Frame saw
Frame saw sometimes refers to a woodworker's bow saw.
A frame saw is a type of rip saw. It consists of a relatively narrow and flexible blade held under tension within a (generally wooden) rectangular frame. The blade is held perpendicular to the plane of the frame, so that the wood being cut passes through the center of the frame.
The frame saw was the mainstay of resawing before stiff, unframed two-man saws, circular saws, and band saws took over. In some early sawmills a frame saw was powered from a water wheel or other rotary motion through a crankshaft and connecting rod. It is now largely obsolete, though woodworkers who eschew power tools still make them for personal use.
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References
- Sloane, Eric (1964). A Museum of Early American Tools. New York: Wilfred Funk. pp. 66–70.