CLASSIC BOAT NOVEMBER 2017 93Boatbuilder’s Notes
JUNIOR HACKSAW
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS
ROBIN GATESIt is natural to think of woodworking
tools when the building of a wooden
boat is proposed, but there will be
metalwork too. If wire cutters or tin
snips won’t cut it, and a full-size
hacksaw frame is too big to gain
access, an Eclipse Junior hacksaw will
often solve the problem.
Cutting metal with metal is always
a battle of hardness, but for
aluminium, brass, copper, or mild steel
up to about^1 / 2 in (13mm) thick, this
little saw proves both tougher and
more precise than ‘junior’ and ‘hack’
would suggest.
Sawing metal is an art in itself,
especially sawing tubing, where you
need a sympathetic grip to avoid
deforming the work and a fine tooth
pattern to obviate judder.
Originally there were two models,
the No 670 with steel bar frame and
turned beech handle, and the 14J with
frame and handle bent from one
piece of steel rod – a reliable little
tool even if it does look like a paper
clip. They take identical 6in (15.2cm)
pinned blades but the 670 has about(^1) / 2 in (13mm) more depth behind the
blade, and 50 per cent more weight
which promotes a smooth action.
Replacing the blade is easy with
the 670. The handle rotates to release
a threaded spigot so that tension on
the blade is eased gradually.
However, with the 14J you have to
compress the frame to release the
blade, which may have painful
consequences if it slips.
Ideally, locate the far end of the
frame in a notch on the bench and
push from the handle end.
Besides metals these saws also cut
plastics and wood. The 32tpi (teeth
per inch) blade cuts a fine kerf
rivalling the finest dovetail saw for
joints, and it leaves a very tidy
surface on plywood – even without a
backing piece.
These saws were part of a wide
range of specialist hand and machine
tools made by James Neill &
Company at the Composite Steel
Works in Sheeld, and originals
marked Made in England are of good
quality. The 670, a craftsman’s saw,
was soon phased out in favour of the
general purpose 14J, but is the more
user-friendly of the two and worth
finding. That said, you can bend the
frame of the 14J to clear obstructions
such as you might encounter in an
engine bay – so buy both!
NEXT MONTH: Panel raising plane
Clockwise from
above: Eclipse
670 and 14J
Junior hacksaws;
changing blades
with the 670;
custom-bent
frame of a 14J
Traditional Tool
CB353 BBldrs Notes.indd 93 26/09/2017 12:35