Accurate sawing is one of the core skills of a good jeweller. Given sufficient practice, designs can be reproduced rapidly as the amount of finishing work required is reduced if there is no surplus waste material to remove after sawing.
Loading a blade
- Select the correct saw blade for the thickness of metal. As a rule of thumb, at least 3 teeth should fit within the thickness f the material.
- Determine the direction of the teeth by running your finger gently down the blade. A piercing saw is designed to cut on the down stroke.
- Securely screw the saw blade into the top thumb screw, with the cutting edge of the teeth facing towards the handle.
- Loosely place the saw blade within the bottom clamp
- Apply tension to the frame so that the blade will be stretched tight when secure and the tension is released. Do this by placing the top of the saw frame within the 'V' of your bench peg and pushing forwards on the handle.
- Check the tension. Do this by plucking the saw blade. It should make a clear, bright ‘ping’ noise. If the sound is dull, increase the tension.
Using the saw
- Use beeswax on the blade to act as a cutting lubricant. This will help preserve the lifespan of the blade and reduce the chance of it snapping at an awkward position.
- Place the material to be cut on top of the bench peg. This will support the work on either side, allowing the saw to cut into the void left by the 'V' shape.
- Grasp the metal firmly on both sides. If only one side is held then the metal could flex on the up-stroke and snap a blade.
- Hold the saw handle in a relaxed grip to allow smooth, fluid movements. However, the grip must be firm enough to prevent the saw slipping out of control.
- Make sure that you use the entire length of the blade. This will increase the life of the blade if all teeth are subjected to wear and tear evenly.
- Only apply gentle, even pressure on the down-stroke; let the cutting action of the blade do the work. Given practice a steady sawing rhythm will soon be developed.
Tips
- To assist with keeping straight lines on course, the saw can be held forwards at an angle up to 45°.
- For curves and corners, always hold the saw vertically. Only turn the work piece, keeping the saw frame facing forwards at all times.
- Sharp corners can be accomplished by sawing up and down on the spot, turning the work piece slightly with each saw stroke.
- Always keep the blade at right angles to the work surface when cutting thick gauges of metal; this will ensure that the blade is cutting the minimum amount of material with each stroke.
- For thin gauges of metal, the blade can be used at an angle to increase the number of cutting teeth in contact with the material. This will help to prevent snagging the blade.
- To withdraw backwards from a cut, continue to move the blade up and down as it is withdrawn.
