Cross-cutting 8" x 8" oak

[The_Stig]

I've got a few 8" x 8" green oak sections that I'm going to need to cross-cut to length, I'm put off using the chainsaw as it won't give a very clean cut and I have a horrible, niggling feeling that if I cut them by hand the saw will jam quite a bit due to the section size and the fact that its green material... any ideas?

 

[OPJ]

Hi Jamie,

How long are they? If they're not much longer than the height of your bench, could you secure them vertically and run over the end-grain with a router and jig to clean them up?

Hope you're not building something that's going to go indoors...! :wink:

 

[lurker]

A nice sharp chain on a decent chainsaw (and a steady hand) should give a block plane ready surface

 

[Chris Knight]

Just use a decent saw and ask a few friends round..

 

[matt]

Handsaw and a wax candle (the latter to stop the sticking when applied to the saw blade).

 

[big soft moose]

A nice sharp chain on a decent chainsaw (and a steady hand) should give a block plane ready surface

i agree with lurker - chainsaw is the only weapon of choice for those dimensions

 

[MikeG.]

Matt has 50% more tools than necessary, but the right principle. Green oak won't trap the blade, and cuts like cheese. I wouldn't contemplate anything other than a handsaw for the job........and it will take seconds. Mark and cut in from all four faces, and just have it properly supported. It will be quicker cutting 8" square oak than cutting 3 inch square pine.

It is such a nice feeling sawing and chiselling green oak that you will certainly look for ways to use hand-tools rather than elec-trickery.

Mike

 

[The_Stig]

I think I'll bring a nice sharp saw into work tomorrow and give it a go before commiting to doing a few. We have resaw on sight but unfortuantely I can't support the sections safely to pass them through the saw.

With regards to putting them inside, I wouldn't dream of it as they'd check and split like mad... but that doesn't mean that my friend isn't putting them inside, lol. :wink:

 

[JoinerySolutions]

Cuts easy see my pics

The oak frame was all hand cut including tenons, floor beams are 9x9 inch. The cuts were made with my diston panel saw and the cut end planed smooth with a 5 1/2 bailey and block plane.

Easy work when green and a hard one when its 400 years old.

Atb Rob.

Edit: If you need to finish with an accurate edge, use a marking knife to set out and pare away the corner that you will start sawing from to give a shoulder to rest the saw blade against. This will help prevent the blade jumping and marking the work piece. Edit to see pic directly.

 

[wizer]

I think I'd find my biggest CS and make four cuts following a guide rail all around. Then, if you have to, finish by hand.

What's it for?

 

[The Bear]

I've got loads of 8 inch square oak uprights in the garden (my neighbour calls it wood henge) all cut to length when green.

We went round each side with a handheld circular saw which left about an inch and a half square in the middle, which was cut with a hand saw. Simples

Mark[/list]

 

[MikeG.]

Those suggesting a circular saw have to remember that seldom will all the sides of a piece of green oak be squeare, flat and parallel with each other. If the cut is to be on display then this isn't the neatest way. However, if the exercise is merely to trim to length prior to the cutting of a tenon then this method is fine.

Mike

 

[JoinerySolutions]

Those suggesting a circular saw have to remember that seldom will all the sides of a piece of green oak be squeare, flat and parallel with each other. Mike

Which is why timber framers use plumb bobs, levels and overlay the beams for marking out purposes. Oh! and a lot of measuring several times.

However, if the exercise is merely to trim to length prior to the cutting of a tenon then this method is fine.

Mike

And no one will ever know how you did it, so, a chainsaw in safe hands may suffice, but they are noisy and smelly and mine does not work anymore (but was good for planking up an olive tree trunk while still in the ground, a natural vice one might say :wink: )

 

[CWatters]

I cut these by hand no problem ...

Lengthwise by CS and hand..

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9027/img1893.jpg

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/622/img1898u.jpg

Someone recommened a bow saw but I couldn't get on with that. Never had problems with a rip or tennon the saw jamming. Use a TCT blade in the CS.

 

[JoinerySolutions]

CWatters How come your pics show up and mine refuse? Is there a trick or 'how to' somewhere.
Nice job, by the way

 

[9fingers]

CWatters How come your pics show up and mine refuse? Is there a trick or 'how to' somewhere.
Nice job, by the way

Look at the top sticky in the chat section for a guide to posting pictures

Bob

 

[OPJ]

IWe have resaw on sight but unfortuantely I can't support the sections safely to pass them through the saw.

I wouldn't dream of doing it on a resaw - wrong sort of blade, to say the very least!! :shock:

You must have some kind of radial-arm or pullover saw as well... Assuming it'll handle 4in. thick timber without any fuss, you could raise the the height of the saw head, make one cut, roll it over and then do the other half. That's how we used to do 7in. softwood posts...

Of course, going back to what Mike saws, the accuracy here largely depends on how parallel the two sides are. You could try making for cuts (to get the 'average' face) and then finishing off with a block plane. Just another idea, if you had loads to do...

...But, having round-topped a 7in. square green oak post before (all by hand!), I'll concur with the others - it does cut like butter!

 

[jasonB]

I did these 8x8 table legs with a chain saw and just a quick tidy up with the blockplane, they were offcuts from a green oak deck that had been sitting around for 9months, still wet 3/4" in from the edges.

Jason

 

[RogerS]

If you are going to do it the hard way (ie not use a chainsaw) then get yourself a bowsaw - it's designed for this job.

 

[CWatters]

CWatters How come your pics show up and mine refuse? Is there a trick or 'how to' somewhere.

I can see your picture ok.