iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

how to rip timbers w/ simple tools

Started by FrankLad, June 04, 2007, 09:45:34 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

FrankLad

Hey guys!

Ok, here's the deal...

I have built some rustic interior doors for our new house and am now working on an exterior door.  I've read up on some of the challenges (such as using gaskets to compensate for shrinkage/expansion, etc.) and I know exactly how I want to join the various parts.

We have some nice-and-straight cypress beams that have been laying around.  I took a 4x6 one yesterday to try and rip to get two side stiles from.  The wood has been sitting up for a while, and should be pretty stable, plus I figure cypress would be good in terms of resistance.  ...plus this door isn't going to be subject to rain or much direct sun because of the porch we have.

The goal was to rip this into two (roughly) 2x6 pieces, then plane it down a bit (not necessarily to the standard 1-3/4 thickness)

Well the way I did it was snap lines on both sides and cut in each side with a circular saw, then split it the rest of the way.  It actually didn't turn out as bad as I thought, except for one part in the middle where one board had a chunk pulled out.  I took a big hand plane to it and got it looking pretty smooth and even.  Still not as good as getting a straight cut, though.

I'm thinking of trying that again except using a ripsaw (have never purchased one - plan to today) on the middle part.  Does that sound like it would work, or would it require the cut to be going along exactly with the grain?

The goal is to do this mostly by hand.  Since it's for one door, I don't want to go out and buy a chainsaw attachment or DIY-mill, etc.

Any ideas on the best way to rip straight pieces from timbers, with simple tools, would be REALLY appreciated.




Radar67

Quote from: FrankLad on June 04, 2007, 09:45:34 AM
The goal is to do this mostly by hand.

Frank, have you considered finding someone close to you with a band mill? They could do the rough cut, and you could finish it out with the plane.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Jim_Rogers

Cutting full depth with a skill saw down the edges and then finishing the cut with a hand saw would seem to be the easiest way to insure the cut doesn't "pull" out any unwanted chunks again. It may take a while to finish with the hand saw, but it should follow the two cuts and give you a nice stile....

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

FrankLad

Radar:  I did consider a sawyer but the local guy (an older fella) has apparently called it quits and the one we got our house timbers from is quite a drive away.  If my next attempt doesn't work, it may be worth the drive up there, though - as we'd be saving quite a bit of money on a DIY door anyway.

Jim_Rogers:  That's exactly what I was wondering - whether or not the rip saw would follow along the two cuts.  All I had on hand was a crosscut saw and it was tough just cutting through a couple inches.

I'll give it a try and report back.

THANKS, GUYS!


Radar67

How far do you have to go for the sawyer who cut your timbers?

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Dave Shepard

If you have to buy a handsaw, I'd consider a Stanley, I think it is called the Sharktooth. Just make sure it has the Japanese pull style teeth, although you still push it. ;) It is a fast smooth cutting saw, and crosscuts and rips better than either of the old style crosscut or rip saws. The down side is I don't think you can have them sharpened, although not many people do anymore anyway.


Dave
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dodgy Loner

I disagree, Dave.  Although the Stanley Sharptooths are excellent for crosscutting (they are, after all, crosscut saws), a well-tuned ripsaw works a lot better for ripping.  The tooth design of the Sharptooths is just completely inappropriate for ripping, but unfortunately, it's tough to find a decent new ripsaw these days.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

TexasTimbers

The Japan Woodworker sells exquisite japanese pull saws. Crosscut and rip. I can assure you, a japanese rip saw will outperform a western push saw any day.

Well, I can assure you that this is my opinion anyway. ;)

The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

Tom

It makes you wonder how we ever got along without those little boogers. :-\

TexasTimbers

The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

FrankLad

I have a Stanley Sharktooth crosscut, and a Vaughn Bear Saw (pull-stroke).  I didn't actually try the pull-saw since the other crosscut didn't work, but I may give it a shot as well.  Would be nice to have one of those Japanese ones like I saw one of our framers using - with the crosscut teeth on one side and ripping teeth on the other.

BTW, I also tried a Skil Saws-All with a pruning/wood cutting blade (the fast woodcutting blade was too short to fully go through) and that was kinda bogged down, slow-going as well.

I went by the hardware store at lunch.  The reps there didn't really know what I meant by "rip saw".  I noticed an el-cheapo saw hanging below a Stanley.  The teeth on it are squared off and there are less teeth per inch.  It wasn't labeled as far as what type it was but I'm assuming it's what I'm after.  We'll see how it works.

Oh, didn't mention earlier - the timber is 83" long.




TexasTimbers

Quote from: FrankLad on June 04, 2007, 05:01:42 PM
. . . .  Would be nice to have one of those Japanese ones like I saw one of our framers using - with the crosscut teeth on one side and ripping teeth on the other. . .. .

I have a dual purpose (cross and rip) Dozuki saw as well. It's better to have a dedicated rip saw and a dedicated crosscut when you are cutting depths that will necessitate the topside teeth to follow into the kerf. When you rip with a Dozuki that also has a crosscut edge opposite the rip teeth, even though the kerf on the crosscut is not quite as wide as the ripping teeth, they will still add additional resistance to the process.

For dovetails I prefer the ribbed (reinforced) spline which keeps the blade even straighter.

Here's a good Popular Woodworking article on comparisons. EAST VS. WEST
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

Dave Shepard

The Stanley saw I refer to has Japanese teeth, so it really isn't a western push saw. And at $25 it is a better deal by far than a japanese saw of equal length. I prefer mine to my Japanese saw due to it being twice the length.


Dave
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

sawdust


I have cut as deep as i could from both sides with my circular cas and then used a reciprocating saw with a looong blade in it to do the center wood.

sawdust
comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

Don P

I've done the same. I prefer to use a Milwaukee "Axe" blade. They are a bit thicker and have more set, I buy the 12" ones by the pack. They do clog up pretty easily like you experienced with the pruning blade. I do alot of "sawing" while cutting like that to rake the dust out of the way and keep it cutting fresh wood instead of dust in the kerf.

I resawed out several instrument tops in my youth with just a tablesaw and handsaw. Sure do like my power tools as I get older.

The house is looking mighty nice  :)

FrankLad

Well, I tried again yesterday on a new piece.  Started the same way as before - lopped off one end of the timber w/ crosscut saw  (and speedsquare to keep plumb), to bring the piece down to 83", then snapped lines down the middle and cut in w/ circular saw on both sides.

Next, I went to town on it using the $7 saw purchased yesterday from the local building supply store.  The final result was very nice!

Thanks a lot for all this help and feedback, guys!



TexasTimbers

You couldn't have done it without us. :D ::) ;)
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

metalspinner

I have a push broom that cleans better on the pull stroke.  Does that mean it's a Japanese Dozuki Broom? ;D
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

FrankLad

Ha ha ha ha!

I have all the pieces ready except for the bottom rail / kickplate.  For that, I plan to rip from an 8x10 to get a nice, wide piece.

You never know, I may post pictures.  :)




theorm

Quote from: metalspinner on June 05, 2007, 09:28:55 PM
I have a push broom that cleans better on the pull stroke.  Does that mean it's a Japanese Dozuki Broom? ;D

MS,

Nope, that just means you put the handle on backwards. smiley_peace

Theo
The essence of loyalty is reciprocity.

FrankLad

Here is a picture of me ripping a 2" bottom rail (for the door) from a timber scrap:



Other ripped boards visible in the background.




FrankLad


Don P

Whoa... awesome  8). Is that a speakeasy door behind the grill?

FrankLad

Thanks, Don P!  That is a speakeasy door behind the grill.  It's just a hole there but I made the little door for it yesterday, and picked up some little hinges for it...along with some small weatherstripping to go on the inside.

As of now, the handles and locks have been installed.  That was a bit intimidating at first, with all those parts and everything having to line up just right.  The installation went very well, though.



Don P

Heres why I was curious, this is my first one of these. The homeowner found this door online. They had some different ideas on sizes wherever it came from. I had to modify the locks some to get them to take the thickness but I like it.

Thank You Sponsors!