Long used on the European continent, the frame saw's efficiency and versatility make it worthy of consideration in any shop. With a thin blade held in tension, cutting is fast and efficient. Furthermore, a single frame and hardware set can accomodate blades of different pitches and lengths (just make stretchers to match the blade length). Finally, the low cost of entry is sure to appeal to the parsimonious woodworker; for less than the cost of one premium saw, several saws can be made that cover a wide range of woodworking tasks.
Hardware: The hardware is precisely made from premium materials for long and useful life, and includes:
Leather washers: The two leather washers go between the handles and the arms, preventing wear and rotation between the two. 31/32" outside diameter, 1/2" inside diameter, and approximately 1/8" thick.
Tensioning cord: Although natural fibers were the traditional choice for tensioning these saws, modern science has given us other choices that work extraordinarily well. My cord of choice is braided polyethylene fishing line, whose low stretch and small diameter makes it an excellent choice for tensioning these saws. Cord is charcoal color.
Blades: Available in two sizes, with custom lengths available upon request. Blades are bright steel; this is not a fine polish or mirror finish, but is perfectly serviceable. They can be used as they come, or sanded to a more polished finish before sharpening. To make starting easier, a short length at the front of the blade is left untoothed.
Unsharpened blades have the teeth punched, but need to be jointed, sharpened, and set. Taper triangular saw files for sharpening the teeth are available here.
Sharpened blades are jointed, set, and sharpened to my high standards, and are ready to cut, but may require side dressing to fine tune the tracking.
Complete kit: The complete Danish frame saw kit combines the hardware, leather washers, tensioning cord, and blade of your choice for everything (except the wood) needed to build a frame saw thet will last for generations, and at a modest savings over buying them separately.
Lumber for wood frame: Wood is not included. Many species of wood will work, although woods with high bending strengths are preferred for the arms. I favor elm, but ash, hickory, and beech are also excellent choices. For the stretcher, lightweight woods are preferred; pine, cedar, and basswood all work well. See the construction plans and notes for the Danish frame saw for the required dimensions of the wood stock.
Build resources: Construction plans and notes are freely available for your use; if you'd like a little more guidance, consider the video below, Build Your Own Classic Frame Saws, which I shot with Popular Woodworking.
Blade Dimensions (W x L x T) |
PPI (TPI) |
Suggested Uses | Saw File |
---|---|---|---|
1 1/4" x 16" x 0.025" | 9 (8) |
Medium tenons Ripping to 1 1/2" thick |
6" X-slim |
1 1/4" x 24" x 0.028" | 7 (6) |
Large tenons Ripping to 3" thick |
6" X-slim or 7" X-slim |
Danish frame saw parts |