OT: Cutting joists in place

[Bill Stock]

What's the tool of choice for cutting joists in place, reciprocating saw? I want to install some joist hangers and was hoping for a painless solution.

[Bill Stock]

Better still, how about a honkin big circular saw and guide? It would have to be 16" though. :)

[Bob]

Cutting joists in place can be a very dangerous job with a power tool of any kind, so be careful. Believe it or not, I've had good success using a japanese crosscut saw. Its much more suited for the job because you pull it, instead of push it. It doesn't really take that long. I had to cut off a 3 x 12 beam sticking out at an angle in a tight location. I would have killed myself using power. The handsaw was the answer.

Bob

[Bill Stock]

Thanks, but I've got about 40 to do. I can see the first one taking me 5 minutes and then going downhill from there. :)

[jo4hn]

Last time I took down a ceiling, I did it with a Milwaukee Sawzall. I was putting in a vaulted ceiling in a room. I wanted to save as much of each joist as possible (to reuse) which necessitated getting as close to the wall as possible (an inside job obviously). I could have used a circ saw I suppose, but there were pesky items such as roof joists that were in the way.

Just ensure that nothing is going to collapse before venturing out. Good luck. mahalo, jo4hn

[Bill Stock]

Unfortunately, I want to put in a beam with joist hangers. So a Sawzall might be a bit crude for my needs, at least the way I use it. It's looking more like manual override. :)

[Fred the Red Shirt]

What size joists?

I can cut through a 2x6 with a $20 Ryoba in less than a minute.

[Andy Dingley]

I use an azebiki for this sort of job, especially lifting floorboards. It's a short and deep-bellied saw, supposedly for boatbuilding. It's perfect for sawing out a floorboard though, without cutting into adjacent boards or the joist beneath.

[Bill Stock]

2*8.

[Mike Marlow]

My favorite cutting tool when in doubt, is a set of cutting torches...

[Eric Ryder]

This job is what Sawzalls (recipros) were invented for.

Strike the cutline with a chaulkline, etc. Square the line across the width. For clean cuts, tack/clamp a waste piece of lumber (with a square end) on the line to be cut. The saw blace will follow the squared end nicely. Joist hangers have enough bearing area to allow for some irregularities in the cut IMO.

BTW, putting in those joist hanger nails is what pneumatic palm nailers were invented for.... :)

[Bill Stock]

Yeah, I was considering a guide even if I went with the manual saw.

Yep Parallam is tough stuff. Any thoughts on the surface mount hangers? I think it would be a bitch to line up the hanging type and get them all in the right place, even if I use a template.

[Eric Ryder]

With KD joists, the surface mount hangers meet most codes to my knowledge. I prefer the hangers that require several 10d-12d toenails in addition to the JH nails to limit pullout.