Crosscut Saws

[fredfighter]

What you have in mind is called bucking. THe Garret Wade saw looks more like it is for crosscutting dimensional lumber, not thick logs regardless of what th etext says.

I bought a 4' replacement bow saw blade from a home center and made my own bucking (bow) saw out of wood. THe problem I have always had with the steel bow saws is that the frame isn't springy enough to keep the blade taught.

I'd suggest the crossctu saw from the crosscut saw company. I have had no experience iwth them, but they at least LOOk like the right kind of saw. I know a few people who hav ebought Garret Wade saws and they were not favorably impressed.

Best bet would be to buy an antique and tune it up.

Let us know what you choose and how it works.

[AAvK]

Matt, take a look at this sellers listings on eBay. I think he has good prices considering the used prices at "The Crosscut Saw Co."

seem to be experienced, I am not. But, he is always re-listing his saws. You would want to email him and ask further details, he doesn't say much but I think those prices are worth serious consideration.

[AAvK]

Matt, just ignore replies you consider to be rediculous. Never "let them have it" and argue back. Otherwise, you burn your bridges, as I have learned by my own social mistakes in this NG. You don't have to kiss ass either. And I know I wasn't asked, you were told anyway.

[Prometheus]

I've just gotta ask... how is "get a chainsaw", with no attendant advice on safety, usage or even brand recommendations, somehow "safer" than giving advice about the quality of a hand saw. Lots of accidents with chain saws, far fewer that I've heard of with a handsaw- and what accidents there are are likely less deadly.

That's rediculous. It's like saying that a guy who wants advice on good hand planes should go piss up a rope because he didn't care to hear jointer reviews in response.

To the OP, I know what you're getting at, and I'd like to help, but I just use a cheap bow saw. Does the trick 99% of the time, though it may not be as classy.

[Prometheus]

FWIW, I like the axe better for crosscutting as long as I've got a keen edge on it. The bowsaw is just for getting a relatively flat surface to drive a spur center into. Problem I seem to run into is that the blade binds in the kerf when the log starts to collapse- and the axe doesn't do this, of course. If you do happen to run across a good saw that you'd recommend, though, I'd be interested in knowing what you found!

[Upscale]

I was responding directly to his request for answers to his questions without having to explain why he wanted to know. *Anything* can be in particular context with something else and safety is always a concern. If you don't see that, then there's nothing I can say that will convince you otherwise.

[Conan The Librarian]

FWIW, the usage of SWMBO on this newsgroup does not pertain to an overbearing and shrewish woman. See the following message for more info:

I refer to my wife as SWMBO, and she knows about it and gets a laugh out of it. You see, we are comfortable enough in our relationship that she doesn't take offense at an obviously ironic/humorous term.

As to your original question -- I've not tried the saws in question, but do have some experience cutting mesquite from the log. I've used both a homemade bowsaw and a cheapo Stanley "sharksaw", and the best advice I can give you is whatever you choose, you want the saw to be as long as possible (within reason). You want to be able to establish a rhythm of *long* strokes where you are using your whole body behind the stroke.

As for the saw binding near the end of the cut -- I just roll the log over and finish the cut from the opposite side once I get close.

Chuck Vance

[fredfighter]

If the log is up off the ground I _start_ the cut on the underside and after cutting up a fair bit switch to cutting down to finish it. Sometimes.

[fredfighter]

The Original SWMBO, Ayesha, was beautiful and powerful, perhaps overbearing, but in a majestic sort of way.

[Joe Gorman]

:-)

[Joe Gorman]

And if you feel the urge to turn any of this into lumber the old fashioned way they may still have a few of their pitsaw blades, no handles. They must be prepaid mail order. item description: 'PIT SAW BLADE, UNSHARPENED BLADE ONLY' They had at least one 0n 7 March of this year. Joe PS be careful if you decide to make the nitroglycerin;-)

[bf]

I agree wholeheartedly. Somehow a lot of guys got convinced that they are children and need to ask their wife permission for everything or they will "get in trouble".

I don't do that, and I don't expect my wife to ask me permission for everything either. But we are both mature adults and spend responsiblily. It's pretty sad if a man is so irresponsible, that a wife needs to "police" his spending habits.

[Matt Parker]

Nah, I'm not sure I can convince my BIL to stand in the pit.

Most of these blowdowns are elm. Not just any elm, but really nasty, trashy elm. I probably won't even try to burn them for heat.

Actually, I already knew how to make nitroglcerin but have never felt the need. ANFO is better for tree stumps, or was before the OKC mess.

Matt

[Australopithecus scobis]

Depends on your household income and paycheck cycle. Makes sense to make sure you both don't spend that hundred bucks at the same time. Unless both previous posters are just "keep 'em barefoot and pregnant" Taliban wannabes, in which case, never mind.

[Prometheus]

What's with the odd snippage?

[Upscale]

Didn't seem odd to me. Maybe the problem is that I jumped into the thread part way and missed some of the context at the beginning. That might explain why it seems out of place. Don't worry about it. If it's any consolation, I'm finished anyway.

[Norman D. Crow]

Tree-jacking? Stealing wood? That seems to explain that you want the hand crosscut saw for "stealth". If it's "trash" wood, unfit for burning, then why are you even bothering? If you're doing it to clear a hiking or snowmobile trail, then the forestry service shouldn't object, and there would be no need for silence.

FWIW, you said what you wanted to do and asked about crosscut saws. Could have saved a LOT of the angst in this thread if you had (1) Didn't say why, just asked about the saws, or (2) Explained that you had a chainsaw, but there were noise restrictions.

You started with "too much" or "not enough" information in the OP, and got answers that I would have given myself. Considering what you started with, I would have said "get a chainsaw".

My miss-spent youth included learning how to pull a 2 man crosscut saw, cutting logs to ~8' length, splitting w/wedges & sledge-hammer, then hauling to the house & making stove length with a buzz rig. Definitely a lot more work than chain-sawing to stove length, splitting with an ax and hauling to the woodshed.

[Matt Parker]

I think it is a deeper problem then that. My gut feeling is that we have had a generation of guys who were lousy dads. That, coupled with the high divorce rate, has created yet another generation of men who's primary role model and symbol of strength in the household was their mother.

If anybody reading this was in this situation, please don't think I'm beating on you. I was lucky - I was in my late teens before my parents divorced.

Nah, my wife valedictiorian of your high class, worked as a college financial aid office for years, etc. She just realize that she would rather be a wife and mom instead of an executive.

Matt

[Joe Gorman]

I used the teenagers who were out of school but doing nothing else useful. Might have even been quieter. Joe

[Matt Parker]

Jiminy Crickets! That will teach me to proofread my posts.

That paragraph was supposed to read:

My wife was the valedictiorian of her highschool class, worked as a college financial aid officer for years, etc. She just realize that she would rather be a wife and mom instead of an executive.

Matt