Crosscut Saws

[Matt Parker]

I have asked this question in a couple of other newsgroups, but instead of getting an useful answer, I have mostly got "buy a chainsaw".

We recently had storm bring down some trees and I will be cleaning them up soon. I am looking for a good crosscut saw to use for the task. Biggest diameter log is about 10". I see that Garrett Wade has a

28" saw that looke pretty good, but doesn't have a normal logging tooth (IE tuttle):

Crosscut Saw Company has several to choose from but I don't know anything about their quality - do they sell good stuff?

However, they mostly seem too large - I'm not felling, just cutting up to stove length:

finally, Lehmans has a few, can't tell anything about their quality:

?iProductID=26Are there any sources I'm overlooking?

I'm leaning toward the one from Garrett Wade, but the tooth style worries me.

Or maybe the German made saw from Lehmans.

Thoughts?

Matt

[Wood Butcher]

A chainsaw would be my 1st choice for that job. However, if you're a glutton for punishment and want to do it manually a bowsaw will do fine.

need to spend $$$ on a saw for cutting up firewood.

Now you're trying to justify with SWMBO the purchase of one of the saws you identified .... that's a different story.

Art

[David Merrill]

If you must use a handsaw, go to a hardware store, Sears or Walmart and buy a bow saw for about $10. For your purpose, it's far superior to the saws you are considering; disposable blade (no sharpening); much less sweat equity invested in cutting up the tree because of thin kerf blades used on bow saws.

the rectangular rather than the triangular frame type. Enjoy the exercise :-)

That said: "buy a chainsaw" if you have more than one tree to cut up. If your trees are within, say, 100 feet of an electric outlet, an electric chainsaw should suffice and is much less hassle for a novice user than a gas saw (but still needs periodic sharpening

buy a sharpening file; don't let the blade touch rocks or the ground). Obviously you would also need a

100 ft power cord of adequate wire gage. HF has cheap electric chain saws as does Walmart, Sears, etc. safer than even an electric chain saw in the hands of the inexperienced is a reciprocating saw. HF has a really cheap one that might last for a few trees. Then buy from Lowes or Home Depot (for almost what you paid for the saw) the longest brand name pruning blade they stock for reciprocating saws. (HF Chinese blades REALLY suck in my experience.) Merrill

[Matt Parker]

After some of the chainsaws I have used over the years, a good handsaw isn't what I would call punishment.

If I wanted a bowsaw, I would make one. I am looking for a high quality hand saw that can be resharpened.

Was is with guys nowadays that have to run every purchase over $100 past their wives? I can understand talking it over before buying a car or something of that nature, but somehow I think we have raised a generation of men that don't know how to be leaders of their households.

Matt

[Matt Parker]

For pete's sake, I'm not looking for a piece of Chinese made disposable crap.

How is that superior?

Have you used a good quality, sharp, Tuttle tooth saw?

Electric chainsaws are generally crap.

And, I was using gas chainsaws a quarter century ago.

I have a Milwaukee sawz-all for rough carpentry, but it would be a sorry choice for cutting up logs. The vibration alone would make your hands miserable before you cut through one log.

Very true. Cheap - not economical.

Matt

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Because it is a good idea for your use. An electric one will probably do.

the 10" of the wood, and it is about right.

[else24]

It's been a few decades since I used one of those things, but I can remember enough to say this: You want one that'll let you do the longest stroke your arms can handle. Three feet probably isn't too long. If you've got long arms,

3.5 shouldn't be too bad. Long slower strokes are better than fast short ones. You get a better rhythm. Doesn't matter how thick the log is, longer strokes work better.

You don't want the garrettwade. It's a combination tooth, and they admit that they sacrificed some performance to make it a dry/green cutter. Probably not much, but after a few cuts you'll notice. I'd go with either the crosscut or Lehmans.

One of your posts makes me think you can sharpen a saw or you know someone who can. Lehmans says right up front the saw needs to be sharpened when you get it and I'd bet the crosscut saw would too. Oh, and when I used one of those it was the one with the extra handle like the crosscut, and I used it. It helped. It still dang near killed me, though. Of course, unlike me, you'll be able to stop anytime you want and take a break. :-)

Have fun! After a few weeks with those things, I can look at 'em with nostalgia but I'm never gonna pick one up to cut wood with it again.

[Matt Parker]

What is it that causes the average usenet poster to assume that they know more about your situation than you do?

It is akin to asking for pointers on where to find a good Italian resturant and being told that what you really want is a McDonalds.

I like a good chainsaw when I need one. However, in all three posts I have made, I have never asked "should I get a chainsaw or a handsaw" - I have only asked where to find a good handsaw.

I don't mean to sound overly critical - it is just that this world is full of people that love to tell you what you should do rather than just answer a simple question.

I must be getting old.

Matt

[Matt Parker]

That was what worried me.

Thank you, yours is the first well-reasoned response I have received.

Matt

[tom_murphy]

Oh, you mean people like the guy (you) who earlier in this thread told everyone how to be a leader in their household? Or is unsolicited advice acceptable when you are delivering it?

That may be true, but I doubt it's an explanation for your reactions and behavior. I suspect you were confrontational and obnoxious even when you were young.

[Dave Hinz]

Probably a poorly-worded question. If your question indicates zero knowledge or research present, then that will be assumed.

There are technical groups, though, full of people asking 'How do I do (really stupid thing that nobody in their right mind would do)'. Finding out what the question behind the question is, so the _real_ answer can be given, is valuable.

"I think I see what you're getting at, but the way you're trying to do it is the hard way to do it" is a valid response, in some situations.

[Matt Parker]

No offense intended. I simply took you to task for this statement:

I find it frustrating that someone would start giving me advice on what I need without knowing the situation.

I'm sorry you feel that way, mister. I believe I have presented a valid point and that kind of reply won't cut it in a debate.

Matt

[Matt Parker]

Show me where I offered advice on it. I made the observation that the nation is full of such but at no time did I accuse him of suffering from it.

BTW, my wife cringes at the term SWMBO. To her, it describes an over-bearing and shrewish woman. I love and honor my wife, thus I don't call her that.

No, but whenever I have asked a question, I have usually wanted that question answered and not have to spend 15 minutes explaining why I want to know.

It seems like it was easier to get a straight answer 20 years ago.

Matt

[Upscale]

There's a half million questions that if not answered correctly will kill you or maim you for life, especially with woodworking. That means that it's

*imperative* that someone knows the origin and details surrounding your question before answering it for you.

Anything less would be irresponsible of the person giving you advice. If you don't understand that, then you shouldn't bother with this newsgroup and you shouldn't be doing any woodworking.

[Matt Parker]

Yup, handsaws are well known for their maiming for life capability. Sorry, but it wasn't like I asked how to make nitroglycerin.

Alrighty, thank you one and all for helping prevent me from cutting off a limb (human) with a handsaw.

Of course, no one *asked* me if I had taken any safety training on using chainsaws...

Matt

[Wood Butcher]

All the responses I've read so far have been right on target with your stated situation: "just cutting up to stove length".

NONE of the responses told you what you should do. I told you what I'd do and what would also work, as did others. To this you took offense. The one poster who did tell you "what you don't want" got a "first well-reasoned response" comment from you.

Maybe. And maybe you're just cranky. Either way you are certainly unreasonable and have earned the flak you are getting.

Art

[tom_murphy]

Okay, maybe the word "advice" was a bit of a stretch, but your comment was pretty convicting and appeared to be directed toward him.

May I suggest that it might have been more productive if you had simply restated and clarifed your question and left out the complaints about the responses that obviously frustrated you?

'Nuff said. I'll get off my soapbox. I sincerely hope that you found some helpful information.

Tom

[Matt Parker]

I apologize for that then, because it was no way meant to be directed right at him. I meant it as a comment on this era in general.

I get sick of constantly reading posts on usenet saying "I'm going to do this if my wife will let me" or "I would buy one of these if I could just get it past SWMBO".

I tell my wife what I'm spending money on, but I don't ask her permission and she doesn't try to veto it. If there is something she wants, I say "ok, let's see how we can make it happen".

The thought came to me that I should have posted that I was tree-jacking on national forest land and thus a chainsaw was out of the question because of the noise level. :)

See? I even put a smiley on it...

Bits and pieces. I think I'm going to get a Gransfors Bruk cruiser size axe to limb these blowdowns. I was trying to avoid a bow saw, but I have some red oak and BLO laying around, so I guess I could knock one out.

Matt

[John Grossbohlin]

the past 35 years or so I've cut down and up many a tree with a similar bow saw. I bought it at a the Boy Scout shop for about $4 and still use it... It's probably had a half dozen replacement blades on it over the years. The last major job was cutting up a sizeable multi trunk locust tree that the remains of a hurricane took down. Needless to saw, the blade needed replacing after that... ;-)

John

[lgb]

OK, my response is to find an old Disston or Atkins at a used tool dealer, on Ebay, or if you're lucky, at an estate sale. Therir quality is, IMNSHO, better than most any handsaw you can buy today. Are you anywhere near Spokane WA? I've got a few from around 1900 that need setting and sharpening, but the steel is good.