Best way to saw 4x4 posts?

[Spyro]

Hello fellow woodworkers :)

Im making a fence with 4x4 posts. Is it possible to saw them using a handsaw with almost or perfect result?

What kind of handsaw do I need?

Yours Sincerely Tom

[Leon]

Almost impossible if you cut the posts at the correct time. Don't cut the posts before putting them in the ground. Cut after you have them set and I would advise cutting with a circle saw.

[SnikkerJensen]

Thank for replying. Im not going to plant the posts in the ground. I have those metalpoles which Im going to fasten the posts in. I got a tip of using my Dewalt 707 and cut half of it and then turn the post and cut the rest. Think Im going to try that.

[rich]

with almost or perfect result?

Tom, It can be done with a hand saw. A crosscut saw, if it's sharp, will work very well. All you need is an accurate square, and something to mark with - pencil, scribe or whatever works.

Start on one face and mark a line at the proper location. Continue the line around all 4 sides. If accurate, the line will meet the first line. Then saw to the line across the top of the board, and down the side facing you. The two lines you can see will keep the saw cutting square. As you get about half way down the side facing you, rotate the post away from you, bringing the third side into view. The existing kerf will keep the far side of the saw alligned as you cut down the third side. Then repeat for the 4th side. If a little care is used, you will get a nice square cut.

And it never hurts to do a practice run on a piece of scrap!

Hope this helps.

Rich.....

[Leon]

If you are going to attach the wood posts to the metal posts you may want to wait to cut until they are exactly where they are going to end up. Then you can use a level line or a measurement up from the ground or bottom rail to determine the final height. Try not to commit yourself to a length until every thing is in place.

With a square mark 3 lines on 3 sides of the post at the desired location. with a circle saw cut through the first line full depth. Use the saw kerf to guide the blade for the cut on the next side. Doing the same on the third side, complete the cut.

[Pounds on Wood]

Keep in mind that you don't want to cut them square, unless you have some kind of cap going on the top ends. Cut them at about a 15 degree angle from all four sides, leaving a pyramid top that will shed water. Makes the concept of a perfect cut a little less important too.

[Swingman]

You guys are making me smile with this modern 'cutting off of fence posts at the right height' methodology.

In the old days I could _precisely_ set the height of a fence post by the surgical application of a post hole digger and one half of a pair of Sears Roebuck brogans.

... dig a little deeper than necessary, then kick in an appropriate amount of dirt.

Saw? ... what saw?

:)

[Leon]

Huh!

[SnikkerJensen]

that. In another group I have been told to use a japanese saw. Think I am going to try with that.

[George]

Use a speed square to fence, tilt the saw base to bevel and cut round and round. If a straight cut, still use the fence. If nothing else, it lets you know where your off hand is.

[Leon]

I used to do this but since the all the of the fences that I build have top rails across the tops of the posts the top must be flat. The problem I had with using a speed square is that I cut full depth and the motor housing hits the square. When cutting with the blade being horizontal, hand location is not a problem, both hands are on the saw.

[Patriarch]

SnikkerJensen wrote in news: [e-mail]:

How many do you have to cut?

Patriarch

[Mike Patterson]

If you want a 6' fencepost, well sure. But if you want say a 4' post, digging 4'+ down to backfill 3 " seems a little...tiring.

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

[Swingman]

Really now? Anyone who needs 4' posts and is too damn stupid to buy 8 footers and cut 'em in half deserves to be tired.

[Puckdropper]

"Swingman" wrote in news:7vCdnTu7hLpjWCPbnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Are you just sitting these things on the ground? You'd need 10' cut in half to give you ANY support from IN the ground.

Puckdropper

[John Grossbohlin]

The old rule of thumb was 1/3 in the ground... for a 6' post use 9', for a

4' post use 6', etc.

Personally, how I approach the installation of posts depends on the conditions. In "soil" I dig a bit deep and throw some crushed stone in the bottom to tweak the height. In "rocky soil" or areas with ledge I dig as deep as I can get and cut the posts to length after installation.

I've spent time recently preparing to install a privacy fence and I fully expect to run into rocks when I dig the post holes. Today I had to move one large rock out of way and bury it--way too big to move any appreciable distance without heavy equipment. My son was "helping" me... at one point I had a pick under an edge of the rock to lift it up as I needed to remove some broken brick debris from underneath it so it would sit low enough. I couldn't do it myself so I asked my son to pull the errant brick out... so he comes over and stands on the rock I'm struggling to hold up while he's pulling the brick out! "Sorry Dad!"

John

[Swingman]

Perhaps he just needed a 3' high fence?