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What Are Marbles Made Of?

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

Who invented marbles?

Marbles, the popular children’s toy and game have a long history. But, nobody is quite certain when they truly originated. Though, many feel that it is safe to assume that marbles have likely been around nearly as long as mankind itself.

Archeologists have found what they believe to be marbles in grave sites of Ancient Egypt, the Middle East, and other parts of the world. Other marble-like objects have also been found in Austrian caves which were once inhabited by Palaeolithic-era humans.

The early Greeks also mention games similar to today’s Ring Taw—a common marble game—which they played using rounded nuts. The popularity of marbles continued well into the Medival times, with mentions of the game in works by William Shakespeare, Johan Comenski, and Pieter Bruegel.

These early medieval European marbles were made of common stones, clay, and sometimes even actual pieces marble. It isn’t until the 15th century where mentions of colored glass marbles are seen in German literature, having been made in the areas of Venice and Bohemia, though the true original origin of glass marbles is still debated.

These marbles were probably not available commercially, however, and were made by glassblowers as simple toys for their own children.

It wasn’t until the 1800s that marbles—China and crockery marbles, specifically—began getting produced in larger quantities. Mass production of glass marbles further increased during the middle of the 19th century, when German glassblowers invented a special pair of scissors that cut marble canes more easily. This helped to spread the popular toy throughout the rest of Europe and eventually even America when the early colonist brought them back from England.

While today marbles can be found in a wide variety of materials, glass marbles still remain the most popular kind available on the market.

Glass marbles can be produced both by hand by glassblowers and by machine, they are not overly expensive, and are also usually unique in appearance, as they can feature small designs within the core itself.

They also can be a multitude of colors, rather than single, basic colors.

These days, old-fashioned clay marbles and other old versions are considered vintage collector pieces and can be highly valued. Old glass marbles are especially popular with collectors, as they came from Germany and were considered some to be the “original” glass marble.

Many marble collectors are willing to pay a lot of money to be able to add these older types of marbles to their collections.

Types of marbles.

As mentioned before, there are countless different kinds of marbles that have been made over time, in all sorts of materials, including clay, stone, and glass. While some are types are antique and no longer produced today, making them valuable and hard-to-find, there is still a number of other different kinds still being produced today.

Some of these common marble types include the following:

Aggie: These marbles are made of a type of quartz stone called agate, which was quarried in parts of Germany. Aggies were formed and then dyed various colors using mineral dyes.
Alley or Real: Is a type of glass marble made of marble or alabaster, a type of gypsum. These marbles tend to have a wavy pattern inside them to give them a more unique and interesting appearance.
Benningtons: Named after the pottery company of the same name, located in Vermont. These marbles are not perfectly rounded and are usually glazed using brown or blue.
Bumboozer: These are larger versions of the classic agate marble.
Cat’s Eyes: Are clear glass marbles that have different colored veins in the center core.
Chinas: China marbles tend to be made of a porcelain clay and can be glazed or unglazed.
Clearies: Are glass marbles made of a singular, transparent color.
Clouds: Are glass marbles that have colored flecks on them, and are not stretched, making it look like they have clouds in their core.
Commoneys: As the name implies, these are so e of the most common kinds of marble you can find. They were originally made of clay and glazed in basic colors, making them the least expensive kind and most easily mass produced.
Corkscrews: Which have two, sometimes more, colors melded together in a spiral pattern, starting at one pole of the marble and ending at the other.
Glassies or Puries: Are a more basic glass marble that are more translucent, but still brightly colored.
Immies: Is short for imitation; these kinds of glass marbles are streaked with different colors to make them look more like agate stone marbles.
Milikies: An opaque glass marble that is a milky white in color.
Onion Skins: A kind of end-of-day marble, where colored specks of glass get stretched so that the colors swirl together the way an onion does.
Peewees: These are smaller than the average marble, at less than a half inch wide.

Handmade marbles

Although marbles in the Ancient times were made using rounded nuts, in medieval times they began getting produced using clay.

Then, in the 1600s, with the help of water-powered stone mills, Germans began producing marbles made from polished alabaster and marble, before adding other types of milled rocks, including limestone, brass, and some types of gemstones.

Handmade glass marbles were made through glassblowing at first. A piece of glass would be heated to extremely high temperatures and then pierced with a special rod so the glassblower could begin forming the small marble spere using a special set of tools.

They would then cut it using a pair of scissors made specifically to help cut molten glass as it cools, without breaking the final product. The marbles would then be placed in a special barrel, which helped to cool them down enough to be handled by hand.

Factory marbles

While all marbles were originally made by hand, in the 1900s, Americans began mass-producing marbles in factories. Martin Frederick Christensen was granted a patent for a special machine which made almost perfect spheres of steel ball bearings.

He made his first marbles using his machine, and by 1910, he had an entire company that produced 10,000 marbles a day. Although production of marbles suffered due to the breakout of World War I, other factories eventually came about and began producing their own marbles.

These days, these marble factories have been moved away from American soil, and are found in countries all over the world, including Mexico, where they produce around 12 million marbles a day. This factory shown was in China.

National Marble Tournament

Marbles are so popular that they have even garnered their own competitions, one popular one being the National Marbles Tournament. This tournament was first held in 1922 and has become a special time for marbles lovers to show their skills in the game.

Competitors as selected from top players in local tournaments held throughout the United States. During the multi-day tournament, over 1,000 marble games will be played by competitors, until the new “King and Queen” of marbles has been decided.

Beyond the honorary titles, competitors are also competing to earn other national honors, scholarships for college, and other sorts of prizes and awards.

This year’s tournament will take place between June 18, 2018, to June 21, 2018. Let me know if you will be there in the comments.

Where to buy marbles?

Simple, cheap marbles can be found in virtually any store; from places like Target to craft and hobby stores. Here are some bulk clear marbles. Or if you just want a variety of marbles.

But, if you are looking for something special or collectible, your best bet is to find a retailer that specializes in marbles.

Moon Marble Company makes both handmade and machine-made marbles. You will end up having to pay more, but their selection will be geared to someone more who are looking for something beyond the basic factory-produced marbles.

So, whether you are just a hobbyist or a true marble aficionado, there is a store that has the right type of marbles for you. Maybe one day you’ll find yourself competing in one of the popular Marble Tournaments!

Check out the best hobbies. And don’t forget the rest of the site.

Woodworking is not hard, get ideas now!

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

Do you need ideas for Woodworking?

I wrote a post earlier about building your own woodworking mill here. I didn’t realize at the time people would need to ideas for their woodworking projects. There is a butt load of plans out there. Most of them are scattered across different books and I’m sure there are a lot of forums. Personally, I don’t want to try to compile all of them.

Sandra’s Story

Let me tell you about Sandra. Sandra had the same issues as many of us. She had all the skills to do the job but none of the ideas. She just needed that little boost to get moving. It all started with wanting to start a new hobby. Sandra picked woodworking. It is an old craft, a beautiful craft, a great craft. So “why not?” she says. She reads books, joins Facebook groups, even took a class at the local community college. Sandra really enjoys working with her hands and seeing the shape and form that comes from a block of wood.

For More Info

While a weekend fair, she walks past a booth of woodworking. Nothing there was anything special or was it that great of quality. She then looked at the price, “OMG!!!” They are charging $50 for a jewelry chest. For reference, you can get Red Oak for around $7.99 a 1/4″ x 1-1/2″ x 48″ per piece. But now what? She knew the money could be made. She knew she could do it better and that is what put her on the path to an extra $700 a month. Where did she start? Where did she get her ideas from?

How Do You Get Started?

If you are like me you want to start woodworking fast. Just ask yourself, how many woodworking plans can you come up with off the top of your head? I know I can’t think of many. But let us break this down into categories. You have furniture, toys, art, and even tools. If we look at the furniture you can do chairs, benches, cabinets, bed frames, armoires, dressers, chests.

This brings me to Ted Mcgrath. He has put together 16,000 Woodworking plans. These are easy to do and don’t require super special tools. granted I bet it would be easier with the woodworking mill… lol. This guy has spent years putting this together and building things from wood. Like many of us, he had a grandfather that was good with his hands. Mine was, but he was more into electronics though. I’ll tell that story later.

Ted Mcgrath is also a great resource for anyone that wants to make money with this hobby. I mentioned before this would be great for those who like going to swap meets or even if you want to start a small eCommerce site. But seriously with 16,000 plans, you will not run out of ideas for things to make.

Besides the money you can make, being a maker is really satisfying. Don’t let the new age electronics guys have all the fun and make all the money. Woodworking is still a skill set that is needed and desired.

Ok, so enough about wood. I don’t want this to turn into a blog about only woodworking. I like other hobbies too…lol

But one last thing, I almost forgot. If you want the 16,000 plans you can find it here for $67.

Do it now and get started, might change your life. I doubt it though but it might. Buy woodworking plans to save you time in trying to figure out what to do. Let’s not forget you need the proper tools to do this too. Here are Best Woodworking Tools. Share this with your friends

Don’t forget to check out the rest of my site here.

How To Use A Hammer And The Types

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

How Do You Use a Hammer?

Hammers are our friend don’t be afraid to use them.

So what is the most effective method to use a Hammer?

Well, to begin with, I felt kinda dumb trying to teach you how to use a hammer. The vast majority of us have seen youngsters trying to hammer square pegs into round holes with toy hammers before the age of two. But they are just having fun no understanding how it works. All things considered, the futile act of repeating dumb things over and over again was presumably encoded in the human hereditary program a long time before hammers existed.

However, there is an appropriate hammering procedure. I think it is much like a large number of abilities that we underestimate. But not everyone knows what they are doing. I have seen a lot of experts swinging hammers while thinking they were the best but did they really know what they were doing? In the event that you know everything, just let this be a reminder to reinforce your already great habits. But who knows, you may not know everything and you might learn something about hammers today.

Holding The Hammer

This should come easy. Regardless of whether you’re nailing a twenty-penny nail or a finishing nail, the grip is the same. Wrap your hand around the handle. There are two ways you can do this, either place your thumb over the index and middle fingers or you can place your thumb above the index finger making contact with the handle.

You will want to make sure you hold the hammer closer to the bottom of the handle. When you hold it there you will get the most mechanical advantage. Let the weight of the hammer work for you, it is designed to be held there.

If you are not comfortable with your grip placement you can always choke up a little on the handle. The advantage to that is you will gain more control, but you will lose power. That means more swings to drive a nail.

But understand once you get comfortable you need to be at the end of the handle. When you use the hammer properly you will notice that you bend fewer nails. When you grip the end of the handle you have a better angle to strike the nail on the head, again making it easier to drive the nails.

Swinging The Hammer

First things first. Grab a nail. Hold the nail with the sharp point perpendicular to the material you want to drive the nail through. Before you swing, rest the hammer’s face on the head of the nail. Right now everything should be lined up ready for your swing.

Raise the hammer up a little, and hit the nail head a few of times, tapping the nail into the wood until the point is far enough in that is will stand on its own. Make sure you are holding the hammer firmly but with care. Aim at the head at the nail, swing with control knowing you want to drive the nail. Do not swing trying to end up below you material. The idea is to give a strong hit but also minimize damage.

Again let the weight of the hammer do some of the work for you. The more advanced sledgehammer works this way. A large portion of your work is really done toward the start of the stroke. Do not try to drive the nail all in one blow. Give the nail head ample power but with control. Keep safety in mind.

When you strike the nail at times the hammer will want to bounce back. Keep a firm grip at all times. Even when you go to raise the hammer to make sure you still have a firm grip on the handle. You don’t want the hammer flying out of your hand ruining someone else’s day. Once you get good you can use the bounce to gain momentum on the backstroke.

If your shoulder or elbow feel out of place when you are striking the nail you might be too tight. It takes some practice but with time you will get a feel for what it is like to get a clean strike on the nail.

Always!! Wear your security glasses when you are using your hammer. Especially if you are working with brittle material that can chip and end up in your eye. Even the most gifted of craftsmen miss every so often. don’t be the guy working with his favorite hobby only to end up blind because of pride in looking good.

Types of Hammers

You probably already knew this, but there are a few different hammers for different jobs. Everyone digs into their projects to find themselves asking for a larger or smaller hammer depending on the job needed. This can be a real safety concern. You can really hurt yourself if you use the wrong hammer. For what it is worth, that is usually the case for most tools. I have put together a short list of popular hammers people use to do their jobs. This is not an exhaustive list. So feel to do more research on your own. Make sure you click on the images to check out the hammers on Amazon.

16-ounce Claw Hammer

This is the hammer you drew up in grade school. This is the hammer that Bob the Builder uses. The claw on this hammer has a large sweeping bend. This is what makes it great for removing nails. This allows for a lot more leverage than other hammers, see below. So if you only get one hammer let is be this one. Because most likely it is the one you are looking for anyway.

16-ounce Ripping Hammer

You might be asking yourself, isn’t this the same hammer. Well, the short answer is no. These two hammers can perform a lot of the same tasks. What will notice on this hammer is the claw is much straighter. Not very good for removing nails, but it is suitable for many other heavy carpentry jobs.

Rubber Mallet

This mallet is not used much to drive nails. You can use this mallet to hit finished metal surfaces so it does not mar the finish. Sadly I have used this incorrectly to break a bolt loose by hitting a wrench with this mallet. I am still alive but I do not advise. U

Soft Face Hammer

When dealing with delicate assemblies but you still need some umff, turn to the soft face hammer. This hammer can still drive nails but once you get to the end it is less likely to leave a large dent on your last swing on wood. If you are working on a metal surface you won’t even noticed that you were using a hammer. You might be asking, “How do they do that?” Well, as the name suggests the face of the hammer is made out of something softer like plastic or rubber. Because of this, you will have to replace it due to wear.

Wooden Mallet

This one might look familiar from the Bible. Moses used this to build the ark… (I joke, I kid) People who work with wood, often times called carpenters, use this hammer to hit chisels that have a large surface to strike. You must be careful with a wooden mallet. Unlike the Soft Face Hammer won’t only wear it will also splinter and break if abused. So do not try to hit smaller nails with this one.

Ball Pein Hammer

Ball pein hammers (or Peen??) help in creating the cool curved surfaces in many metalworks. These are also used to strike punches and chisels.

Brick Hammer

Sometimes this is called a masons hammer. This is used to chip away at bricks when you a laying them in cool patterns.

Upholster’s or tack Hammer

This hammer is designed to hit small tacks into the upholstery. On some models, you will even see a split face that allows the small tacks and nails to sit. This makes handling much easier.

Drywall Hammer

The serrated face of this hammer gives you a surface that tends to grip the nail head, allowing for a better strike. This also makes the same surface larger. Again easier to hit and drive nails into drywall. The back blade is best used for cutting drywall fast. This could be used fo making rough cuts for outlets.

Sledgehammer

For huge destruction, bring out the serious canons. Walls, dividers, and sidewalks are no match for a 10-pound sledgehammer. It additionally proves to be useful at state fairs when you are trying to win your young lady even the smallest stuffed animal.

Use this new skill!

Seriously one of the things I am always telling my friends is that you turn your hobby into an income stream. And I will continue to say that here. Use your gifts for good not evil (you know, your boss :-D)

Click here to find out more about some other tools to use when dealing with woodworking.

It is Memorial Day

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

Hello, all you heard me right it is Memorial Day!

I won’t be talking about tech on this post and that means I won’t have a category for it. That is alright and I hope everyone is having a good memorial day. It is a time to remember the fallen troops near and far. Kinda of crazy most of what you hear about is sales and barbecues. I just hope you have taken some time to sit back and reflect on the sacrifice other have made. I did not want this post to be long. Let us say thank you to the fallen soldiers.

How To Use a Power Drill

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

How To Use a Power Drill

Power Drills – What You Need to Know Before Buying One

Without a doubt, a power drill is a necessary acquisition for every household, as it has
numerous applications. You can use it for countless home and garden chores around the
house. However, in order to benefit most from your purchase, you should choose your
power drill sensibly.

This is the purpose of this article: to shed some light on the topic of power drills, how
they should be used, the main considerations during the shopping process, critical safety
and maintenance tips, along with other important aspects.

How to Use a Power Drill?

Pick the right drill bit for the material you’re drilling. As a rule of thumb, you can
use the same type of drill bit with both metal and wood. Conversely, though,
masonry bits feature a specific design. We’ll further expand on this later on.
Using eye protection is highly recommended, especially if you plan on drilling
deep holes.
You should hold the drill perpendicular to the hole.
Apply gentle pressure as you push the drill into the surface you’re targeting.
Considering that you’re drilling into wood, then, you might have to drill out
periodically. That’s because the drill is prone to clog. Therefore, if you pull the
drill as it keeps turning, it will clean itself.
The drill is prone to clog if you’ve applied too much pressure too fast. If that does
happen, you should pull the bit out and clean the cog by using a nail or
screwdriver.
When the drill penetrates through the material, your job is done.

How to Choose a Power Drill?

Of course, in order to ensure that you’ve invested in the right power drill for your needs,
you should consider several aspects.

Corded vs. Cordless

Presumably, the first decision you should make is choosing between corded and cordless
power drills. In essence, if you plan on doing some serious, heavy work, a corded power
drill will likely address your needs, because of the extra power and torque. That is to say,
corded units are recommended for demanding jobs and regular utilization.
If you plan on drilling through masonry, getting a corded unit might make more sense.
On the other hand, though, a cordless unit featuring a rechargeable battery is more
lightweight, which makes it safer to use. Another benefit is that you can use it literally

anywhere. Notwithstanding, for long jobs, you might need to invest in a second battery,
so that you can use the drill for lengthier projects, as well.

Speed

The power of a cordless power drill is measured in volts. For the most part, a cordless
drill belonging to the 12-16 volt range might address the needs of most homeowners.
Still, there are other models that are more powerful.
It’s worth noting, though, that the more powerful a drill is, the heavier it will be.
On a different note, in the case of corded drills, the power is measured in amps.
Essentially, the power grows as the amperage increases. For home utilization, a 8-amp
corded drill might be a decent choice.

Power

Depending on the type of unit you choose, you might have multiple speed options. In
general, the lower speed is used for driving screws whereas the higher speed is used for
drilling holes. In essence, you should determine how you intend on using the drill.
If its primary utilization will be drilling holes, then, getting a single speed drill in the
1000 rpm range will do the job.

Chuck

The chuck is the part of the drill in which you insert the bit. As you might expect, there
are specific options varying from ¼-inch to ½-inch. Simultaneously, the 1/2-inch chuck
is perfectly suited for heavy duty applications. So, if this interests you, you should carry
this in mind.
On the flip side, though, a 3/8-inch chuck is considered to be quite versatile. That’s
because you can use it for both heavy and fine bits.
Moving on to their operations, some chucks are key less, whilst others are operated with
a key. The benefit of getting a key less chuck is that you needn’t worry about losing the
key and potentially being unable to use the drill when you need it.

❖ Clutch
The clutch responds to resistance, preventing the screws from going too deep, as well as
safeguarding against stripping screws. It’s worth mentioning that only some drills come
with adjustable clutches. Also, this is a nice feature to have, particularly if you know
you’ll be using the drill as a driver quite frequently.

❖ Forward/Reverse Switch
The major benefit of the forward/reverse switch is that you can remove the screws
thanks to this feature. This can be definitely useful, particularly if you have furniture or

cabinets to dismantle. Concurrently, this will come in useful for the occasional
misplaced screw, as well.
Drill Bits for Distinct Materials
Presumably, the easiest way of categorizing drill bits, is by linking them to the types of
materials they are recommended for. Aside from this, though, we’d like to talk about
what drill bits are suitable for certain holes.

● Masonry Bits
Most people that decide to invest in a drill plan on using it for making holes in masonry.
Masonry is a general term, utilized to cover off blocks, bricks, concrete, cement, walls,
and granite and stone – in plain English, this is a very hard material, which would
require a powerful, potent drill bit.
That is to say, some masonry drills might come with a hexagonal shank (as opposed to a
cylindrical shank), in order to prevent the bits from slipping in the chunk, granted that
the drill deals with significant loads.
For the most part, this type of bits is known to heat up rapidly during utilization. As a
result, the tungsten brazing on the drill’s bit tip is prone to melt. Therefore, the tip could
move and chip during drilling. So, in order to keep the temperature down, an idea would
be withdrawing the bit regularly, in order to clean its flutes.
On a different note, if you need to drill deep hole in concrete, then, you should get a long
drill bit. Conversely, if you need to drill a wide hole through a type of masonry, then,
you’ll need to use a hole saw – which is an attachment you place on the end of the
hammer drill. Thanks to this, you can get through the concrete without a lot of difficulty.
● Drill Bits for Glass and Tiles
Usually, there are two primary types of tiles – namely granite and porcelain. Both are
hard wearing, sturdy materials, which are also significantly brittle. As a result, drilling
through granite is a challenge, since there is always the likelihood that the tile could be
damaged.
This is why you’ll need a special type of drill bit for the job. More precisely, you should
get a drill bit featuring a carbon tungsten tip – this makes the drill tip harder, enabling it
to get through the exterior coating of the tile.
Notwithstanding, a tungsten carbide bit should be used at a low-speed setting, for best
results.

On the other hand, though, diamond tipped bits are also worth considering. They drill
faster, and they are much more durable. Nonetheless, bear in mind that you should
apply some water on the tip throughout the drilling.
● Drill Bits for Metal and Plastic
For the most part, most homeowners shouldn’t worry about drilling through metals,
which is good news, of course. In truth, this type of work is designated for specialists.
However, for drilling through plastic, you should get high-speed bits, which are
recommended for most cases. Generally speaking, they feature a cylindrical shank. In
some cases, though, they might have a ¼ inch hex shank, which allows impact drivers
and cordless screwdrivers to perform all kinds of tasks.
● Drill Bits for Wood
Drill bits featuring a brad point tip – also referred to as a W-point tip, are known to
work best for wood. These enable the outside cutting edges of the drill to cut the hole’s
diameter, prior to the center breaking through. As a result, you should obtain a clean
hole.
Not only that it is suitable for wood, but it is just as efficient in the case of plastic. In
some cases, the bits might come accompanied by rubber rings known as depth stops.
These fit around the bit, enabling you to determine the depth of the drill.
On a different note, spade bits are recommended for drilling large holes, also in wood.
Also, you can combine them with extension shanks if you need to extend their reach.
What Makes Power Drills Better Than Hand Drills?
If we were to compare power tools to hand tools, the first category features numerous
advantages that are worth mentioning. As a result, the demand for power tools has been
on the growth recently. Now, let’s have a look at the primary benefits of power drills.
High Speed This is, without a doubt, the primary benefit of power
drills. Most home improvement projects can be rather
time-consuming. Still, with the right tools, the entire
process is simplified. So, driving screws into concrete
by using a hand tool is equally difficult and time-consuming.

Efficiency Not only power drills are speedier than hand drills, but
they’re doubly more effective. That is to say, you can
easily use a power tool for driving large screws into
strong materials, without a lot of difficulties. Hence, if
we were to compare power drills with their
counterparts, they can perform a variety of tasks that
cannot be performed with hand tools.

Hassle-free Another great thing about power drills is that they can
be used without causing a lot of disruption in offices or
homes.

Safety and Maintenance Tips

Battery Life

To maintain your power drill in excellent shape, you should look after its battery life, of
course. Similar to laptop or smartphone batteries, heat is known to degrade the
condition of the battery, which could shorten the battery life of the power drill.
That is to say, you should avoid storing the battery in the charger. Additionally, as soon
as you notice that the battery of the drill is too hot, you should allow it to cool down. On
a different note, it’s advisable to think about how you intend on using the unit, so that
you can determine whether you’ll need to recharge the battery often or not. In some
instances, fast charging stations could overheat the battery, which could diminish its
longevity.

Safety Considerations

Even if a power drill is a great tool to have around the house, there are some potential
pitfalls or inconveniences you should be mindful of. Even if a power drill is infinitely
more efficient and practical than a hand tool, this means that, if you don’t grip it
accordingly, or you don’t position it properly, you are likely to cause damage to your
walls – or any other surface for a change.
This is why, whenever you’re using a power drill, you should take your time, use eye
protection, closely evaluate the angle at which you should drill the hole.
Also, bear in mind that, once you drill a hole, you cannot make it smaller. Therefore, if
you’re uncertain of the right size for your application, you’d be better off with picking a
smaller size, as opposed to choosing a large one.
Concurrently, if you plan on making holes in drywall, make sure you utilize drywall
anchors. That’s because the sharp threads of the screws are too fine to cope with the
rough, chalky composition of drywall. On the other hand, though, plastic threaders are
stretchy and big, which is why they will stay put in the drywall, much better than a
simple screw.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, we hope that this article accounts for an informative introduction to power
drills. Make sure you evaluate your options before making an investment; always assess

your needs and individual specifications. This is a golden rule that applies in most
scenarios!

Hand Saws for Woodworking

Last updated on April 25, 2019 By B. Ray

Hand Saws

I recently wrote about woodworking tools used in my previous post. Here I wanted to go in a little more depth about hand saws.

Today we will be talking about hand saws. They are most commonly used for cutting large pieces of wood. Sometimes you might see them used to cut thinner metal. Being I have been focusing on woodworking recently so most of these will be focusing on that application.

But there are several types of hand saws. So I’ll sprinkle in some hand saws for other applications. Many of these will be familiar but some will need a little more clarification.

Short list of Hand Saws

- Rip Saw: Uses for cutting with the wood grain. This can cut pretty fast but will leave a rough edge. These measure in about around 2 feet long and 4 to 7 teeth per inch (TPI)

Cross-Cutting Saw: Uses for cutting across the wood grain. This does not cut as fast as the rip saw but will leave a smoother edge. These measure in about around 2 feet long and 8 to 11 teeth per inch (TPI)
Short Cut Saw (Box Cut): Uses for cutting across the wood grain. This is a smaller saw made for portability 12 TPI
Coping Saw: As the name states this saw is used for coping. The thin fine blade helps with crazy angles and very delicate cuts.
Backsaw: Moulding and trim are cut with this saw. Along the back of this saw is a piece to reinforce the blade. Binding becomes less of an issue when this the blade is strengthened.
Pull Saw: Moulding and trim are cut with this saw just like the backsaw. The reason it is called the pull saw is because the cutting is done on the pull only. This provides more control and the saw won’t bind on the kerf when pulling.
Dovetail Saw: Used for wood joint cutting. Some confused this with the backsaw but this one has finer teeth and is often smaller.
Keyhole Saw: This saw is used for cutting smaller tight radius curves and circles… (keyholes). The blade itself is thin, designed for finer work.
Compass Saw: The compass saw is aptly named because it is used for cutting curves and circles. It has a long course blade. More so than the keyhole saw. You will use this to make holes for electrical wiring or plumbing.
Drywall Saw: This is self-explanatory, these saws are used to cut drywall. Drywall can be made of wallboard, gypsum, or backing board. Remember the compass saw, it is like that but has a courser tooth profile.
Hacksaw: This one is used for cutting metal. Because it is cutting metal it has very fine teeth with thin blades. The blades are held in tension by the handle.
Door Saw: Used to create a space for flooring under door jambs. The handle is offset to allow a close cut to the floor.
Laminate Saw: Used for cutting plastic pipe and molding. The front of the blade is rounded so you can start plunge cuts. 16 TPI

Looks like I got away from myself. I might do it again. This list grew a little more than I planned. There a lot of saw out there and they all have their place and their purpose.

If doing everything by hand isn’t your thing don’t worry there are power saws. These power tools can save you an enormous amount of time.

The only problem with them is that if you are not careful the finish won’t look like it is handmade. So if you are making something to sell, aesthetically it may not look right.

I have shared some links with you that are some of the best hand saws by type. Getting the best tools will help you in the long run.

I know people will say this is getting expensive, but the truth is that is the nature of this hobby. I will say there are several places you can go to get second-hand tools.

The only reason I might stay away from that is because they might be stolen. Then you are supporting the economy of the stolen tools trade…lol. No, I don’t know if that is a real thing.

But if there is a market people will try to take advantage. So don’t be afraid to get new tools. If you buy quality tools and you find yourself not using them they are easily sold.

That is about it for hand saws. Check out all the rest of the tools here. It is a general overview of the most common tooling. Let me know what you think in the comments.

We do more than just woodworking here. Have fun, be safe and do what you love, Check out the rest of the site!