# Sleepers RIP cut for joining



## SMALMALEKI (24 Mar 2018)

I’m sorry to ask a silly question. I’ve seen price of sleepers are very cheap in comparison to other timbers. 
Can I cut 2*4 timber out of 100*200 mm sleepers on a table saw? 

Thanks in advance for your advices. (hammer) (hammer) (hammer)


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## marcros (24 Mar 2018)

SMALMALEKI":2chfswti said:


> I’m sorry to ask a silly question. I’ve seen price of sleepers are very cheap in comparison to other timbers.
> Can I cut 2*4 timber out of 100*200 mm sleepers on a table saw?
> 
> Thanks in advance for your advices. (hammer) (hammer) (hammer)



well you can, but it is very green and will move all over the place when you try and use it. I saw a website the other day that said "all of our sleeps have been cut in the last 6 months", so that gives you some idea.

An 8ft lump of 8x4 oak is a big chunk to manage on a table saw. You will not be cutting through, so you will need to look at guarding too. If you must try and cut it, a bandsaw is better, but you will still have the issues with the weight and green-ness of it.


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## custard (24 Mar 2018)

If you've got a 300mm table saw in theory you could, actually even with a more common 250mm table saw you could supposedly cut one side part way through then flip the workpiece over to complete the cut.

That's the theory, but in practise...rather you than me.

Sleepers are generally filthy, impregnated with toxic preservatives, and filled with grit that will destroy your blade. They won't be dry so will warp like crazy, and the quality of the timber is very low.


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## MikeG. (24 Mar 2018)

Unless you've got huge commercial machinery, you don't take large lumps of construction oak to a machine, you take a machine to the oak. Ripping sleepers will give you bananas or propellers, and wreck your blades. If you want 4x2 oak, buy 4x2 oak.


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## topchippyles (24 Mar 2018)

Only way to do it is use a chainsaw and a ripping mill,Make sure they have not been dipped in any thing first.


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## Jacob (24 Mar 2018)

Timber is graded and big timber can be expected to have big knots, which may be OK for the size of timber but too big for smaller resawn pieces.


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## SMALMALEKI (26 Mar 2018)

Thank you to all of you woodworks out there for your honest advices. I am very gyfor all of them. 
I am new to woodwork and currently using pair of sawhorses with a chipboard on top as a workbench :? 
I was looking for some 4*2 timber to build my own workbench. 
The possibility of getting 4*2 oak for less than £4 was very tempting. It seemed to good to be true. That’s why I asked the question. Now I know better than I knew three days ago. 

Thank you guys again.


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## flh801978 (26 Mar 2018)

Just as an aside many years ago I bought some used crossing/point sleepers which are made of Jarrah
they were 12" x 6" X 9 ft long
I had them cut down at a local woodworkers who as i remember charged me £10 each to do this.. the sleepers were £8 each
he cut them down the 6 inch side so I ended up with 12 x 3 x 9ft long planks
The chap who did it vowed never again
none moved or bowed
It was a most gorgeous red colour
I made a Balcony across the back of the house 22 ft long so 22 planks laid on girders at the outside end and 6 inch angle iron fastened to the wall
Its still there with sign of movement or rot in 28 years now
sadly lost its red colour but a sanding gets it back
Ian


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## Tasky (26 Mar 2018)

SMALMALEKI":2t0nm308 said:


> I was looking for some 4*2 timber to build my own workbench. The possibility of getting 4*2 oak for less than £4 was very tempting.


You can get PAR softwood 4x2 at £1.60/metre easy enough. It's a common option for bench builds and *plenty *heavy when all built together!


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## MikeG. (26 Mar 2018)

flh801978":1d1n33ek said:


> Just as an aside many years ago I bought some used crossing/point sleepers which are made of yarrow......... a most gorgeous red colour.......



Sounds like you meant jarrah. Incredibly durable, incredibly hard, and in the right circumstances, very beautiful. I_ think_ it's on the CITES red list now, so railway sleepers are likely to be the best source.


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## flh801978 (26 Mar 2018)

Yes i did mean to say jarrah auto spell check got me


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