How often have you seen saws just tossed in with other tools in a box or bucket? For how much money you spend on a good quality saw and for the results you expect out of it there is no excuse for abusing the saw in transit. A saw banging around in a tool box can get bent, dull, have the set of the teeth get out of alignment etc.  Described below is how I solved this problem for my saws in the shop and out on the job site.

The traditional way a saw was transported around was in a saw till. They often took on many forms — sometimes as part of a larger tool chest, attached to the inside of the lid of a larger tool box, as a stationary wall cubby or cabinet or as its own portable unit. For me the portable unit was a great place to start. I made a pair of tills that are shown in the photos below.

The carcass of my saw till is similar to one we used at NBSS. It’s made of 1/2″ plywood sides, 3/4″ plywood top, 1/4″ plywood dividers. I took it further by sanding, rounding the corners and finishing it with Shellac and Wax. The real improvements I made were the addition of a carry handle and safety strap. The strap is nylon like you would use on a backpack — I used my sewing machine to sew returns on the straps, attached them to the side of the till with button studs and used a nice plastic clasp to connect the two sides. This strap is pulled through the open D handles on the saws and keeps them from falling out. The plastic clasp allows you to change the size of the strap as your arsenal of saws changes over time and allows for quick access. When mounting the handle do your best to locate it in such a way that it balances nicely when loaded up with saws — it will be easier on your wrists and will keep the saws where they belong.

This is a great weekend shop project and I hope you will consider building one. The size and shape of the sides should be dictated by the largest saw you plan to put in your till. If you do build your own, please do share your pics or posts with me and we can link them to this post.