Cutting firewood; what type of saw ?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I've found that a hand circular saw is fine. Fit a tungsten carbide tipped blade, so that it isn't destroyed by the first nail you find with it.

As all circular saws have a sprung blade guard, it's really quite difficult to get your fingers to the spinning blade.

You might think so but it's better not to!  I've been using a variety of power saws for years and they still worry me. Maybe because when I was c.8 years old witnessed grandad cut the tip off two fingers .

[mrcharly-YHT]

I watched a formwork carpenter cross his arms over with his right hand pushing the circular saw and his left hand holding the board. He had his chest directly behind the saw and could have either cut off his left arm, cut into his chest or cut the board in two, all depending on the will of the saw.

Hair raising.

Until I read this I was trying and failing to imagine how someone could use a circular saw and manage to get their fingers in the way of the blade. Totally underestimated the ingenuity of human stupidity.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

You have also to consider the possibility that the tool is potentially defective. Cheap metal breaks and fittings can come loose. I've a de Walt 2kw router bought as a table machine that cannot be trusted. Also one of their combination chop saws that can eat itself if I am not careful. A cheap Ryobi table saw I use has a badly designed guard and the stop button doesn't always stop it!  A Macallister circular saw had the guard just fall off when the casting failed. I replaced it with an excellent Bosch machine that cost 4 times as much and rips 10cm of oak like cutting a cheese. Buy cheap, buy trouble.

[Mrs Pingu]

You have also to consider the possibility that the tool is potentially defective. Cheap metal breaks and fittings can come loose. I've a de Walt 2kw router bought as a table machine that cannot be trusted. Also one of their combination chop saws that can eat itself if I am not careful. A cheap Ryobi table saw I use has a badly designed guard and the stop button doesn't always stop it!  A Macallister circular saw had the guard just fall off when the casting failed. I replaced it with an excellent Bosch machine that cost 4 times as much and rips 10cm of oak like cutting a cheese. Buy cheap, buy trouble.

Possibly, but if you have nothing to compare to, how do you tell?

[Kim]

"DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE DEADLY SAW WITH REMAINING FINGERS"

[Aunt Maud]

Possibly, but if you have nothing to compare to, how do you tell?

Generally, if you buy brand name, middle of the range stuff you should be OK. The stuff at the bottom end of the market is really best used as garage shelf ornaments.

As for blades, cheap circular saw blades have smaller teeth to reduce the amount of expensive tungsten carbide. This means they cut a narrower kerf, which has its benefits in that it makes ripping cuts quicker and easier, but are more risky to use as they can get caught easier in the kerf if one piece moves against the other when exiting the piece. And are downright dangerous if the riving knife has been removed from the saw  The excellent small circular saw I got from Ham is missing the knife and is a jumpy little so and so, but I use it with a cutting jig when cutting joists which helps to tame it.

The stuff at the top end like Festool or Mafell are lovely to use, but pricey. I have some Milwaukee drills which are brilliant and would love one of their worm drive circular saws for green oak stuff.

[Canardly]

Ex colleague got shirt caught in chop saw and nearly killed himself. Only saved himself from bleeding out due to having mobile in pocket and a rapid response ambulance.  Not to be used lightly methinks.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I wouldn't use one to cut scraps for burning. They are meant for systematic precision work for which they are excellent.

Is proper firewood expensive in the UK?  I grow my own and prepare it with a billhook to remove small branches then the chainsaw and finally a splitting axe. Leave for a year or three (unless it's ash) then burn it.

Local farmer cuts stuff up with monster unguarded saw driven from the tractor pto.. ..come to think about it I haven't seen him around for a while now..

[Aunt Maud]

I've been using the jumpy Elu circular saw for the last two weeks.

I found out that it is lethal two days ago, as when I pick it up my finger rests on the start switch and it leaps into life. I guess that's why they decided to put a switch with a button on nowadays.

Nearly took two tips off with the bloody thing. It would have been a nice clean amputation though, as the blade is nice and sharp.

[Gattopardo]

Nevermind wood, which will be best for the zombie apocalypse?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I use this



but reviews say it's not good for the zombie apocalypse

After reading recent news reports of "people" in the US eating peoples' faces off, I realised that the zombie apocalypse was nigh, and so I needed to get myself prepared. As we're not allowed firearms in this country, the next best home defence system for dealing with zombies is a chainsaw. I wanted to try out my chainsaw before needing it for real, so got a pig carcass from the butcher, and left it to rot for a couple of weeks.

The chainsaw cut through it easily, but with too much splatter for it to be safe against zombies - I was covered in rotting gore, and as we all know from documentaries like "28 Days Later", all it takes is a drop of zombie blood to infect someone.

I therefore can not recommend this chainsaw, as it made me catch tapeworm.

The splatter isn't the only problem, though; if there's a power failure (reasonably likely during a zombie apocalypse) it may stop running at the worse possible time, leaving you with nothing more than a bludgeoning stick with slightly pointy bits. Also, unless you've thought ahead and equipped yourself with ridiculously long extension leads, the area you can defend from zombie incursion is going to be limited by the reach of the power cord, which will prove very irritating indeed.

Instead of trying to defend yourself with this item, I would recommend adopting a shuffling gait and a completely vacant look, and with luck, you'll be mistaken as a zombie and allowed to walk around without all that unpleasant eating of your brains nosense. The bonus is that you can practice this technique now, and instead be mistaken for a commuter on their way to their miserable job (Monday mornings are an excellent time to practice).

Happy Monday Morning, one and all..

[Gattopardo]

Splater problem solved.

[Aunt Maud]

Nevermind wood, which will be best for the zombie apocalypse?

Yours ?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Hey, Big Boy, you can visit my wood any time you like..

[Aunt Maud]

I have an 880 on my sawmill. It's a total git to start and tries to pull your fingers off when it fires. I stand on it and pull the chord with both hands now, as I once burst a blood vessel in a finger starting it

Cuts wood though.

[Gattopardo]

Nevermind wood, which will be best for the zombie apocalypse?

Yours ?

No, but I have seen them at work.  There are racing chainsaw too.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/2b/0a/1e2b0a8a2375023b4f4601ed04c40721.jpg  Such two stroke awesomeness.

[Aunt Maud]

I found out that it is lethal two days ago ...

Darwin award?

No, but maybe that's why Ham was so keen to get rid of it.

[Aunt Maud]

And as if by magic, friend attempts to cut his thumb off with a circular saw yesterday, whilst cutting wood for the burner.

It was still dangling from his hand when he got to the hospital, so I guess they can just glue it back on and no harm done.

[Ham]

I found out that it is lethal two days ago ...

Darwin award?

No, but maybe that's why Ham was so keen to get rid of it.

So keen? It was a wrench. Well, a saw anyhow. I was very fond of that old (PROPER) Elu.

[Aunt Maud]

It's a good one, do you want it back after I'm done with it ?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Elu were a good brand until De Walt got hold of it.  I have one of their routers. It's about 20 years old now but still in first class order.  800w ISTR v. good for small stuff.  With a recent-ish De Walt I have there's no comparison.

[Ham]

It's a good one, do you want it back after I'm done with it ?

Noooo thanks, that would defeat the object of giving it away, thanks anyhow. By my reckoning it is about 30+ years old.

[Aunt Maud]

OK, you know where it is.

It's doing a good job helping building mums' extension. I was over the moon when it fired up for the first time.

My long departed friend, Martin the shipwright, used to swear by Elu stuff too.

[Ham]

OK, The Story Of The Elu. Or, a very odd inheritance.

Many years ago I had a senior role in one of the first Satellite TV Channels in the UK. We had our own studio etc, and I employed an engineer. A proper Engineer. Ex Beeb, been everywhere, did everything. He was about 55, the rest of us were under 30, obv. He and I got on famously, and we cobbled together (engineer+computing) all manner of stuffs like game show sets, mostly just because we could. Lotus enthusiast & builder. I sorted him out his own workshop along with fun toys. Anyhow, one morning went into the den and he'd keeled over the previous evening, heart. Died a few days later. I'd borrowed the Elu, offered it to the estate who said "keep it".

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I've been using the jumpy Elu circular saw for the last two weeks.

I found out that it is lethal two days ago, as when I pick it up my finger rests on the start switch and it leaps into life. I guess that's why they decided to put a switch with a button on nowadays...

A sort of dead man's handle?