Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => OT Knowledge => Topic started by: Andrew Br on 18 September, 2011, 02:11:30 pm
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What's the best (power) tool for cutting "scrap" wood eg roof battens (not logs or similar) ?
I have a chain saw that I use for logs but it seems/is OTT for the pre-cut wood that I've scavenged from skips after roof renovations, extensions, loft conversions.
It seems the two options are jig-saw and circular saw.
Anything else ?
Any particular makes/models worth looking out for ?
I'm thinking electric and cutting up to about 5cm thick.
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Chop saw. Makita if you can stretch to it.
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Without a doubt, Chopsaw everytime!!
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Loft conversion waste will have plaster and other muck on the surface, and nails in it. I can sharpen a chainsaw very quickly, so I'd go that way. Actually I'd not be cutting anything with stuff that can blunt a saw. I'd probably try to smash it up with a sledgehammer or splitting maul, but I need the practice swinging a hammer to help me with my axe work.
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I have chainsaw, chop saw (Makita sliding compound mitre), hand held circular saw, jigsaws, and lots more to choose from.
Chainsaw only gets used when there is more than a wheelbarrow full of logs to cut.
The hand held circular saw gets used for pallets.
The chop saw gets used if it is ready set up (eg. cutting up offcuts from a job) or if there is a large quantity of timber to cut.
Jigsaw - never.
Most often used is a bowsaw. :o
(http://www.spearandjacksononline.com/acatalog/3624Z%20Bow%20Saw.jpg)
They are supprisingly quick at cutting. I've taken down 30ft high trees with just a bowsaw, and I could probably cut a wheel barrow full of firewood from battens in the time it would take to get the chop saw and extention lead out of the garage! :smug:
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My grandfather had a huge two-handled saw, left behind in the house by the previous occupant, a retired admiral. We used it to cut up logs into firewood. Hot work!
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Bonus - the firewood keeps you warm twice. Once when you cut it up, and again when you burn it. :D
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Loft conversion waste will have plaster and other muck on the surface, and nails in it. I can sharpen a chainsaw very quickly, so I'd go that way. Actually I'd not be cutting anything with stuff that can blunt a saw. I'd probably try to smash it up with a sledgehammer or splitting maul, but I need the practice swinging a hammer to help me with my axe work.
Sorry, I should have been clearer; I'm thinking about the bits that are "clean" wood such as the ends of new battens (sp ?) but which are still too long to go into a small woodburner.
Any "dirty" wood gets left in the skip ;)
Using my chainsaw for these pieces seems too much, the resulting mounds of sawdust would almost dwarf the woodpile.
I'm very careful, with the chainsaw, to avoid nails.
When I had a lot of logs to split I became, IMO, quite proficient at it; I managed to make technique overcome strength limitations. In the end, the back breaking part was picking up the split logs and piling them up...................
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I have chainsaw, chop saw (Makita sliding compound mitre), hand held circular saw, jigsaws, and lots more to choose from.
Chainsaw only gets used when there is more than a wheelbarrow full of logs to cut.
The hand held circular saw gets used for pallets.
The chop saw gets used if it is ready set up (eg. cutting up offcuts from a job) or if there is a large quantity of timber to cut.
Jigsaw - never.
Most often used is a bowsaw. :o
(http://www.spearandjacksononline.com/acatalog/3624Z%20Bow%20Saw.jpg)
They are supprisingly quick at cutting. I've taken down 30ft high trees with just a bowsaw, and I could probably cut a wheel barrow full of firewood from battens in the time it would take to get the chop saw and extention lead out of the garage! :smug:
I'm beginning to think that a manual saw would be the best way forward. The exercise certainly wouldn't do me any harm ;)
I've ruled out using pallets. In a previous job where I had access to an industrial scale bandsaw and every duff pallet that the warehouse guy found (there were lots), I found that the cutting/extracting nails v burn time just didn't warrant it.
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Found this thread on a Google :)
I've got a load of semi chopped 2x4 and pallets that I need to get chopping up a bit shorter soon. Last year after a bit of a similar internet search I bought a reciprocating saw.
It is shit.
Not only is it even slower than the jigsaw, it vibrates so much I can barely feel my arms after a few minutes. Obviously not a good thing.
I've noticed the bloke across the road has a chop saw but I'm not asking to chop my wood in his garage because that would just be weird!
So, should I buy my own chop saw (and some chain mail gloves haha) or would a bow saw really be good enough?
Bear in mind my upper body strength is fairly rubbish.
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+1 for a bowsaw.
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Chop saws are good. You will need a workmate-a-like to mount it on, unless you like kneeling on the floor. Beyond the pallets etc you already have, will you have a continual supply of this sort of wood to justify the cost?
I'm currently cutting up bits of fir tree for my sister with a chainsaw which copes better with the larger lumps of wood.
Personally I wouldn't use chainmail gloves as used by butchers. If the blade catches them it will drag your hand into the saw. Just take care where your hands are at all times. In any case, the blade gets automatically covered when not cutting.
ETA. Mine is an Evolution from B&Q, relatively cheap and has a blade that will cut metal as well as wood. Has the advantage that nails left in scavenged wood won't damage the blade.
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A decent bowsaw takes very little effort - but you really need something to rest the wood on. Best to get a bowsaw with fairly small teeth if cutting softish wood like pallets or the teeth just dig in to start with and it is hard to get going.
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I'd cut it with a sharp handsaw or chainsaw. If you strap a bundle together on a firewood saw horse, you can just cut through lots of it straight into the wheelbarrow underneath.
Don't cut firewood on a chop saw or with any other carpentry saw, such as a jigsaw or circular saw. They aren't designed for it and you can do yourself a mischief, as they can grab the wood and fling it around if its not very big or held down properly. They can also jump back at you, which can be quite an exciting experience.
They are called chop saws for a reason, watch your fingers. Speak to any carpenter or joiner who is missing a finger and they will tell you that it hurts like fuckery.
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I use a chain saw for timber over 2-3" diameter, and hand saw for smaller stuff, and have (on occasion) used a chop saw very successfully to whistle through a good deal of smaller timber, old planks etc.
+1 to Aunt Maud's warning about chop saws. They are a bit brutal and kick a lot of dust around.
Bow saws are fine as long as the teeth are aligned ok otherwise they're a PITA.
The "right" solution will also be influenced on whether you want to take the wood to the saw or the saw to the wood. Whole pallets require the latter approach.
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Don't cut firewood on a chop saw or with any other carpentry saw, such as a jigsaw or circular saw. They aren't designed for it...
Presumably this depends largely on whether it's 'firewood' in the sense of random bits of dead tree, or 'firewood' in the sense of waste lumber (off-cuts, dismantled pallets, etc). If you really have an endless supply of scrap 2x4 that you can be sure isn't hiding surprise nails, then what's the harm of feeding it to a chop saw?
Personally, chopping firewood is prime example of a GAMI job. They can use what they like.
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Chopping small pieces of wood on a mitre saw is equally as dangerous as chopping branches.
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Well in the end I stuck a new blade in the jigsaw and sprung 20 quid for a folding work bench from Screwfix. Chopped up all my dismantled pallet wood and made all my kindling this afternoon so I should be all set for winter :)
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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.
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difficult to get your fingers to the spinning blade.
Yet I see several people manage it every week and so does every other hand surgeon in the country.
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difficult to get your fingers to the spinning blade.
Yet I see several people manage it every week and so does every other hand surgeon in the country.
A friend's father has done it twice. Two fingers gone. Lessons aren't easily learned by some. The smaller ones are worse as you can have one hand free, waving about. I have Makita's 2nd largest which is so heavy you need 2 hands to operate it. That's 2 hands on the handles and they won't get in the way of the blade.
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Well mounted chop saw or radial arm saw, but a circular saw is 10x safer than a chain saw for cutting smallish boards
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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.
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Gas central heating is your friend.
Full count of fingers and thumbs here.
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That's 2 hands on the handles and they won't get in the way of the blade.
This.
TBH, I expect it's a bit like clipless pedals, in that they only catch you out once you stop being terrified of them. Except that you stand to lose a lot more than your pride...
Gas central heating is your friend.
Also this.
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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 :o.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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"DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE DEADLY SAW WITH REMAINING FINGERS"
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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 O:-) 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.
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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.
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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..
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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.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CE1dKlAWAAAJlrK.jpg:large)
Nevermind wood, which will be best for the zombie apocalypse?
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I use this
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41fK2f4M9hL.jpg)
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..
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Splater problem solved.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CE1dKlAWAAAJlrK.jpg:large)
Nevermind wood, which will be best for the zombie apocalypse?
Yours ?
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Hey, Big Boy, you can visit my wood any time you like..
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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.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CE1dKlAWAAAJlrK.jpg:large)
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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It's a good one, do you want it back after I'm done with it ?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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".
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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?