Cross cut a large beam

[Brian Showalter]

I'm working on making a fireplace mantle out of a large cherry beam. I currently have the beam planed and jointed flat and square. The dimensions are about 10" wide by 5.25" thick. I now need to cut it to length.

What is the right tool for this job? The only thing I can think of is 2 passes with a circular saw (on opposing sides) and clean up with the belt sander. Any better ideas?

[Matt Roth]

I'd be inclined to try a handsaw.

[Russell Smallwood]

I'd be inclined to try a handsaw.

+1 for the hand saw approach.

Although, there's always this:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzecgPNpsOE

:eek:

[Matt Roth]

+1 for the hand saw approach.

Although, there's always this:


:eek:

yikes!!!!!! I can't imagine a regular circular saw getting away from me, but if that thing came loose????

[Scott T Smith]

Russell, that was a great link - I looked at several of his video's and really like the music too.

Matt, the 16-5/8" Makita saws have a ton of torque, and you have to had a good grip on them or they will bind. The blades ain't cheap, either....

Brian, as an alternative to dual passes, you could make a single pass and then use that cut as a guide for a handsaw.

[Russell Smallwood]

Brian, as an alternative to dual passes, you could make a single pass and then use that cut as a guide for a handsaw.

winner! Great idea Scott.

[Van Huskey]

The next time someone ask why would you ever need a MONSTER radial arm saw, this is the answer. If I remember right I think this would need an 18"er, don't think a 16" breaks 5".

[hank dekeyser]

The beam saw is a beast- I picked up a used one awhile back, used it for a few years- sadly I had to sell it - (too many tools sitting un-used) absolutely my favorite saw ever.

[Russell Sansom]

About 60 seconds with a crosscut hand saw. If you having one laying around it might even work as is. You don't need to cut a channel...draw a line on all 4 sides and start sawing. Take a cut further out for practice first, even.

[Glen Butler]

You are going to have cleanup regardless of how you cut it, especially if you can do it in one pass, or have to flip it over. Your first idea would be my first choice if I didn't have my SCMS. Just be sure to square your saw first.

[johnny means]

Is a band saw an option?

[Van Huskey]

You are going to have cleanup regardless of how you cut it, especially if you can do it in one pass, or have to flip it over. Your first idea would be my first choice if I didn't have my SCMS. Just be sure to square your saw first.

What SCMS has a 5.25" depth of cut?

[Van Huskey]

Is a band saw an option?

I LOVE a bandsaw but that is gonna be one heck of a cut with all that weight out to the right of the blade, even with a table out there I would hate to try to keep it straight as I cut.

[Peter Quinn]

My BS would be my first option, though that would take some rigging to get a square clean cut. It certainly would not have trouble with the cut. You didn't mention the length but I assume at least 5' or better? If you have a bs and a helper that's a quick safe way to go. A RAS or SCMS or guided skill saw could givy you the first 3-4" and a hand saw could do the rest, clean up with a belt sander. A sharp hand saw would certainly do it as well without any other tools at all.

Van, my 14" dewalt cuts 4 1/4" depth, and I know some 16" models would get 5 1/4"' though the 16" at work will only do 4 7/8" due to a larger motor housing.

[Joe Angrisani]

Talk about overkill.....

Grab a handsaw and be done with it.

[Brian Showalter]

Thanks for all the tips guys. The beam is currently a little over 8' long. I need to cut it down to 5.5'. I had ruled out the bandsaw b/c I didn't think I could keep it square given the weight and length to the right of the blade.



Brian, as an alternative to dual passes, you could make a single pass and then use that cut as a guide for a handsaw.

I like this idea and hadn't thought of it. I think I will draw a line all the way around, make the first cut with the circular saw with a guide and then finish off with the handsaw.

[Bob Riefer]

When I was cutting beams alot while rebuilding the barn, I'd run the circular saw on both sides and finish with the sawzall followed by sanding. But that was because I had to do lots and lots of cuts (so a more manual method would have been a killer). For just one cut, I'd run one pass with circular saw, finish with hand saw and sanding.

[Karl Brogger]

What is the right tool for this job? The only thing I can think of is 2 passes with a circular saw (on opposing sides) and clean up with the belt sander. Any better ideas?


That's exactly what I'd do.

I used to work for a company that did a fair amount of timber frame homes. They had a couple of the 15" Hitachi circular saws. Scary stuff there.

[Rick Pettit]

I have a whiteside flush trim bit that is about 3 inches long. I would use something like that. Cut it close with a skil saw and then clamp a straight edge to it. Then flip it over and use the cut you just made as your new straight edge. A little more work probably but it would be perfect.

[Prashun Patel]

I've done the circular saw, then use a handsaw to finish. I don't like that. The differences in kerf width make it hard to get a flush and straight line for me.

I saw a recent issue of Wood Magazine where they built a pergola. They cut the posts by clamping (or screwing) a level collar around the post on four sides. Then they used the circular saw to cut in on each side, using the collar as the guide. That seemed very elegant. Note to self...

[Ole Anderson]

I agree, 2 passes with a circ saw and clean it up with a sander or a block plane.

[Chip Lindley]

Originally Posted by Brian Showalter
What is the right tool for this job? The only thing I can think of is 2 passes with a circular saw (on opposing sides) and clean up with the belt sander. Any better ideas?


That's exactly what I'd do.

I used to work for a company that did a fair amount of timber frame homes. They had a couple of the 15" Hitachi circular saws. Scary stuff there.

Brian and Karl have it! Don't make it any harder than it has to be! Rough-cut with the circular saw from both sides, then clean up with a low-angle block plane OR a belt sander.

[Frank Drew]

Sliding table saw would be my first choice, but if I didn't have one I'd use a skilsaw or hand saw. Those large Japanese circular saws are fabulous but can take off a leg in a heartbeat if you screw up (no kneeling for the cut!!)

A bandsaw would be far down my list of prefered tools due to the smallish table and time needed to set up the cut in a comfortable fashion, and in this case the 31" offcut wouldn't clear the column on anything smaller than a 32" machine unless he wanted to make multiple cuts, which would unnecessarily waste wood.

[Van Huskey]

I saw a recent issue of Wood Magazine where they built a pergola. They cut the posts by clamping (or screwing) a level collar around the post on four sides. Then they used the circular saw to cut in on each side, using the collar as the guide. That seemed very elegant. Note to self...

That would be my #1 choice thus far, well, outside of a 20" RAS or beam saw...

[Greg Portland]

A cheap alternative to the Makita beam saw if you own a 7 1/4" worm drive saw: http://www.amazon.com/Prazi-USA-PR7000-Cutter-4-Inch/dp/B0000224SA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1298063651&sr=8-5

Protool and Mafell are the $$$$ options.

[Kevin Stockwell]

It's a log--use a chainsaw, and then sand!

[Van Huskey]

How many ways are there to skin this cat? Beavers?

[Gary Max]

It's a log--use a chainsaw, and then sand!

Thanks for your post----I was beginning to think I was the only person who owned a chainsaw.

[Brian Showalter]

It's a log--use a chainsaw, and then sand!

Thanks for your post----I was beginning to think I was the only person who owned a chainsaw.

Funny you should mention that. I had considered it, but wanted to get it pretty square to minimize sanding.

But that is how I got the beam originally. I recently built a new home and wanted to make the fireplace mantle myself as a sort of conversation piece. I asked my Dad if he had any large cherry logs around that we could use. Surprisingly there was a large tree with the top knocked out of it just behind his house. My BIL has a jig that mounts to the bar of a chainsaw and will ride a 2x4 as a poor mans sawmill. Here are a few pics...

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TV8Z3s-baNI/AAAAAAAAAZI/QUCCQpDIItc/s400/IMG00039.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TV8Z3RhiXZI/AAAAAAAAAZA/_qeyL4PYPdk/s400/IMG00043.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TV8Z3v38FLI/AAAAAAAAAZE/9d6SwZ5RyJg/s400/IMG00050.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TV8Z39Lgd-I/AAAAAAAAAZM/ouTwaSU3704/s400/IMG00051.jpg

And here it is today, ready to be cut to length
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TV8bOPNB1nI/AAAAAAAAAZU/wx9VWqE3j6A/s400/IMG_9199.JPG

[Steve Jenkins]

too bad you aren't closer. We could toss it on my sliding table saw and in one pass lop it off for a glass smooth end.

[David Winer]

I saw a recent issue of Wood Magazine where they built a pergola. They cut the posts by clamping (or screwing) a level collar around the post on four sides. Then they used the circular saw to cut in on each side, using the collar as the guide. That seemed very elegant. Note to self...
I used this method when trimming to length a large number of already installed fence posts. I made a "jig" (collar) as a guide for my circular saw. Then, working on a ladder, temporarily screwed it to the post tops and made the cuts. The end-grain surfaces were a little rough but a bit of belt sanding polished them nicely. While still up there, I finished the edges with a router. It helped to have my neighbor hand me up in sequence the screw-drill, saw, sander, and router.

[Russell Sansom]

This is an interesting thread. I truly enjoy SMC and questions like this where everybody solves the problem from their point of view.
You might be quite surprised to see what a well-chosen and properly-sharpened handsaw can do. Of course, it isn't that simple. If you're not considering the hand saw solution, you probably don't own one. Chances are, you don't have a freshly-sharpened, very coarse ( 3 - 5 TPI ? ) cross cut saw in your shop. But you might just have a buck saw of some kind. With a $10 new blade or a quick sharpening of your old blade, you can make pretty short work of a 5" log.
Of course, you then need a way to finish the end. And you would have to find your way through the acquisition of a block plane, sharpening it, and tuning it up. Or ditto with a paring chisel.
So, while many of us are saying, "Heh, don't be silly! Just cut it off with a handsaw," I can see upon reflection is isn't that simple. As mostly a hand worker, here's how I would cut the ends of a mantel ( people will see the ends right at eye level, so I'd want them to be perfect):
1. Draw a sharp pencil line all around the board.
2. Cut just outside the lines all around the board with my coarsest, biggest backsaw ( 8 TPI, 5" tall ).
3. Whatever core is left in the center, that the backsaw couldn't reach, saw off with a fine cross cut.
4. Use a hand plane to make the new end perfectly smooth. A block, a #4 or #5 bench plane, or even a big jointer set for a fine cut.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Does your band saw have a mobile base under it? I once worked in a plant making laminated beams, some of which were over 100" feet long. We cut the ends off using a band saw on wheels. You could do the same.

[Don Sundberg]

In my shop I would consider clamping it in my old Kysor Johnson Model J horizontal band saw and sawing it off. I don't know about the finish but it would be square.

Otherwise they make a crosscut jig for the chainsaw but I wouldn't buy one for a one time thing.

Don

[Jim Neeley]

I don't have any insight to offer on the cutting but have a suggestion on the "smoothing", assuming the top and bottom surfaces are flat and parallel. Here would be my take:

I'd acquire two router bits: one 1/2"SH, 1/2"D x 3" long straight bit like http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pc-1-2-SH-3-Blade-Extra-Long-Straight-Router-Bit-/140516057259?pt=Routers_Bits&hash=item20b768e0ab and another 1/2"SH, 1/2"D x 3" flush trim (bearing tipped) bit like http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pc-1-2-SH-3-Extra-Long-Flush-Trim-Router-Bit-/130488489138?pt=Routers_Bits&hash=item1e61b854b2 and a large router and use them with a straightedge to cut the surface, half or so from each face of the beam. As long as the two sides are parallel, the bearing will leave you with a flat, perpendicular surface.

Sorry about the links; it popped up when I suearchd for bits with 3" long cutters to post.

Jim