Odd, J Clark actually catching the point. Got to say though, I have a modern Stanley handsaw and can do pretty good work with it. For cutting the 4x4 though, it wouldn't be my first choice. Circular saw and speed square would be it.
Screw you very much.
Just to reiterate because of a safety issue ... be sure to use, as John suggested, an auxiliary fence if you do. The piece being cut needs to be against a "fence" during the cut, even it is just a board between the saw fence and the workpiece.
I'd use a 'camp' saw (small bow saw). Th blade is long enough (and straight) to get a good line up on the cutting line.
The OP could take some off each end and use the best end up.
Bill (who has other ways to cut a 4by that apparently the OP does not.)
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And this is why Stanley, and others, used to make hand saw miter boxes with backsaws that had blades 30" long x 6" deep. Not many still around, and a decade or so ago when they could still be found, they were commanding very high prices...I seem to recall seeing one at around $350.
To get the same capacity, you need to go to a sliding compound miter saw with a 12" blade, if you insist on power. If you're used to using a handsaw, it's fairly easy to do freehand if you mark carefully and follow the marks. With the big Stanley, it's as easy as it gets. With an SCMS it is even easier, but you're looking at about $600 for the saw, and the blade that comes with it has a 50-50 chance of being aimed at the construction market, so you can earmark anywhere from $90 to $150 for a new blade. In truth, I think I'd pop for a decent handsaw at maybe $45.
To get the same capacity, you need to go to a sliding compound miter saw with a 12" blade, if you insist on power. If you're used to using a handsaw, it's fairly easy to do freehand if you mark carefully and follow the marks. With the big Stanley, it's as easy as it gets.
No operation with a hand saw is easy on pressure-treated lumber.
follow the marks. With the big Stanley, it's as easy as it gets. With an SCMS it is even easier, but you're looking at about $600 for the saw, and the blade that comes with it has a 50-50 chance of being aimed at the construction market, so you can earmark anywhere from $90 to $150 for a new blade. In truth, I think I'd pop for a decent handsaw at maybe $45.
Or a $14 Disston handsaw from Ebay, sharpened by Circle Saw (less than $10, I think $4), and then stone the side of the teeth to even the set, and you'll have a saw that is sharp and will stay in it's kerf. Sometimes a commercial sharpening will leave filings on the edges that need to be stoned off. It takes 2 or 3 minutes to do that. I have a 1950's Craftsman saw, 10 tpi, that is sharpened as a rip saw, that cuts cross cut or rip, just like Tage Frid said to do. It's the saw I pick up more than others.
Or buy a Festool Jig Saw. Great capacity and a very square cut.
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