Advise on breaking down rough sawn timber

[Bsco85]

Hi all, I have to admit, I'm a tree surgeon not a cabinet maker!

I've been milling my own timber for over 4 years now. I'm looking for advise on a machine that could accurately rip and cross cut rough sawn boards into size. I have neither room or budget for full size table saw or vertical band saw. Common sizes of through and through boards range to 3" in depth. Any suggestions?

Had thought a plug in track saw from say Mafell or Festool might be tough enough and flexible, though their not exactly cheap. Am I on the right track?!

 

[topchippyles]

Might be worth looking at a radial arm saw which can do both ripping and cross cut.

 

[Bsco85]

Thanks, I'll Google them, hadn't had that down as a option.

Wouldn't such a machine need 3 phase power and a bloody big bench plate? 3 meters long boards are common thus my thinking of taking the saw to the board

 

[MikeG.]

No, no, no, NOOOO!!!!!

Do NOT expect to be able to rip with a RAS. It's the most ridiculous idea imaginable. It should be banned as dangerous, and I can't imagine that any commercial workshop anywhere would ever contemplate such a thing.

For ripping, without room for a bandsaw (and if you haven't room for a bandsaw, you certainly haven't room for a RAS), then a hand-held circular saw with straight edge, or a track saw. For cross cut sawing, a chop saw, or a chainsaw (that's the usual thing in a woodyard).

 

[Sgian Dubh]

All the power you'll probably ever need for thick wet boards at a ring puckering price for a beam saw that's somewhere north of £4,000. Available from places like The Saw Centre: https://www.thesawcentre.co.uk/

Mafell kit like that below should be able to break down what you need without taking up too much space, ha, ha. More seriously, Mafell kit is generally robust and much of it is well suited for large scale woodworking. Slainte.

 

[Bsco85]

Many Thanks,

You can see plan of vids of people using RAS on the Tube, but this isn't my field, I'm on here for your collective advise.

My initial thoughts were that a big track saw might be the way to go.

FYI, all timber has been dried to the 14% ball park for the purpose of this chat, green and wet stuff is for the mill and chainsaws. Looking for accurate cuts of big dry boards.

Regarding space, we have plenty, but meant I don't have dedicated clean dry space for band saws etc, its not currently my primary trade.

Those Mafell saws aren't cheap though are they?! But coming to think that 'cheap' in terms of this may mean 'unsuitable'. I'd rather be buying one tool that would be fit for purpose, have longevity, and ideally be have other useful applications.

Mike G, crossing cutting with a chain saw. Though I have and use mini mill systems, I don't really want to inflict that on the end of a nice Walnut board, just be messy, inaccurate and wasteful.

 

[Rorschach]

A track saw would be a very versatile bit of kit for the jobs you are describing.

 

[Beau]

A circular saw is going to be your best bet. Whether you go for a tracksaw arrangement I cant say but you will need a fair bit of power for ripping down a 3" board. As Mike says it's not difficult to just run a circular saw against a straight edge gives you more options on saws. I know some joiners rate this or or one of it's predecessors https://www.axminster.co.uk/makita-5903 ... aw-ax22635

 

[Bsco85]

Yes any circular with 85mm depth would be plenty.

Mafell do make a cheaper saw than that carpentry epic beast saw, though comparative to say that Makita its still eye wateringly expensive.
https://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/ ... AVaHGj7Tb0

Have found that festool do a 75mm and 85mm plunge saw too. So with that as a range, any advise on brand?

Or is that like asking a Arb forum whether they like Husky or Stihl! Entertaining but pointless

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Not a deep enough cut in that wee machine, beau. Bsco85 says he has to cut up to 3" material, and then later said the stuff's dry'ish, e.g., about 14%, so it must be either kilned to that, or perhaps air-dried under cover, although getting down to 14% even under some cover might be a bit of a stretch here in the UK.

A good deal cheaper than the Mafell kit, that would probably work, and coming in at something less than about £750 is the Makita 5143R which can do to about 5" deep. Slainte.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

https://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/ ... n/MAK5143R ?

I have a baby brother of this one and make do with cutting from both sides if I need to cut deeper than the max depth of cut at 90deg.

 

[johnnyb]

I've just paid £800 for a hammer bandsaw perfick for this job. In walnut 8 nice boards might be worth that. I'm sure those big handheld saws are ok but there a bit squeaky bum at 3 inch in moist timber!

 

[MikeG.]

Why are you all linking to such expensive saws?£150 for a Makitawith a 75mm depth of cut is fine, or an 85mm depth of cut for £190.

 

[MikeG.]

I've just paid £800 for a hammer bandsaw perfick for this job. In walnut 8 nice boards might be worth that. I'm sure those big handheld saws are ok but there a bit squeaky bum at 3 inch in moist timber!

The OP ruled out bandsaws. Mounted ones, at least.A handheld bandsaw is a different kettle of fish altogether.

 

[Selwyn]

Why are you all linking to such expensive saws?£150 for a Makitawith a 75mm depth of cut is fine, or an 85mm depth of cut for £190.

Totally agree.

 

[johnnyb]

I wouldn't entertain seriously ripping much 3inch hardwood with a handheld circular saw. Yes it will do it but it would be an unpleasant experience and potentially dangerous without great care and a sharp blade.
This guy has 4 years worth of boards he wants to process into useful sizes.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Why are you all linking to such expensive saws?£150 for a Makitawith a 75mm depth of cut is fine, or an 85mm depth of cut for £190.

In my case the link to the Mafell item was largely tongue-in-cheek. My later suggestion to consider the Makita 5143R was completely serious, the reasons being power, weight, and capacity. The 5143R packs 2,200 watts as opposed to the 1,550 watts available with the 5903R. Greater weight of the 5143R means greater inertia, and the deeper cut available means the saw doesn't need to occasionally work at, or near, it's maximum cut depth.

My experience leads me to believe that machines generally seem to work safer if they're not having to work at the limit of their capacity. A more powerful and heavier saw, whether hand held or bench variety will frequently keep going through material relatively safely when lesser saws want to bind and/or kick back.

Technically, I may have that all wrong, and perhaps just enough capacity really is safer, but that's not what I've found in using a wide range of saws, hand held or fixed plant. Slainte.

 

[dynax]

you say you don't have room for a table saw or band saw, have you considered a contractors site saw, portable, easy to store, good depth of cut, and can do all what you want, something like an evolution rage 5, YT review here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d28XYd_OJ2w

available from screwfix sub £300, https://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-ra ... 230v/9045v

 

[Sideways]

Seconding Richard here and adding my 2 pennorth, I had a first generation hitachi c9u circ saw, 9 incher with 2200 watts or thereabouts. I moved it on because it was just too big for me but it was the minimum size of machine I'd want to take to 3inch hardwood. It did a decent job on 2 inch elm and 3 inch beech. They're up to a third generation of that saw now - c9u3 model - for not far north of £200
Always good to have some extra power and capacity in hand for the day when the released stresses start to twist your boards and try to bind your blade.

 

[Duncan A]

If you do go down the tracksaw route, make sure they've got a riving knife. Many don't as they're meant for use on sheet materials, usually manmade such as plywood, MDF etc. Solid wood 3" thick would be very different to 18mm MDF and could close in on the blade - hence a riving knife as fitted to ordinary circular saws and tablesaws.
Duncan