Cutting a 4x4

Look for a tool rental type place in your area...

RENT a larger circular saw...

~~ Evan

How many 4x4's do you have? Can you transport them to a lumber yard and pay them to make the cuts? Wouldn't be much $$.

HB

If its just a couple of pieces I will grab my bow saw. Its cheap if you dont have one , quick as hand tools go and good exercise. Also as another poster said take it to where you bought it and get it cut, local mom and po place will do it for free but I wouldnt count of finding that. Usually not too expensive though. I have a radial arm saw that would make easy work of a project like yours but still often get it cut in the store especially if I can get it done for free.

Jimmie

Jimmie

turn the stud over and make a second cut?

Friends, neighbors, co-workers have a 12" miter saw you can borrow or have them make the cuts? If so, cut to rough length and mark the cuts ahead of time.

Or I'd find plans for a bench with smaller legs. Mine uses 2 x 2 and no miters.

A pre-1950 or so carpenter would call you a wimp. For a one-time project, build some simple jigs out of scrap, and use a sharp handsaw. They must still sell them somewhere. I remember as a kid seeing one of my old man's crews frame a house all the way to getting the roof deck under tar paper, before the electric service finally showed up. (This was kinda out in the boonies, and only rich people had generators back then.) They barely whined about it, and acted like it was no big deal. They did seem to take more time planning their cuts, though.

A good hand saw that is properly sharpened and has the tooth pitch set right will go through a 4x4 in about 10 seconds. It has been so long since anyone actually "saw" one that they forget. I am old enough to remember when they didn't use skil saws. BTW there are cross cut saws and rip saws. If you are having trouble, you may be using the wrong saw. (the tooth pitch is different) That rusty old relic you bought in a garage sale or found in the back of the garage will take forever to cut anything and finding a guy who can sharpen it may be impossible.

There must be a bazillion outdoor bench plans on the net that don't use

IMO, the bench design at

The cheapest solution is a longer blade for your Skillsaw.

too many, but then again if you did turn it over and cut it again, using a handsaw would be a lot easier

when working with 4x4's and larger, a small chainsaw with a nice sharp chain can work wonders.

Made me look...

I agree. The 4x4s are oversize and all those bolts sticking out are ugly. At least recess them.

Seems to me, one of the best things about doing things yourself is using the money saved to buy new tools. It's a feed back loop, new tools, better results, then more projects.

A standard 7 1/4" circular saw will cut considerably deeper than 1.5" That said, a good or even a cheap handsaw is very useful. There are some reasonably priced saws at any home center or hardware store. If you can find a sharpener, yardsales and flea markets are good for picking up an old Disston or similar quality saw. Another option would be a recipricating saw, also a very versatile tool for any DIY minded homeowner.

I built the Tudor bench shown here

Excellent job Ed!

Thanks. I build one for myself first. The next year I build another for a friend. Both are from cypress. Not only does it look good, it is comfortable to sit on. The arm rests are wide enough to hold a drink or a dish to eat if you are having a cookout.

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0(H L Mencken)

You are assuming that the OP does in fact have a standard circular saw and not one of the smaller battery operated toy saws that came bundled with a cordless drill...

~~ Evan

Not to change the subject, but your comment about a reciprocating saw being versatile was made even truer recently when I discovered a SCRAPER blade for my saw!

It was just the thing for removing stick-on tile and I can imagine several additional uses for such a blade, such as removing flaking paint, concrete spills on the driveway, and (with suitable sharpening) sheep shearing.

Hi Dick,

If you can afford it, and think you will use it in the future, a 12" power miter saw would be the best way to tackle these cuts. No need to get a slider type saw. However, a miter saw won't be able to handle notches. For that you would need to use the circ saw or handsaw then clean it up with a chisel.

The second option is to get a better circular saw that can cut deeper. Most circ saws can cut through a 4x4 in two passes.

Otherwise, for a few cuts like this, a decent handsaw is often faster than the time it takes to hook up an extension cord so you can use the power saw. I have a Stanley "Shark Tooth" saw I picked up at the home center for around $20 or so a few years ago. It's not as sharp as it used to be, but I can still cut through a 2x4 in 5 seconds or less. A 4x4 would be no problem. Just mark your cut on the lumber, then cut carefully with the handsaw. I have a shop full of power tools, and still turn to my handsaw for many quick cuts. It's portable, variable speed, cordless, inexpensive, and takes very little storage space. :)

Anthony