long rip cuts by hand

[boots_n_braces]

Evening all i wonder if anyone can help me, ive got a project coming up and i need some advice! The aim of the project was to complete something start to finish with no power tools (i can see the old timers rolling there eyes :lol: ) Everythings gone well so far and lots of new ways of working learned however a simple task has me perplexed, i need to rip some boards the full 8ft length as accuratley as possible by hand (preferably without 7 days of sanding to square everything up afterwards!)
So has anyone got any tips on keeping such a long cut square and straight? Ideally id like a fine finish but im leaning towards using a thick backed rough cut saw just to try and keep the cut straight any other advice would be gratefully recieved!

Thanks in advance
Harry

 

[GazPal]

Pairing sharp, taper ground saw blades with good technique tends to work best, but tooth count and blade length depend on board type and thickness. Will you be working from trestles/saw horses or something else? Boards can be cut when held vertically, as well as horizontally.

 

[Richard T]

Welcome B&B

I'd say (assuming you are using a sharp, dedicated rip saw) keep to your line and keep the saw square to the board.

You're going to have to clean up the edges - so Jointer plane, or as long a plane as you can muster.

 

[AndyT]

Welcome B&B - I do agree that hand tool woodworking is more fun, but some of the grunt work can be a bit daunting!

Tell us a bit more about what you are making and what facilities you have.

Is this a deep rip, ie making two thin boards from one, or ordinary ripping, making narrower pieces from a broad one?
Deep ripping can be more challenging to hold while you work on it, but either way I recommend you make a pair of saw horses first, so you can work at a comfortable height for your build. 8 foot boards can be quite hard to handle - do you have a long bench and plenty of room? How are you going to hold the boards while you plane the cut smooth afterwards?

Top tip is to make sure you have a proper rip saw - quite rare / expensive to buy new - what do you have?

 

[GazPal]

If man-made board (Such as ply, mdf, conti-plas, etc.) a rip saw isn't necessarily a must have piece of kit, as a cross cut or universal handsaw with a fairly low tooth count, such as something from among Spear & Jackson's "Predator" range of saws can prove perfectly serviceable - although I do tend to prefer a longer blade length when ripping.

Focus on cutting to the line and body alignment can work wonders regarding cutting accuracy, but technique and saw choice depend upon the material being cut.