frame, you turn it a bit to one side or the other depending on what you are doing and what is comfortable . Otherwise, you can't see where you are sawing.


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