How do I cut a 4x4 post?

[Locutus]

Are you Tony Blair???

[Phisherman]

Build a "U" jig and use the circular saw.

[Lowell Holmes]

snip

I'm sure you've had every suggestion under the sun by now, but the way I do it is make one pass with circular saw guided by a speed square and finish the cut with a handsaw. Also, I might very well do it with a 10 tpi Disston crosscut handsaw. I put the post on a bench that is about 14" high. I stand over the post and let natural body mechanics guide the saw. My saw has good balanced set in the teeth and will stay in it's kerf if allowed to.

[John Grossbohlin]

...putting the focus back on the 4X4 issue... You can probably do this on the miter saw by making a cut and then rotate the 4X4, line the blade up in the kerf from the first cut and make a second cut.

John

[Markem]

Generally I use a speed square as a guide for the circular saw, I will mark the cut on all 4 sides. If it is installed in the ground and you want to level cut a guide you can clamp to the post instead of the speed square. Let the saw do the work feed it gently into the cut. A good hand saw could finish the cut, it will never be perfect though covering the top of the post though hides a lot of sins. If you bury the cut in the ground a treating the cut with preservative is probably best practice. I also do not set posts in concrete but rather in stone packed around it, if it was a hinge side of a gate then I might set it in concrete.

Better?

Mark

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Yes I can very easily cut a 4x4. It's getting it square I'm having a problem with. Did you not read the original post? The miter saw isn't big enough. And though not posted the sawzall's blade will flex resulting in an uneven cut, possibley I'm trying to cut too fast. And the bandsaw I hadn't tried yet. But given that your assumptions weren't correct, I'd have to say that it is you that is GWB.

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It's for a bed post, sorry if I led anyone astray. Although I'm learning a lot about other techniques even if not for my application.

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And a couple more facts for the lurkers and trolls. It isn't like I've sat in my garage and tried this a couple hundred times and am still not getting it. I've done it once or twice and have had HD do it ever since, I was simply wondering if there was a technique for it. Given the amount of replies and different techniques this topic has spurred I would hardly deem it as trite and effortless.

[J. Clarke]

If you've got a work support or helper to hold up the other end, the band saw would be the easy way to do it.

Or get yourself a Japanese ryoba saw (that's ryob_a_ with an "a", a kind of hand saw, not the electric power tool maker that puts an "i" on the end) for about 40 bucks and with a little practice you'll be amazed at how fast and how accurately you're going through them. I wish I'd discovered Japanese saws 40 years ago.

[HerHusband]

What size miter saw do you have? My low end Delta 10" will easily cut through a 4x4.

In any case, I'll second what another poster mentioned. Cut as far as you can with the miter saw, then flip it over, line it up, and complete the cut. I've used that approach to cut through 4x6's, 2x12's, and other larger boards.

Worst case, use a square to draw a line all the way around the post. Then use a fine tooth hand saw to cut through. If you take your time and keep the saw aligned with the line, you should end up with a nice square cut. Afterall, they cut big timbers like that for generations before power tools were invented.

I would think that would depend on the length of the 4x4 and how much you need to cut off the end. A long post would probably be hard to guide through the saw without angling it one way or the other.

Anthony

[Mike Marlow]

What I do - and I've cut untold amounts of 4x4 lumber this way - I simply mark all the way around the 4x4 and then cut as deep as the circular saw will cut, across one face. I line my blade up with the cut line rather than relying on the guide on the shoe. I flip it over and repeat the process. There is no reason you can't end up with a very well matched cut this way. I agree with you that the sawzall is not the best tool for this type of thing. The only thing you have to be careful of with this technique is to take your time and cut along the line - don't let the saw wander. It's really a whole bunch easier than you're making it.

[John Grossbohlin]

Is it a 7 1/4" or 8" blade rather than a 10-12"? If so, would putting an auxiliary fence on the saw--to effectively move the fence out further on the table-- help?

To change the topic a bit... Are these 4X4s going to be used for posts outside for a fence of some sort? If so, I'd be inclined to cut them off at an angle that directs water away from the fence, or rails, or whatever is being attached to them. Doing so would probably complicate your cutting problem a bit but it's worth consideration.

John

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John,

I'll have to double check, but I think the reason not being able to do it on the miter saw(this is from memory as the miter saw is at my father's) is that the 4x4 comes in contact with the blade before it even gets all the way back, ie there isn't enough room to slide the

4x4 under the blade. It's a smallish miter saw. But I'll double check.

I have 4 of these to do and I have to lop off 1 foot on each. So I'll have plenty of options to experiment.

[Markem]

A good hand saw would be my choice then. With having to cut off a foot from each one experimenting and practicing cutting off a few inches till I had my technique down.

Mark (sixoneeight) = 618

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snip

John,

Hmm, moving it out away from the fence is a thought. I'll give that option a try as well.

From one of my other posts: these are for a bed frame not outdoor posts.

[fredfighter]

Handsaw, chainsaw, or a Prazi-beam cutter attachment for a circular saw. Or you can use the method one of my neighbors uses--find a neighbor to do it for you.

If you chose a handsaw try to find an antique Disston crosscut saw with maybe 8 points and sharpen it yourself. Joint it first and set it after if it needs it, often they do not. Most off-the shelf handsaws are not really sharp, set too coarse, and with teeth that are two fine. A 4 point ripsaw will crosscut quickly too, but leave a rougher kerf.

[CW]

You could also design and build a 16" radial arm saw. Maybe a guillotine with a 50 pound blade and a hundred foot drop. How about a large lathe, steady rest and a part off tool? There is all kinds of ways to overcomplicate this if you think about it long enough.

[fredfighter]

It is hard to get simpler than a handsaw.

[J. Clarke]

Using a sharp handsaw isn't "overcomplicating"--it used to be that sharpening one's saw was just part of daily life--my father sharpened his saws regularly and he wasn't even a carpenter by trade, he was a sailor. The trouble is that modern Western-pattern saws are either very expensive or not very good and finding an old Disston in decent shape may be difficult. A 40 buck ryoba with a throw-away blade works remarkably well and is readily accessible.

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That would be awesome. Though it would probably shatter my post not cut it. :(

Ok, don't want to knock anyone for any more suggestions, but I think I got enough to try we can let the thread die now :)