I guess this would be considered woodworking, on a big scale... I'm
looking to taper and radius the ends of a number of 8x8 and 8x10
douglas fir timbers. These will be used in a hybrid-frame house
project. Basically, I intend to cut a gentle radius starting about
two feet from the end transitioning into a tighter radius right at the
end. Since I have several dozen beams to treat, I'm trying to figure
out the most efficient method.
I've seen a method using a circular saw to cut a series of kerfs
with depths that follow the desired profile. The waste is knocked
away with a chisel and final cleanup is done using a belt sander.
This would work, but it seems slow because of having to reset the saw
depth dozens of times for each beam. The volume of dust and chips
this method would create is also undesirable.
My current thinking is to build a profile template that indexes
to the side of the beam. I could then use a 1/2-in dia, 2-in deep
spiral cut bit in my 2hp router. Working from opposite sides, would
produce matching two-inch-deep cuts in the beam following the desired
profile. This would still leave almost 6-in (9 1/2 in - 4in) of the
cut yet to be made, but the grooves could be used as rough guides. I
think I could make these last cuts with a large bow saw or possibly a
long blade in a reciprocating saw. Either way, I'd end up doing clean
up with a power planer and belt sander. At least this method would
slab off the bulk of the waste in one big chunk cutting down on the
dust.
The largest beams I'll be working are close to 400 lbs, so running
them thru any type of stationary tool is out of the question.
Additionally, I'll be working with one beam at a time on saw horses,
so I can't do all the ends at once. Anyone have a better idea for
working the ends of these big sticks?
Richard Johnson
Camano Island, WA
On 15 Dec 2003 15:00:42 -0800, [email protected]
(Rich-in-WA) wrote:
>I guess this would be considered woodworking, on a big scale... I'm
>looking to taper and radius the ends of a number of 8x8 and 8x10
>douglas fir timbers. These will be used in a hybrid-frame house
>project. Basically, I intend to cut a gentle radius starting about
>two feet from the end transitioning into a tighter radius right at the
>end. Since I have several dozen beams to treat, I'm trying to figure
>out the most efficient method.
I've done this using a chainsaw, with a plywood box attached to the
safety plate, that rode on another box fastened to the beam, cut to
the shape of the taper. It worked fine but made a hell of a mess.
Regards, Tom
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker
Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania 19428
http://users.snip.net/~tjwatson
I think the portable bandsaw may be the ticket although I've never
used one myself. Not sure what the market is like up there, but there
are dozens of places here that cut timbers for the housing market.
Granted they are for decorative purposes typically. They use a fancy
bandsaw that is mobile but is suspended from above using a large
boom/jig apparatus. They fire this thing up and can move the bandsaw
any which way to cut the profile they need. If you aren't in the mood
for buying a portable or trying some of the other methods, you might
try seeing if someone local has a similar setup and see what they'd
charge to do it. Just an idea.
Cheers,
cc
Thanks for the helpful tips on and off list. I’d thought about
using my stationary bandsaw – a vintage PowerCraft unit –
as it is mounted on casters. The problem is the throat depth of 8-in
is a bit shy of the 9 ½ in sides on the 8x10 beams. This does however
prompt me to look into fabricating a “lift kit” to
increase the throat depth, something I’d been meaning to do for
a while anyway. This would be useful down the line for resawing on
furniture projects etc. I’ll have to study this option. I
would think that if we block the beams up just proud of the table
elevation, we should be able to guide the saw fairly accurately along
the cut. I’m a little nervous that if we can’t maintain
good alignment between the beam and saw we’ll end up breaking
lots of blades. Of course each cut would have to go slow, like
resawing I suppose. If it works though it would probably save a bunch
of work with the power planer and belt sander.
As far as a dedicated timber-framing bandsaw goes, I took a brief
look and ruled it out on cost. The price of one of those units is
more than half that of the timber for my particular job. If I was
doing this for a living it would be a no-brainer, but for my one job,
I’ll probably try to make do with the tools I have on hand.
Thanks again.
RKJ
How about buying one of those handheld portable bandsaws that the timber
framing guys use?
My tenant, a master timber framer from der fatherland, uses one and I'm
really impressed seeing him cut up to 12" thick timbers for the mortises(sp)
and tenons.
The proper tool for the job makes it a lot easier and safer.
fwiw
Jay
I was going to suggest the same thing. A few passes with one of those
could get awfully close to a circle.
j.b. miller wrote:
> How about buying one of those handheld portable bandsaws that the timber
> framing guys use?
> My tenant, a master timber framer from der fatherland, uses one and I'm
> really impressed seeing him cut up to 12" thick timbers for the mortises(sp)
> and tenons.
> The proper tool for the job makes it a lot easier and safer.
> fwiw
> Jay
>
>
"Jay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> A giant pencil sharpener?
>
> :)
a large laser
Prazi beam cutter. Like a chain saw powered by a wormdrive circular
saw. The bar replaces the blade.
On 15 Dec 2003 15:00:42 -0800, [email protected]
(Rich-in-WA) wrote:
>I guess this would be considered woodworking, on a big scale... I'm
>looking to taper and radius the ends of a number of 8x8 and 8x10
>douglas fir timbers. These will be used in a hybrid-frame house
>project. Basically, I intend to cut a gentle radius starting about
>two feet from the end transitioning into a tighter radius right at the
>end. Since I have several dozen beams to treat, I'm trying to figure
>out the most efficient method.
On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 08:42:53 -0600, Thomas Kendrick
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Prazi beam cutter. Like a chain saw powered by a wormdrive circular
>saw. The bar replaces the blade.
>
this might be the most practical solution for the OP. I'm not sure if
it will make the radius he's after on the ends...
Bridger
>
>On 15 Dec 2003 15:00:42 -0800, [email protected]
>(Rich-in-WA) wrote:
>
>>I guess this would be considered woodworking, on a big scale... I'm
>>looking to taper and radius the ends of a number of 8x8 and 8x10
>>douglas fir timbers. These will be used in a hybrid-frame house
>>project. Basically, I intend to cut a gentle radius starting about
>>two feet from the end transitioning into a tighter radius right at the
>>end. Since I have several dozen beams to treat, I'm trying to figure
>>out the most efficient method.
On 15 Dec 2003 15:00:42 -0800, [email protected]
(Rich-in-WA) wrote:
>I guess this would be considered woodworking, on a big scale... I'm
>looking to taper and radius the ends of a number of 8x8 and 8x10
>douglas fir timbers.
I'd use a combination of an Arbortech carving disk (the solid sort,
not the chainsaw rings) and a big drawknife.
If I could work one accurately, I'd use an adze.
--
What ? Me ? Evil Dictator of Iraq ?
Nah mate, I'm just a Hobbit, honest