How to use a pump-action saw?

29th February 2020


	How to use a pump-action saw?


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			Before you begin
			Before you begin working, you may find it helpful to secure the material you want to cut in a vice or clamp. When cutting a flat piece of material this type of vice is particularly useful.

			This is often done when cutting through metal piping, which can easily slide around or roll away from you if it’s not held down.

			When cutting round or oddly-shaped materials, consider using a vice.

			Use masking tape as a guide If you want to cut along a straight line but don’t have a scriber for marking metal, then you can always use a strip of masking tape instead.

			Should you push or pull? Providing you have inserted the blade correctly, the pump-action saw should cut on the push stroke. This means that you only need to apply pressure to the saw when pushing it through the material. If you use a lot of force when pulling the saw as well, it won’t cut any quicker and you will simply tire yourself out, and possibly damage the saw’s teeth as well.

			Starting your cut
			The pump-action saw consists of a handle with a 10” hack saw blade protruding from it, and a spring-loaded metal guide with a rubber shoe at the end. When sawing, the rubber shoe should remain pressed against the material being cut.

			Step 1 – Push handle away from you To make the first cut, push the handle towards the material, in one long slow stroke. As you push the handle forwards, the metal guide will move through the handle, and the blade will move through the rubber shoe across the material being cut.

			Step 2 – Pull handle towards you To bring the blade back out of the work, pull the handle back towards you. Once the first cut is made, you will find the sawing process becomes a lot easier. The pump-action of the saw makes it easy for you to cut to a steady rhythm.