OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

267652 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2019‑01‑13 Next best to Stanley 42X
GGGGG

I never really looked at the various sawsets for why one might be better than
the other.  Today I looked at the 6 variations I have down there and found there
are 4 features that they might have:

1) A double action that first grabs the saw plate, then pushes the plunger
against the tooth vs just a plunger
2) An adjustable guide to help align the plate vs no guide
3) An anvil that moves up and down but does not change its set angle vs a
spinning wheel with a variable angle at the edge
4) A numbered scale to help select the right set for the size of tooth vs
reference lines to help with more or less set

This does not take into account ergonomics.

I looked at these:  Stanley 42, 42X, 42W, 442, Taintor #7, MIllers-Falls with no
number.  The 442 was included just for fun because it is so crazy and obviously
an inferior tool.

Here are pictures and some comments.  Click left and right, text below

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/45813399185/in/album-72157677701
426748/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/45813399185/in/album-72157677701
426748/ <https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/45813399185/in/albu
m-72157677701426748/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/45813399185/in/albu
m-72157677701426748/>

Some questions and observations.  Does weight help or hurt?  The Taintor is very
light, the M-F very heavy, and the Stanleys in between.  I like a heavier tool
and the Stanleys seems about right.

Is the upright stance of the M-F and Stanleys better than the bent over stance
of the Taintor?  I like the upright stance for the height of my saw vice and the
way I sit on a stool to work it.

Is the double plunger a help?  I think so.

Does the Stanley method of moving the anvil up and down versus the wheel give a
better set?  Seems like the Stanley method will just bend a smaller portion of a
smaller tooth and that may not be as good for the metal as bending more of the
tooth to a lesser angle

Stanley 42 has no guide whatsover, and no numerical setting scale
42X has double plunger guide, but no numerical setting scale
42W has adjustable guide and numerical setting guide
M-F  has adjustable guide and numerical setting guide
Taintor #7 has no guide whatsover, and a numerical setting scale

All said and done, it seems like the 42X is the choice of many because of the
double plunger.  42W has no double plunger, but has a handy numerical scale to
the anvil to help in your trial and error and to repeat the setting, and it also
has the adjustable guide.  I have only used the 42X for the last 10+ years (8-10
saws?) so I might try the 42W next time.

Ed
267663 Brent Beach <brent.beach@g...> 2019‑01‑14 Re: Next best to Stanley 42X
Hi

On 2019-01-13 11:12, Ed Minch wrote:
> Is the upright stance of the M-F and Stanleys better than the bent over stance
of the Taintor?  I like the upright stance for the height of my saw vice and the
way I sit on a stool to work it.

This is a big deal for me. The way I sit, my hand and wrist are in a 
straight line when using the 42X. I like to have my eyes positioned so I 
can see the plunger compressing the saw tooth against the anvil.

With the pliers type sawset I have to bend my wrist and it quickly 
starts to hurt. I could probably find a stance where my wrist is not 
bent when using the pliers type, but have not found it the few times I 
tried this type of set.

Brent
-- 
Brent Beach
Victoria, BC, Canada
267664 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2019‑01‑14 Re: Next best to Stanley 42X
GG’s

I’m certainly not an expert, but just looking at the “pliers type” sawsets makes
me think that they are not intended to be used with the saw “teeth up” in a saw
vise.  Ed and Brent are right; the wrist angle would be very fatiguing.

To get a comfortable angle, with the anvil visible as it works, “pliers type”
sawsets would be used with the saw teeth hanging over the edge of the bench or
seated with the saw in your lap. No?

And, suddenly, the saw vises that can hold the saw off-vertical make more sense.

John Ruth
267667 Jon Hammer <hammej1@g...> 2019‑01‑14 Re: Next best to Stanley 42X
It's been a long time since I've piped-up, but I'd like to suggest a
trip-hammer type setup:

I had a very hard time keeping consistent pressure with the Pliers Type saw
sets on one side of the saw versus the other. To get around this, I bought
a Foley 381 bench-mounted trip-hammer style setter from a fellow Galoot. I
actually look forward to and enjoy using it. A spring keeps tension on the
hammer, which is cocked and tripped by a manual foot pedal as I line up
each tooth.

http://members.acmenet.net/~con12a/saw%20set%20website/hammer2.htm
-10th box from the top.

Jon

Recent Bios FAQ