Good Jeweler's Saw recommendation

[Farmall]

Whenever I need to cut some small metal, I have struggled with the crappy saw that I have. I'd appreciate any recommendations of saws (and blades) that y'all like. Just looking for a good saw that holds the blade securely, is comfortable to use, and cuts well. Maybe I ask too much, but let's see what the group says.

Thanks for any and all advice.

[Rich Hale]

I think Rio Grande has some fairly pricey ones atat fit that..I have a good one I paid a lot for but theya re closed now.

[Chinobi]

I don't know exactly what the make/model of my stuff is because I bought it at the gem fair and it wasn't really well marked (not to mention probably 10 years ago)

 

what are you using now that you dislike? 

 

my frame is functionally identical to this one (I see rio grande has a similar one for 2$ less, but it DOES look like the part of an 'economy' model...)

http://www.amazon.com/Zona-Tool-Company-35750-Adjustable/dp/B000BRESRI/ref=sr_1_6/191-7051317-8514669?ie=UTF8&qid=1383944560&sr=8-6&keywords=jewelers+saw

I haven't had any problems with it, but as a right handed person holding the work with my left hand the wingnuts tend to beat the tops of my fingers if im not actively monitoring my depth of stroke.

 

 

and I think this is the blade pack that I have, I don't have any problems with them unless im getting rushed, tired, sloppy, or all of the above.

http://www.amazon.com/SE-815JSB-144pc-Jewelers-Blades/dp/B002Q8886C/ref=sr_1_2/191-7051317-8514669?ie=UTF8&qid=1383944560&sr=8-2&keywords=jewelers+saw

get yourself a chunk of beeswax to use as lube and when you start to notice the work heating up to where its uncomfortable put some more wax on because you are generating too much friction.

 

if you don't have one already I would also recommend you pick up or make yourself a bench pin to work off of, makes piercing a lot easier when you have a good flat surface to work on that has good clearance all around.

[DSW]

I had the opportunity to try one of these one of the guys on a job had with him. I want to say it was a 5" saw that I tried. Definitely on my "to get" list when I have a job that requires something a bit better than my current saw.

 

http://knewconcepts.com/saws.php

[ptree]

Rio grande is open and the link to the tools site is

http://www.riogrande.com/Category/Tools-and-Equipment/120

 

I have bought from them since 1977 and their descriptions are always exactly like what I described. They have both cheap blades from far east and first class Hercules brand. A bench pin as suggested above is definitely in order. They are easy to make from a 1 x 4 soft pine board, you just screw that down to the bench. A good bench height for using a jewelers saw like this is at about eye height when seated.

 

Rio Grande is also a great source for files if you want first class like Grobet.

[Torin]

I have one I got from Rio Grande, but I was always having a hard time getting clamps tight enough on the blade to keep it tensioned.  I finally replaced the screws they had with socket head cap screws.  I think it was a metric thread.  Anyway, tightening them with an allen wrench is much easier than using my fingertips.

[Chinobi]

I have been thinking about doing something similar.  I don't have any trouble keeping my frame tight, but the wingnuts beat my fingers silly under the right (wrong?) circumstances, so eliminating them would go a ways towards making it more user friendly and accurate on some cuts.

[Torin]

Chinobi, I'd give it a go.  You can keep the old wingnuts and swap back if you don't like it.  But it has been the single best thing I've ever done with that saw.  It has been a dream to use ever since I switched.