cutting to a line with a handsaw

[Tom M King]

Builds skill for cutting to a line with other types of saws. I cut to these lines, and they didn't need any fine tuning after using the saw.

Safety note: When using a chainsaw, be sure to wear proper PPE. For me, that means a fitted full coverage cap to keep the Sun off my bald head.

This was straightening up an old dock with leaning pilings from ice heave years ago. You may be able to see the mason's line pulled along the left side of the dock.

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[Maurice Mcmurry]

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Be safe.

[Richard Coers]

I use a Haddon Lumbermaker when I need to cut to a line with a chainsaw. I screw down a 2x6 and use it like a track saw. The Lumbermaker also can pivot, so with a quick fixture you basically have a miter saw. http://www.haddontools.com

[Jim Koepke]

I use a Haddon Lumbermaker when I need to cut to a line with a chainsaw. I screw down a 2x6 and use it like a track saw. The Lumbermaker also can pivot, so with a quick fixture you basically have a miter saw. http://www.haddontools.com

That looks like an Alaskan Sawmill that would fit in a large pocket.

jtk

[Tom M King]

None of these cuts were parallel to any side, nor were the shoulder cuts perpendicular to a side. The posts were leaning, so I had to mark lines where they needed to be cut. The old wood was good enough to get everything straightened up by, but I'm going to drive some more posts.

In the second picture you can see where I put a 1-1/2" spacer to move that posts out, and then a line was pulled using gauge blocks off of that first section. Had I not spaced that post over there would not have been much wood left of the outer leaning posts.

[Tom M King]

The decking boards had dried down to 14%, so I put the rest of the screws in, and only had to reject and replace two boards for moving too much. I had only put one screw in each end, and left them a little long. I cut the edges straight after screwing them down. The 2x12's are to double up the bands on the outside, but even without them, it looks a lot better already.

[Charles Guest]

I've been cutting to a line with a chainsaw since 1974. ;) No tearout either...

[Tom M King]

I get tearout with an upcut, but at least it sends the chips away.

[Tom M King]

We put the new 2x12 bands on this morning. They're still soaking wet, so I left them a little high. Once they do what drying they're going to do, I'll plane them down level with the decking boards, and put the dock bumper edging on.

Of course, all lag screws were countersunk, and evenly spaced with dividers. I expect almost no one will notice that the old pilings are leaning under it. I intend to drive some more pilings when I get around to it.

[Jim Koepke]

Just for fun my files were searched to see when my last major adventure of cutting to a line with a handsaw occurred:

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It was over a decade ago.

jtk