Fretsaw

[ben2008]

Has anyone ever used this fretsaw? If you have, did you find it useful or a pain in the neck? I'm thinking of getting one. 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by ben2008

[ike]

never used one , but it looks like it would be slow. let us know how it worked . If you get one.

IIE

[barb.j.enders]

There is someone on one of my facebook groups that uses it.  He does some amazing work. His first name is Amos. @uniquescrollerspatternshop  

[trackman]

There is a guy who sometimes post his work on here and he only uses a hand held fretsaw. 

[WayneMahler]

I would imagine it is going to take some practice and getting used too. There is a V notched table (?) you use also. I have a Knew concept saw but use it for cutting dove tails. Best of luck if you go this route. 

 

[amazingkevin]

Tony Coleman our member has done many Lords prayer with one !!!!

[ben2008]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

If I buy one, I am going to use it for some very small cutouts in the center of a scroll saw project I'm working on. I'm really not very good at setting up my saw for those tiny cutouts. I just can't seem to thread the blade through that tiny #68 hole without bending the #02 blade while attaching it to the bottom clamp of my Excalibur. My hands are just a bit too shaky in my old age. My eyes are not all that great either. I rarely ever use such a tiny blade. Most all scroll work I have done I use a number 3 or 5 blade or even bigger. The 02 blade was recommended for parts of this project. Never again.

Anyway

I thought I would try and thread the blade through the tiny hole off the saw first, then attach the hand fret saw too it and attempt to cut out the piece by hand.  I only have about 8 or 10 of those teeny, tiny cutouts to do. The rest I can do with a #3 and a #5 blade. The fretsaw is not going to bankrupt me. It is only about 20 bucks with free shipping. I think it may be worth a try as I am not doing very well now. 

I do want to make these as Christmas gifts for my great grandkids.

Thanks again

Ben

[Rockytime]

These two tips have been posted here by several others and have worked very well for me. Using an awl, press it into that #68 hole from the back twisting it around a bit to create a funnel effect. Then using a plain old fashioned wood pencil twist the tip of the pencil a bit in the hole. This leaves a bigger visual target to see and the funnel shaped hole is easier to thread.

I nearly always use a #68 drill and #2/0 blade. The above has helped my tired old eyes.

[ben2008]

2 hours ago, Rockytime said:

These two tips have been posted here by several others and have worked very well for me. Using an awl, press it into that #68 hole from the back twisting it around a bit to create a funnel effect. Then using a plain old fashioned wood pencil twist the tip of the pencil a bit in the hole. This leaves a bigger visual target to see and the funnel shaped hole is easier to thread.

I nearly always use a #68 drill and #2/0 blade. The above has helped my tired old eyes.

Thanks Les, sounds like a good tip. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Been working on another project today. Had to get my mind off that awful experience with that other fiasco.

[FrankEV]

3 hours ago, Rockytime said:

These two tips have been posted here by several others and have worked very well for me. Using an awl, press it into that #68 hole from the back twisting it around a bit to create a funnel effect. Then using a plain old fashioned wood pencil twist the tip of the pencil a bit in the hole. This leaves a bigger visual target to see and the funnel shaped hole is easier to thread.

I nearly always use a #68 drill and #2/0 blade. The above has helped my tired old eyes.

No matter what dill bit I use (#68 and up) I use a dremel carving bit, that looks like a ball at the end of a shaft, to debur the hole and create a funnel shaped dimple on the back side at each hole. Makes threading a 2/0 blade, or even larger blades, from below much easier.  I think this might be easier than the Awl trick.  

[crupiea]

I bought one to try it but its much harder than it looks on youtube.  Its a real talent people have for these. 

[zimmerstutzen]

Used one many years ago when all I had was a bandsaw and a coping saw would not reach in to do the cut out.  A t one time got an electric one.  Jumped around far too much to cut a smooth line even with the work clamped down.

[Unique Scrollers Patterns]

On 10/26/2020 at 1:34 PM, barb.j.enders said:

There is someone on one of my facebook groups that uses it.  He does some amazing work. His first name is Amos. @uniquescrollerspatternshop  

Hello barb.j.enders. I'm the person you're talking about.  Not Amos,lol... but Asmocrafts@uniquescrollersparttenshop 

I'm still using  Hand held Fretsaw till date.  Here is a Valentine Day gift I used my Handheld Fretsaw to handcut. It's pattern was hand drawn by me using my manual drawing instruments to design.

The hand drawn pattern of this Valentine day gift  is available on request for a token if you need it. 

[Unique Scrollers Patterns]

On 10/27/2020 at 6:23 PM, crupiea said:

I bought one to try it but its much harder than it looks on youtube.  Its a real talent people have for these. 

Hi Crupiea, no it's not harder as you think or as you might have experienced. Look, you're a real talented people. With patience and constant practice, I bet you'll get used to it better than you think.

See what I have used it to hand cut sometimes ago this year for the last Valentine day gift.

[Unique Scrollers Patterns]

On 10/26/2020 at 1:38 PM, WayneMahler said:

I would imagine it is going to take some practice and getting used too. There is a V notched table (?) you use also. I have a Knew concept saw but use it for cutting dove tails. Best of luck if you go this route. 

 

Yes you're right WayneMahler, with patience and constant practice he will get used to it. I have been using  Fretsaw to handcut all my scroll saw works for over 30 years ago,and I'm still counting. 

[Unique Scrollers Patterns]

On 10/26/2020 at 9:18 AM, ben2008 said:

Has anyone ever used this fretsaw? If you have, did you find it useful or a pain in the neck? I'm thinking of getting one. 

 

Yes I have been using Fretsaw since over 30 years ago. It's very much useful, very much cost effective than a motorized scroll saw. Yes that's the fact. It's therapeutic in  nature. Having learnt the basic method of using this wonderful Fretsaw to cut, I changed to a convenient method that fits me.

But you have to be patience and constantly practicing with it before you can master the use of a hand Fretsaw. 

[Ctutor]

i inherited my grandfather's.  One of the reasons I ended up with a motorized scroll saw.  Neat  but need to watch the width of the wood you are going to work on.

[Unique Scrollers Patterns]

Hello barb.j.enders. I'm the person you're talking about.  Not Amos,lol... but Asmocrafts@uniquescrollersparttenshop 

I'm still using  Hand held Fretsaw till date.  Here is a Valentine Day gift I used my Handheld Fretsaw to handcut. It's pattern was hand drawn by me using my manual drawing instruments to design.

The hand drawn pattern of this Valentine day gift  is available on request for a token if you need it. 

[JimNC]

On 10/26/2020 at 4:18 AM, ben2008 said:

Has anyone ever used this fretsaw? If you have, did you find it useful or a pain in the neck? I'm thinking of getting one. 

 

If it doesn't have a motor on it I don't use it! LOL

[Scrappile]

Some marquetry artists use them.