How would you go about cutting a notch in a regular 2x4 stud across the grain, so that the notch is 1.5" into the grain and 3.5" along it? (i.e. to embed one 2x4 crosswise into another).
I guess a jigsaw could be used but it seems that there's got to be a better way. What tool should be used to make this cut?
RPM
This is quite a normal cut with a circular saw or table saw. If the board were quite long, I would use a circular saw, set the depth for 1 1/2", cross cut to your hearts content, be extra careful at each end to control the width of the notch.
Shorter board, same game with table saw using a miter gauge.
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TS dado blade.
My weapon of choice would be a router.
Standard practice on a construction site is to make multiple cuts to depth with a cicular saw and clear the waste with a chisel or hatchet, depending on the desired appearance.
If it's already installed, a chisel/
If it's not installed, a table saw or circular saw with multiple cuts.
MIke.
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Take a circular saw and make a cut at the outside margins of the required notch, then smack the center material between the two cuts with a hammer. The chunk will break of pretty cleanly but you can dress it up a little more if you need to with a chisel.
Depends... Is the stud current part of a wall? If so, probably a circular saw & chisel.
If not, and I had access to a radial arm saw, that would be the ticket.
If there were a LOT of them to do, and lacking a radial arm, probably a jig and router.
If just one or a few, certainly a circular saw and a chisel.
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com said the following on 2/27/2005 4:44 PM:
What about a hand saw? :)
A couple of cuts at each end and one or two at most in the middle and you can knocke the chunks out...clean up a little w/ a chisel and you're down by the time you can get the circular saw out and the depth set...
Jigsaw with aggressive blade. Mark the piece to be removed; first cut is continuous from entry-to-exit with turns at the corners. Clean up the corners after the bulk of the removal is complete. If it does not have to look nice, make the corner turns wider such that everything goes on the first cut and the bottom of the cut is wider than it needs to be. If it needs to be "better" than a jigsaw, how does it need to be "better" (other than not requiring a jigsaw purchase)?
Best answer yet, as long as the hand saw is sharp.
Use a hammer with a ripping claw, and if a fine fit is not needed, you don't need the chisel.
my question would have to be how many notches and are they in the same place on several 2x's..
If it just 1 or 2 to cut, mark them and use circular saw, recip saw, jig saw, etc..
If you're doing a LOT of them, then it would be worth setting up some type of jig and using a TS, RAS or BS..
mac
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Thanks all for the great responses. That will help me out greatly.
Hold the 2x4 up, mark. cut the end cuts and then plunge cut the back if you don't want to hammer on it.
Only if you want a good fit, fast, and with minimal effort.
set...
Yes.
We built our own house last year and had to inset a lot of diagonal braces in the walls. So I notched a LOT of studs like I described above.
Depending on your intended function, you might just install blocking "Between" the studs. I had to install a lot of blocking in our master bedroom to nail up T&G pine boards vertically. In that situation it was easier to put the blocking in and attach it with screws, especially since the insulation and wiring was already in place.
Anthony
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