Am I the only one having problems finding a good (used) panel saw?
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18 October 2014 at 2:01 am #119642
I have been looking for a used panel saw since last spring – swap meets, garage sales, ebay, craigstlist. The problem I am facing is everyone I find is bent and the handle destroyed. I know I could fix it up, but for my first one I would like to just have to sharpen and go. I will eventually dive into the world of restoring them, but just not right now.
I have thought about buying a new one, but they are either really expensive, or the cheap disposable ones that can’t really be sharpened easily.
Has anyone else run into this? How did you remedy it? Am I maybe being too picky? How much tolerance is there for having bend in the saw blade before it messes with your cut?
Your not alone. I know Paul’s blog always show these wonderful old tools which seem to be a dime a dozen in the UK but in the continental US/Canada we are competing against collectors who spend big money on them. I’ve managed a couple handsaws here and there but after 10 months of searching for good backsaws I bit the bullet and ordered new from a canadian saw maker. Even tho they were expensive they were cheaper than buying used.
Since then I’ve found a couple on line tool sellers who deal in used woodworking tools. These are for the most part good user tools which means they aren’t shiny new and pretty but still in good useable shape. Do a search for Patrick Leach and sign up to his newsletter. He usually sends out a list every month. I’m sure others on the forum here have found other sources as well. I also keep a look out for farm auctions and antique stores, you would be surprised what comes up every now and then. One of these days I need to take a holiday tool buying spree in the UK 🙂
18 October 2014 at 2:49 am #119647Yeah, that seems to be me problem. I the cheapest i can find a Stanley #4 is 60$ locally. People like to decorate with old tools here, and that bumps the price up. In was estatic when I found a #5 in good condition for 40.
Ill look that guy up. Thanks for the tip
18 October 2014 at 6:51 am #119651I thought the same but now I have two panel saws. I wish they had more tpi but oh well. I would say get a saw that works. If that is a 26″ saw than thats ok. Sooner or later you will come across a panel saw. A Panel saw isn’t exactly needed. It may be easier to use in close quarters but a full size will work well too.
I feel like I’ve had the same problem finding saws. My solution was to take a longer saw that still had 15″ to 18″ of straight steel from the handle end and then cut it down. I’ve found that most damage to old saws tends to be around the tip and maybe a few inches down (not always of course). So cutting it down makes sense.
Hopefully you’ll find one that is taper-ground but if the blade is not that tall you probably won’t even need it to be tapered. It’s nice to have a thin blade but that’s not a must either. If the hang angle of the handle is too steep I find that to be uncomfortable but Paul has a blog on how to improve it by drilling new holes.
Also, another thing I’ve noticed with hand saws is that they don’t have to be perfectly straight for them to cut straight. My bench panel saw is 10-point & 15″ long, has thick steel, no taper, and is slightly curved. I cut straight with it all the time, and when the grain doesn’t permit that I just stop and correct as many times as needed. Sometimes I wish it were thinner and taper-ground, but it works for me so I just keep using it.
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