Timber yard with no saw?

[R D S]

Bought some 4x3 today, asked the timber guy to cut it and apparently they've got rid of the saw,

"You are welcome to cut it yourself", he said and lent me a handsaw and a tape measure!

Is that OK? Normal?

[Richard]

It would be abnormal if he gave you a hammer and tape measure.

[Tricky Dicky]

Unusual for a timber yard not to have a saw, but I can understand why. If most of their customers are tradesmen then likely they will simply load whatever lengths are available on their truck or van and do any cutting to length themselves on site. DIYers are the more likely to want lengths cutting to fit either inside or on a roof rack of a smaller vehicle.

There is a cost implication in offering a cutting service not just the purchase of the saw but training up operatives and insuring them too. So depending on the type of customer you mainly deal with or want to deal with may well make a small timber yard question the value of providing a cutting service.

Richard

[David]

A decade or so back TP in the Newbury area stopped offering a cutting service because of the costs involved, including training and associated H&S stuff.

A shame, because they were really helpful and would cut you unusual widths and even profile timber for you.

Cheers

Dave R

[Muddymike]

My local timber yard did the same. Once upon a time they had a full sawmill on-site, then just a cutting service for sheets or stock lengths, then just a hand saw you could borrow to make your own cuts. Now nothing as the saw kept getting stolen!

Mike

[John Rumm]

I suppose from the yards PoV, its a cost eliminated, a safety risk reduced etc. As to how "normal" - hard to say.

I quite often take my 18V circular saw with me on trips to get timber though!

[R D S]

I'll be doing the same next time.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

Health and safety I imagine. They probably had a spate of people sawing their fingers off on the table saw. Brian

[Jethro_uk]

Well it totally removes the chances of a customer returning claiming the merchant "cut it wrong" - which given the standard of metrological literacy amongst the public probably happens an awful lot.

[Geo]

Not normal - Wickes would not lend me a saw - had to buy one...

[tabbypurr]

Buy one & Wickes won't let you use it indoors. How being outdoors changes the situation legally I'm not clear.

NT