Looking for a good Jewelers Saw and came across this...pretty cool

[Donny]

I have been looking for a GOOD WELL MADE jewelers saw and came across this guys work....not engraving but he does have cool wood skills

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/miniature-dovetails-without-machines-144824/

What saw do you use to cut out gold and silver inlays?

Donny

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

http://knewconcepts.com/

 

[dimovengraving]

workshop vise 1:12

 

[Donny]

Thanks Doc!! I am going to order one of them once I decide if the 3" OR the 5" is the way to go.....

Anyone have a preference ????


Donny

 

[Gargoyle]

I have been looking for a GOOD WELL MADE jewelers saw and came across this guys work....not engraving but he does have cool wood skills

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/miniature-dovetails-without-machines-144824/

That's a friend of mine, Bill Robertson. Incredible miniaturist.

Here's an interview/slideshow on him. Do not miss this.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/AudioSlideshow/31688/index.asp?slideshow=31688

 

[TGenDS]

Donny, I have both the 3" and 5" saw frames. Mine are the cam-lever-plus-swivel-blade-clamp versions, and I absolutely love them.

They both feel good in the hand, and they're incredibly lightweight, however I find that the 3-incher is a little easier to wield depending on the size of job you're working on.

 

[Donny]

Tamra,

That sounds like it will work for my uses...I will be cutting silver and gold sheet for animal inlays. Probably wouldn't need more than the three inch but you never know when you will come across a job that may require more. (Might be a good excuse at the time to buy another

Donny

 

[diandwill]

I have a 5" and it's fine. I do a lot of bracelets and wanted the extra depth. Would like the 3" for the extra control. Wouldn't you know it, I dropped mine in the first few days and the tightening lever broke, It still works, but... Just saw a few weeks ago thet Stuller is making a very similar product, for less money. I may get the 3" from them.
Will

 

[Karl Stubenvoll]

I have all three sizes and love them. The aluminum frames are much lighter yet far stiffer than regular style steel frames. The older black plastic blade attachment screw heads aren't my favorites, but the overall design is great!

 

[erikgem]

Saw this thread and I thought I would mention a saw I developed. This saw is just for delicate work. Like everyone else, I use a regular saw for 95 % of my work. They are sold by most of the major suppliers, such as Gesswein, Stuller, Otto Frei etc.

Anderson miniature saw frame

Size inches= 2 3/4 inches long

Some features of the saw:

Provides sensitive control of saw for delicate operations such as gem setting. Make relief cuts on prongs which have already been partially folded over stones.

Small size makes it usable when working under the microscope. Good for touching up inlays.

Use in wax carving for exacting work. Small size and light weight give a better feel for what is being cut.

Keep a saw in the laser welder to make cuts to provide for penetration. Avoid that trip to the bench and back to the laser. In shops where the laser is shared by jewelers, you don’t lose your place at the laser when you get up to saw.

Uses standard blades, or your broken blades if they break long enough. Slightly spring the saw frame with your fingers, or against the bench to provide tension when tightening the knobs.

3 colors. Use colors for different size saw blades. Or have a different color for different jewelers


Dave Anderson

 

[Chujybear]

With a swiveling head the depTh of the frame shouldn't matter that much, depending on how wide a slice you ate making.

 

[TGenDS]

Dave--so YOU'RE the one who designed those! Cool! --I have one of those too, and I love it. I bought mine from Blaine Lewis last year when I was at New Approach for the push engraving class with Jason Marchiafava. --It is indeed the perfect thing to use for broken blades, as well as for several of the other things you mentioned. Kudos on a great product.

[Sorry if this posts more than once--something weird was going on as I was making my attempt--not quite sure...]

 

[Karl Stubenvoll]

I forgot to mention that I use the three inch version for 99% or more of my work; that size is least likely to smash into my magnifiers when working up close. The deeper sizes are necessary when cutting blanks from large sheets.

 

[Brian Marshall]

The size of the saw really depends on the kind of work...

Goldsmiths rarely use a saw with a throat deeper than 3" (The exception woud be those like James Miller who get to do very large and interesting pieces)

Western silversmith/engravers can get by with the 5" frame. Even fairly large cornerplates can be cut from 2 directions. A 3" frame is usually deep enough for overlays.

There don't seem to be any more of the saddlemaker/silvermiths/engravers who make the fully silver mounted "parade" type of work that Bohlin and those guys used to make? At least I'm not aware of any... Fully covered swell covers, corners front & back, jockeys, cantles, tapaderos & serapes...

Used to work on quite a few of those, replacing bent, gouged. missing and otherwise damaged pieces. Some of those rigs weighed so much that the SPCA actually got some riders banned from putting them on a horse at the Santa Barbara parade 25 years ago. (Most ofhe riders themselves could've stood to lose a hundred pounds or more)

That kind of work, and the work done by those who raise vessels, spin vessels or make silver tea sets, serving bowls and trays require the really large ones. They are pretty difficult to master. We have one here with a 14" throat. Had to use it once to make a filigreed & engraved sterling picture frame. Did break a few blades before I got the hang of it.

Some of the other metalsmiths - like bit & spur makers, may need up to 8" of working space.


Brian