I'm looking to start making survey grade stakes 1/2"x2"x4' with the ends cut at an angle. Does anybody know whats the best saw and best way to cut the pointed end on a low cost budget. Something to earn extra cash. Would like a band mill. Any advice would be great.
A long time ago, I worked a mill that pointed grade stakes with a radial arm saw. We didn't do a whole lot of them, and it was just some busy work to have something to do.
You can make a big for a chop saw (miter saw) that's what I did.
You could make a jig for the bandmill to hold gangs of stakes at an angle. Cut, flip, reclamp and cut the other side.
Mount a pipe jig in front of a circlular saw so that you can put the stake into it and rotate it against the blade without going off center. You could just clamp it to the table. Wear gloves and face shield.
When I need survey stakes at work, I take a few hardwood stickers off the pile, and cut a sharp 45 degree point on the end with my miter saw. Seems to go pretty quickly, and they work well.
Quote from: Don P on September 14, 2018, 06:54:37 AM
You could make a jig for the bandmill to hold gangs of stakes at an angle. Cut, flip, reclamp and cut the other side.
This is along the lines of what I saw at a high production stake operation except the jig rotated on the saw frame like a page turning so one cut was made, and then the jig was just flopped over and the second cut was then made.
Check this pointer out. Stake Pointer - Lee Valley Tools (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,180,42288&p=65253)
This one will sharpen as fast as you feed it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/sawmill_building_011.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1323613294)
I make 1"x1"x4' and 6'. I got another one to do 2"x2"x8' tree stakes.
Unless your going into mass production free hand on a table saw will do you fine. Just be sure to wear eye protection as it will sometimes throw chunks. Frank C.
Peter I have seen that one but don't know if it will work on a lath that is 1/2 thick by 2" wide 4' long. That would be nice if you could try one out on yours and let me know. Thanks
The outher pix is an old one, I took one today of my setup.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/SAM_2074.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1537055559)
I think ½x2 will split in half when put in the sharpener and I don't think I could hold it. See the sharpener on the left. I welded some 2"x2" angle iron to it to hold the 2x2 from sping in your hand. The machine came with a clamp to hold the wood in place. But that takes too long. ;D
Ya It would be hard. Maybe have to build a jig to hold the lath tight and close to the cutter. There has to be a lath mill out there but I can't seem to find anything.
This might be a silly question but how do they plan on driving in a 1/2"x2" 4' stake? That would not be an easy task here in the northeast.
A hammer. All the survayers around here that's all they use to stake jobs. All construction trades use these. The stakes that are 2"x2"x3' are used for silt fence on jobs.
Thanks just a different size than I'm used to is all. Seemed like being only 1/2" they'd flex a lot when driving them. I've driven plenty but they are usually somewhere between 1&2" square haven't run into rectangular ones yet I don't get out much either :D
shawn55
Down here in sandy Florida are stakes are 3/4" at a minimum. 1/2" wouldn't work even in our sandy soil
I make 3/4" x 1-1/2" x 18"/24" grade stakes, stack two together and sharpen in the Hudson, little off-center point but no one has complained yet. Silt stakes are 1-1/2" square x 60", also sharpenened in the Hudson.
What about setting up a dual belt sander? lay the lathe flat and slide it into the belts till the desired point is obtained?
Could even just use single belt sander and flip the lath.
That thickness a simple shear may also work.
A 36 grit belt that runs over a big radius idler like a tire would also make a good point former.. Little safer than a table saw.
Dual headed vertical belt sanders facing each other is how rifle barrels get their finish. One stationary and one walks into it on linear ways. Barrel spins in place. I think one sander clockwise and one counter clockwise.
Before I bought a pointer machine I used to cut a point on a chop saw.
Here is a shot of my jig:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5107.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1332864582)
Here is a shot of my jig with a 1x1 stake in it:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5108.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1332864584)
Here is a shot of my jig after the first cut:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5109.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1332864585)
I would then roll the stake over and chop the other side; making what I called a "chisel point".
Some people liked my chisel point stake as a round point stake would/could twist on them when they pounded them in. Chisel point stakes don't twist.
Jim Rogers
Thanks for the pics. What would be the best way to RIP them at the .5"
There has to be something out there safer than a table saw.
Saw some 1/2" lumber on your bandsaw, then rip them to width. Gang rip on the bandsaw even better.
I question the 1/2" dimension though. Most I see are 3/4".
I assisted a good friend in his quest to set up a system for making grade stakes, while making some small profit at it. He had a firm market, with guaranteed quantities, as well as a timely payment record from the buyer. At the bitter end of this quest, we found that at the price offered, there was no way that grade stakes could be produced at a profit, however small. Even with sawn strips obtained as scrap, it would require two people to work full time a zero wages to bring any return on investment. Just what I found after two years of part-time engineering. Regards, Clark
Blades alone on tablesaw make this adventure a true risk. I don't know the price per stake but log —> stake cost seems pretty crazy.
I get upset wasting the first slice per log to make 1" stickers for slabs/lumber. Price it out end-to-end and see if it's worth it.
Some ways I wonder if it be cheaper to go buy some 8' 2x4's put a point on both ends then rip it into strips then cut in half.
Eric, Bargemonkey, has posted about grade stakes quite a bit. I'd look at this threads on the subject as well