Little Fill In Project - Turning Saw Build

While I am researching my new furniture project I thought I would make a bow or turning saw.  I only have a cheap coping saw the I think I paid less then $10 for may years ago.  Tools for Working Wood has a kit and plans available and there are lots of video available to help with the building process.  I purchased the kit with the handles but you could turn your own handles if you wanted. The kit contained two handles, two brass pins for holding the blades and three saw blades. The plans are free on their site.   To be honest the only thing you really need is the brass pins and the plans.
Doug Moulder left me some hickory boards when he was here last.  He had used my shop to mill some hickory for a small bench he was making.  Some of the hickory was quarter sawn so that is what I picked.

I printed the drawings full size from the Tools for Working Wood website.  Very helpful.

I traced the patterns with carbon paper on to the milled stock.  Then cut them out with the band saw.

With the pieces roughed out. The next step was to put a 1/4" by 5/8" tenon on each end of the stretcher.  Then make a matching mortise in each arm that was 3/8" deep.  I just used a bench chisel to chop out  the small mortise.  I used my dovetail saw to make the tenons.

Once I had a good fit to the mortise and tenon, I added a slight radius to the end of the tenon and the opening of the mortise.  I used a large circle template which matched the drawings.  

 As you can see in the picture the curve if very slight.   But this helps with the rocking that takes place as you tension the bow saw.

I also drilled the 1/4" hole in the end of arm to hold the brass pins.  I used my drill press.

I used epoxy to glue the brass pins into the handles and slipped them through the holes drilled in the end.  Now I wanted to attached the string and see how things fit prior to doing the shaping.  But I needed to make the toggle before I could do that.

I cut out as small piece of wood 5 1/4" long, 1/2" thick, by 5/8" wide.  This is a little wider that the plans call for but I thought it looked better.   I used a hand plan to put the taper on the sides and edges.  I used a file to round over the shape.

I purchased some jute string from the hardware store.  I made two loops and tied it with a double square knot.  I am not sure it will hold but I need to look up a better knot type.   Then I inserted the toggle and started to wind up the string to tension the blade.  Here you see it at about 4 to 5 turns.
I am going to test it out now and then do the shaping.

More to come.  Here is today's video: