That's the first time I've heard that explanation=2C but it seems to
make the most sense to me. You'd need a huge kerf in order to cut any
kind of radius if used on furniture-type tables. And given that scarfs
are ALL OVER wooden ships leads me to believe that your concern about
over-specialization is unfounded.

A related question: Has anyone seen evidence that larger planking (say
2" or thicker) had been scarfed rather than butted? In my limited
reading I have not=2C but the amount of scarfed timbers in the frames
alone would make this a useful tool.

-T

> From: bghio@b... To: peter@p... Subject: Re: [OldTools] Ray G... I
> need your help with Hand - table saws Date: Fri=2C 17 Jul 2009
> 10:26:52 -0400
> CC: oldtools@r...
>> Peter=2C Pretty little handles. I have heard speculation that the
>> "table" > referred to is the flat portion of a scarf joint in large
>> ships > timbers or timber framing. After the joint is cut in say a 8
>> x 14 > timber and the two pieces are mated=2C you usually have to
>> kerf in the > joint for a final fit. The speculation was that this
>> is the job these > saws were designed to do. I offer this w/ no
>> actual experience=2C just > recalling a long ago conversation. That
>> narrow a use has always seemed > to be a bit of over specialization
>> to me. Bill
>
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