Rip saw advice
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Hi there,
I’ve got some big chunks of wood I’d like to rip down into laths (for the bread stow). I don’t have a bandsaw or room for one and my biggest toothed saw is 10tpi.
I’m in the market for a vintage saw I can sharpen up and use. The question is what tpi should I be looking for?
Will a 7tpi cut much faster than my 10tpi or should I look for something more aggressive?
Payday isn’t far away and there are some nice ones on eBay I might take a punt on.
Thanks in advance.
I picked up a 6 tpi Spear and Jackson in lovely condition on Ebay, I was surprised no one else bid on it. It cuts easily and suits me just fine. The only time I needed something more aggressive was ripping up some logs that were not quite dry, but a chain saw got them down to manageable sizes.
I have an old 4tpi no name “warranted superior” saw that was rusty and marked, and generally ready for the bin.
I bought it on eBay for £1.50, and after restoration it’s one of my favourite saws.
No pun intended, but it rips through wood like the proverbial hot knife through butter.
Get yourself a cheapo vintage saw, give it a bit of TLC, and you’ll not regret it!
I wouldn’t worry too much about tpi. Reshaping large teeth is easy because the spacing is easy to get right. I redid my new s&j to have ~5 tpi (size of 5mm) and don’t regret it. It took time but it was very easy.
I’d just look for a saw with a nice plate, usable handle and the length you want. Then just file the teeth away if necessary.
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