Pruning Saws - Pull Stroke Type

   As the gardening season continues I find that there is some serious chopping and cutting required in the yard.  We do not grow fruit trees that need special seasonal pruning, but we do have bunch of trees and shrubs that need to be kept under control.  Also we have metres and metres of garden edging, some stone, but some wood.

  The best tool for cutting live wood, or deck boards or garden edging is a saw like the one in the photo. There are many pull saws to choose from and I have been using one for many years.

   I have a traditional bow saw,

 and big nasty blades from my reciprocating saw 

but I like the Japanese style pull saw best for hacking away at garden wood.  There are a couple of reasons that I like these saws, for cutting tree branches they are generally short and easy to handle, but have teeth the full length of the blade.  As well find it easier to brace the tree branch against a stiff arm when pulling on the cutting stroke rather than try to control it on the push.  

  Another use, which is cruel (to the saw) but I have used my pull saw for cutting roots, again small size and teeth to the end of the blade make it a useful tool in that tight situation.  Lastly you can buy a pull saw with very aggressive teeth for a reasonable amount of money and even if you only use it a couple of times a season it is good value.

   Having a saw dedicated to the rough and ready life outdoors also means a good saw is less likely to get pressed into service  and twisted or dulled.  Having the right tool for the job saves time and money in the long run.

Boat in Progress

  A sail boat with one mast like the one in the photo is called "Cat Rigged".  These boats are easier for one person to sail and have a special place in many sailor's hearts, mine included. Many,many years ago I was crew on a small racing sail boat and have loved the look and the feel of sail boats ever since.

  For his birthday this year my Grandson asked Opa to make a sail boat.  Oma is making him a cake that looks like Titanic, before the iceberg and I am to make him a sail boat, that he can play with, in the bath tub.  I didn't want to make a boat that was too small and of course it can't be too big. The boat needed to be a good size for tubs, pools and days at the lake.  Not as easy as it sounds.

sail boat hull  with clamps holding the keel on

  I had to make the boat robust enough to stand serious play and it had to be sea worthy. In the process of making this hull I learned a couple of useful things.

  One, spruce is a really poor choice for this type of project, it tears out easily, the upper deck is cedar and way nicer to work with. Two, knots really suck, next hull, clear cedar all the way.

   I cut a channel in the bottom and put in lead weight for ballast. (I saw that done on "Paddle to the Sea")  Initially the hull was too chunky, it looked more like a motor boat than a sail boat so I put in some time with planes and my new favourite tool:

Mora Push Knife

  I picked this up on my recent trip to Sweden, it is from Mora Sweden.  This two handled knife works like a draw knife and comes very, very sharp right out of the package.  I used this knife for heavy stock removal before finishing the hull with planes and sand paper.

  The hull is currently drying, it is getting many coats of paint to make it seaworthy, and tomorrow I have to fit the mast and make the sail. I think that I will make some more boats, so that I can use the skills that I have been learning on this project.

  More photos to follow.