IanR Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I was just about to order a hand-held fret saw when I saw blurb for a coping saw. I want to use it to saw ply for formers etc and to go round curves and so on. Which one should I buy? Many thanks. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Well Ian its all a matter of size! Coping saws generally have thicker, stronger and coarser blades than a true fretsaw. In practice many of the so-called "fretsaws" for sale are actually coping saws! Personally for our use I would always choose a coping saw for the sort of work we do - the fretsaw is really only for very delicate and intricate work on very thin materials and you'll spend half your time replacing broken blades if you start sawing 4mm+ ply with it! BEB PS - get a range of blades from 12tpi upwards. PPS Oh - and don't forget - they cut on the back stroke unlike most other saws! Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 04/12/2013 16:47:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I wouldn't fret about it im sure you'll cope with either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Buy the Coping saw.I have never yet used my hand fretsaw for aeromodelling, but often a coping saw....However I sometimes use a Piercing saw ( Jewellers saw) which uses a fretsaw blade if I need to do any fine work. The piercing saw is much easier to use than a fretsaw- it's CG is different!If you get a coping saw make sure you use ( or at least try it ) it as a pull saw - that is teeth facing handle so it cuts on the pull stroke. Much easier to cut straight to the line. Anyway Axminster sell a coping saw for about 4 pounds and a fretsaw for about 6 pounds so it's not too dear to have both. The best quality fretsaw bldes are a bit flexible and dont break very easily. Make sure you buy good quality coping saw blades too.But my advice is to just get a coping saw and save the fretsaw money in case you feel a power fretsaw is needed. Whatever saw practice is needed to become proficient. Better to have 1 saw which you are expert with than 3 you cannot really saw straight with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Just to confuse the issue. I used Fret saws for about 30 years. Have had a power scroll saw for the last 30 years. Coping saws use coarser blades which tear the back of the wood. Buy a selection of blades, coarser for 1/4 ply and finer for the thinner ply. I use a power scroll saw these days but still feel that there is use for the hand fret saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plummet Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 The U shape of the fret and coping saws are usually different. The Fret saw much longer than the coping saw. This means that a fret saw can cut in the middle of a large piece of wood. BUT Some coping saws are made so that you can rotate the blade, and so cut in any direction. A powered scroll saw is good. Especialy if it has a flexible shaft so that it can act like a dremmel. Plummet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Coping saw, with the thicker blades, it is ,then. Thanks for the advice, everyone. Even John Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 your welcome ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Re coping saws ripping the surface of the ply - the easy solution is to apply masking tape to both sides - you then draw your outline on that. Stops the splitering and when you take it off no centre lines etc on your nice clean ply! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 That's a good tip from BEB and works on formica covered boards too. However I have never found splintering a problem with a coping saw ( although depends a bit on wood quality - birch ply is best ) I wondered whether using the coping saw as a pull saw made the difference.....so a quick workshop test revealed a clean cut as a pull saw But splintering crossgrain when same blade used as push/ conventional saw! It seems the resistance to the wood buckles the blade when in compression but not when it's in tension as a pullsaw.. This buckling causes more splintering. This is the reason a pullsaw cuts straighter/ to the line. Try it for yourself. Used as a pullsaw it may be convenient to use a fretsaw " V " and mounting the V in an engineers vice may give a convenient height too. My photo shows it used in a Workmate ( for seated use) and it's actually a piercing saw being used on this occasion. Edited By kc on 05/12/2013 12:01:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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