Stair saw tutorial

[Kermit]

Found this. Well illustrated process.

http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/archives_handtools.pl/bid/3001/md/read/id/153494/sbj/the-stair-saw-project/

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Forgive my ignorance pls...what's a stair saw?

[Habu]

It is a handsaw, rather like a back saw but with a wooden body rather than a metal "spine". 


The depth of cut of the blade is adjustable (within limits)via the two screws shown in the pic.  The body works well with a guide fence, in some ways better than a backsaw.  The increased contact area with the fence makes it easier to keep the saw vertical, so there is less tendency for the cut to wander. 

It was originally designed to cut dados into which stair treads, book shelves, etc could be fit.  I prefer it over a backsaw when inletting a swamped barrel via the  "Bivins method".

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Thanks Habu.  Now that I see it hafted, I see it's application.  I use a piece of a rip saw blade in a homemade handle too, for making the side vertical cuts, a la Bivens, when inletting a swamped barrel.  I have mine mounted so it cuts on the pull...much more powder and control that way.  Lines scribed on the side of the blade indicate how deep I need to go.  It takes a good part of a whole shop day to inlet a swamped barrel, to get it really nice, and how else would one want it?!
Nice looking saw...

[Kermit]

Disston sold theirs as a stair saw, cabinetmakers refered to them as dado saws, but for the purposes of this site I suppose it could be a barrel inletting saw.