Need help! or answers

[greg]

I am building a bed, with large posts at each corner. I need to cut the ends off square and level. The posts are to large to fit in my miter saw, and I don't have a large band saw, not that it would help much. Any ideas on how to get them square and flush other the a ton of work with a plane and sandpaper? I don't know if it matters but they are octagonal posts out of hard maple (I know maple is not a common bedroom furniture wood, but I like it!)

Thanks So much for any help. I'm betting that someone has some real easy trick that will help.

Greg

[OTR]

Will your miter saw cut half way into the posts? If so you could cu half way down, then flip the post and cut the other half to finish th job. As long as you have a stop block or reference to butt the othe end of the post up to to ensure it is cut at the same length eithe side, you should be able to cut it square and even with veryt littl sanding required

-- OTR

[Woodie]

Will your miter saw cut half way into the posts? If so you could cut half way down, then flip the post and cut the other half to finish the job. As long as you have a stop block or reference to butt the other end of the post up to to ensure it is cut at the same length either side, you should be able to cut it square and even with veryt little sanding required? __________________ Regards,

Dean Bielanowski Editor, OnlineToolReviews.com

110+ Woodworking Product Reviews Online!

[SonomaProducts.com]

Just depends on what machinery you have at hand.

You can do a work and turn on the table saw with a sled. You'll need to be sure the sled and saw are really tuned up. I am doing this for some

3 3/4" QS White Oak posts for a mission bed I am doing right now. The TS I have access too is just a bit our of wack so I get about 1/32" of overlap misaglined cut but I have a deep edge sander and some tests showed I can clean it up real easy with that.

BW

greg wrote:

[whit3rd]

Well, traditional bedposts were turned in a lathe, on centers. If you can make some kind of center pivot (drive a nail in?), and turn the post, you can at least mark the cut accurately. Then use a handsaw. Traditional woodworkers might have used a bow saw, they're easy enough to make.

[neilr]

Hopefully I understand your problem correctly. If it is just a case of being able to mark the cut accurately around the post, and the post is not tapered, then you could use a card wrap. A piece of card, fairly robust but not too thick - perhaps the thickness of a gift card. A rectangular shape, ideally deeper than the diameter of the post, and longer than the circumphrance of the post (so that there is a certain amount of overlap when wrapped around the post). Ensure that the edge you will be using to mark the post is dead straight. Wrap the 'wrap' around the post with the straight edge where you want to mark/cut the post - pull it tight and snug and make sure that the two ends of the cutting edge meet/overlap perfectly. Mark around the marking/cutting edge. If done properly this should give you a 90 degree cut all around.

Neil

[Prometheus]

Assuming you don't have a table saw, it's not too tough to cut from each side with a circular saw and then clean up the cut with some sandpaper. Just lay it out carefully and it works fine.