How to cut a notch?

[raptorman01]

I am wanting to cut a 3/4" or 1" square groove in the length of a timber. the lengths of about 200 timbers actually. I have a supplier for 16' long timbers that I plan to use to build a log cabin. I will stack them on top of one another to form the walls. I want to cut the grooves in the top and bottom of the timbers so that when I stack them I can add a piece of oak stripping to act as a joint and to hold the timbers straight in line. this would be done top and bottom all the way around the cabin, floor to roof. I am familiar with a dado blade on a table saw which is my best guess so far, I am curious if there are any better ways?? is there any type of hand held notch cutter?? thanks in advance for your help. all ideas appreciated, thanks, Kelly...

[barbender]

That sounds like a job for a router and a straight bit.

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forestry forum.
Interesting concept in theory. But it is going to be very tough to do in practice, I'm thinking.

The dado for the spline will need to be straight in both the top of the bottom timber as well as the same for the bottom of the timber that slips over it.

Have you a plan on how to do that? Possibly a dado in the bottom timber, insert the spline, and then chalk the spline before placing the next timber on top to get a mark for making a dado in that one will help them mate up.

Will these be squared timbers, D-shaped timbers, or something other?

[pineywoods]

That sounds like a job for a router and a straight bit.

same here, 3/4 inch straight bit and a big router with a fence. The cabin pictured in my avatar was built that way. Makes a joint that is nearly air tight, no chinking needed.

[SPIKER]

I'd say get the BIG router and use a Metal Bar/Angle that can be quickly and accurately screwed down to the flats cut into top/bottom of the logs.   Run the router down the log that way.   Otherwise maybe have to build a jig that hold the log and router angle to run it along it.   the key would be having some KEY to hold the bottom of the log in the correct spot (in other keyway) so that the two key slots are directly above each other. 

Mark

[beenthere]

Or find someone with a Lucas or Peterson swing blade and make several saw cuts on the mill to the desired depth and width, flip over 180° onto a false spline and do the other side.
Would keep the two dado's straight with one another for good matching.

[classicadirondack]

be sure to use an up-spiral bit and probably will need two passes if 1" depth

[Satamax]

http://www.mafelltoolstore.com/nfu-32-groovecutting-machine--230.html       

If you want a cheaper option, let me know.   

[firecord]

If you have an old circular saw y not try to afix a dado blade to it.  You would have to remove the safety cover (most would frown on this) and part of the bottom plate. then take some flat metal and make a new bottom plate with a guide to follow the beam. attach this to the saw and your cuts would be the same on all.  who said "Need is the mother of all inventions.".

[Jim_Rogers]

 

 

Skill saw groove cutter, works every time......

Jim Rogers

[Satamax]

So now that we are on the diy solutions, a simple one

a wall chaser

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=Wall+Chaser&_sacat=0&_from=R40

like the 1600watts silverstorm, wich is just a circular saw with a long shaft i'd say. Fitted with an adjustable grooving head for the shaper/spindle moulder.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=adjustable+groover&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=adjustable+groover+-leather&_sacat=0

I don't know the prices for such a cutter new. But the ones from isocele in france cost, for the aluminium in 6 inch size, about a hundred and fifty dolls (118 euros)

And the wall chaser costs about another 150 shipped!

[D L Bahler]

I have to cut grooves in timbers all the time, for post and plank type of building etc. An easy an inexpensive solution is to cut down both sides with a circular saw and knock the excess out with a chisel, for a 1 1/2" notch I can clean them out with a chisel strike every 4 to 6 inches or so, so it is pretty fast.

That said, I like Jim's solution and have thought of buying a good saw and modifying it by stacking blades like that. This however would only be a solution for narrower notches. The disadvantage is that this buries you in sawdust, and I like to keep dust to a minimum (it makes me sneeze)

[raptorman01]

thanks for the replies, a couple of them sound interesting. more ideas are welcome.. the timbers will be 4" wide and 6.5" tall. rec cut heart wood.. thanks for the help..

[Brad_bb]

The easiest and fastest way I can think of, and probably highly consistent, is a beam moulder/planer head on a sawmill with a custom blade to cut the profile you want.  The trick is finding someone with a woodmizer or logosol planer head that would cut your timbers.  The advantage would be that it would be fast cutting, and consistent.  Where do you live/where are you building?  Here's a video from each company demonstrating their molder/planer heads:
http://youtu.be/hyNh39oUnvE

http://youtu.be/_jGWEzmw4rM

Both are available in the US, and I believe both are run by electric motors.  I think they have 240V 1phase as well as 3 phase option.
I'm planning to buy my own soon for personal use, at least at first.

[timberwrestler]

Makita makes a groover as well, but it hasn't been imported to the US in a long time.  I bought one used but it took me years to find one.  It's the same idea as the Mafell groover.