cordless circular saws

[bigmish]

I'm going to be cutting all of my timbers on site and would prefer to forgo purchasing and using an electrical generator. As such I'll be using all cordless power tools.

I'm sure I'll be asking for recommendations for various power tools given these parameters later but right now I'm looking at circular saws: the largest cutting depth I've been able to find is 2-5/8 (http://www.toolbarn.com/product/makita/BSS730SHEK/). Can anyone tell me any cordless saws with a greater depth (I'd have to finish cross cuts by hand on my 8' timbers with this saw – not the end of the world but I'd rather avoid) or any comparable saws that are better or cheaper with this depth?

Thanks, Mischa

[treeboy]

Hi Mischa, I have a brand new 18volt cordless ryobi. The most work I can get out of a fresh battery is about 20 minutes on the saw (cutting 3/4 ply and other lumber). Those cordless saws just suck the batteries dry. Maybe look at battery life also. The drill will last 3 - 4 hours with a fresh battery.

Good luck
Spencer

[sprucebunny]

Someone makes a cut-off guide for chain saws. Would that work ???

[srjones]

A few thoughts 

14.4  and 18 volt cordless tools are what the pro's around here use, BUT...if you go with 12 volt, there's always the option of hooking directly to a car battery...then again, I suppose if you go with 3 rechargable 6 volt batteries in series, that would get you to 18volts, right?  (my electrical knowledge is suspect at best, so check me on this...I could be completly off base)

I know you stated from the outset that you don't want to buy a generator, but if it's a cost decision, consider this:  If you add up the extra cost of all the cordless tools you'll need to by, you could probably get a good generator.  You'll be happier with the performance of the tools also.

Finally, there's the ultimate cordless tools that run on 2 stroke internal combustion engines--chainsaws and augers/drills.

[solodan]

Use a chainsaw

[Corley5]

Cordless tools are great and their technology has come a long way but for what you are planning a generator would probably be best.  You'd need a bunch of batteries to get through a day and a bunch of chargers to get everything charged back up for the next day.

[ScottAR]

I agree completely Corley...  My Dewalt 24volt is a little better than the 18volts but it eats batteries like mad...    Bare minimum next time is Milwaukee V28 or possibly 36volt Dewalt. 

Pine goes ok,  old hardwood doors will choke it down after a couple cuts. 

Handy for under houses or scrambling around on a roof deck.  Not a production machine by any means.  More than half a dozen cuts or so and I get out the worm drive. 

[Jim_Rogers]

A good sharp hand saw and a good eye can cut a beam very quickly.

Jim Rogers

[JoeyLowe]

Ditto what Jim said.  Invest in a good sharp handsaw, a solid true square, and a sharp chisel.  Keep them that way and then you don't have to worry about electricity.  And, with a little practise, you can get accurate quick cuts!   ;D

[Raphael]

  I used my 18v Ridgid to kerf housings but beyond that it didn't really see use as a timberframing tool.  It's limit is around 2-1/8" and the battery goes pretty fast working full depth.
  It did work out very well for my rough sawn 4/4 attic flooring as one battery usually made it past lunch and all the flooring could be cut in place without running the generation and 100' of extension cord.

All my critical shoulder cuts were made with handsaws either a backsaw or a Japanese saw.

[Kelvin]

We did the majority of all our timberframe with light weight arborist type chainsaws.  Can't be beat for mortises.  Just rough 'em out, and finish them up with a chisel.  Ever seen chainsaw carvings?  Anyone who thinks chainsaws can't be accruate should watch that!.  Of course when you get down to something really detailed, hand tools are best to finish up with.
For rechargeables fine homebuilding has an article about the new lith-ion batteries that last up to 3x's what ni cads do.  I'd be sure and get Lith-ion, at least 24v for circular saws.  i've heard they compare with corded tools for performance.
My rigid comes with a quick charger that charges 2 batteries in 30 mins.  I also bought some other ridid 18v tools on ebay, so i have 5 batteries and 3 chargers.  Never out of a fresh battery that way. 
You can stop an 18v circular saw dead in its tracks, even if its freshly charged by pushing not too hard into hardwood.
KP

[Raphael]

We did the majority of all our timberframe with light weight arborist type chainsaws.  Can't be beat for mortises.  Just rough 'em out, and finish them up with a chisel.  Ever seen chainsaw carvings?  Anyone who thinks chainsaws can't be accruate should watch that!. 

  I good light chainsaw is a wonderful thing, I love watching the carver who comes our town's fall festival.

  Before I knew anything about Post and Beam, much less Timber Frame construction I was handed the task of building a 60' long 10' wide arbor from fully round cedar.  I came up with a simple lap and lag design (no uplift or rafter thrust to worry about).
  Using my lil' Montgomery Wards branded Remington  I  eyeball scribed curved shoulders on the plates that fit quite snugly to the post tops.

  My only small saw at the moment is an 026 'pro' with oiling issues (it will put more oil on the ground or timber than the chain), so I didn't even think to use it.  I'm pretty crazy, but not macho enough to plunge cut a mortice with my 066 ;)

Besides; I'll take this sort of precision any day:



This hole was bored 1/2 way with the Millers Falls then met from the opposite side.

[solodan]

I actually keep my echo 346 set up with a carving bar and a micro chisel chain. I use this for alot of tasks. I plunge cut mortises, trim some timbers, cut my saddle notches, just about any rough cutting task. 8)