Cutting boards: choosing a cutting method and types of equipment used

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Very often, when carrying out various works in construction, the need arises to carry out such an operation as cutting wood into boards. In this review, we will tell you how you can organize the work process depending on the conditions and specifics of a particular operation, since sometimes you need to cut only one element along the length, and sometimes you need to cut a whole log or timber.

In the photo: special equipment allows you to open the board at different angles, but only those who do professional woodworking have such installations, since their price is very high

How to protect your saw from damage

Any saw (especially its cutting edge) should not come into contact with other tools during storage. Such proximity can quickly cause it to fail.

If the saw does not have a cover, then a simple method will help protect its teeth from damage. A slot of the required length is made in a piece of hose, after which the hose is placed on the saw blade. A rigid hose covered with fabric on the inside is best suited for this purpose. It holds tightly to the saw blade even after repeated use.

If longitudinal sawing is carried out in large volumes, then it is better to purchase a circular saw. Doing this with a handsaw will get you dirty. This is the first, and second: the information that can be gleaned from the texts in the frame is incomprehensible for a beginner, and useless for a professional.

Cutting laminate with a jigsaw

The best tool for cutting laminate flooring is a jigsaw. This is a fairly comfortable and easy-to-use tool.

The main advantages of a jigsaw over other tools are:

• compactness, low weight;

• the ability to make a cut of any configuration (wavy, rounded with a different radius);

• simplicity, ease of use;

• high quality cut without chips or cracks.

Cutting laminate boards with a jigsaw is carried out at high speeds, so the cuts are of high quality - both curly, and across the board, and along the entire blade. The main nuance is the choice of a jigsaw file.

For cutting laminate, special saws are used with a special tooth shape, frequency and cutting method. The standard saw blade for cutting laminate with reverse teeth is marked T101 BR.

Video: How to cut laminate smoothly and without chipping

Basic hand saws

Any home workshop should have at least three to four saws of different types.

1. Hacksaw with a wide blade for rough cutting of large parts and workpieces. The longer the canvas, the faster the work goes. However, for the same reason, the mobility of the blade itself increases, which is why the saw, as they say, is pulled to the side. Therefore, it is important to carefully monitor the cutting line, preventing it from deviating from the markings. A new product in recent years is a Teflon coating on the hacksaw blade, which makes sawing fresh wood much easier and also protects the saw from rust.
2. A saw with a “back” differs from a regular hacksaw not only in that it has a rigid attachment that “damps” vibrations of the blade, but also in smaller, closely spaced teeth. This saw allows you to make clean and thin cuts.
3. The finishing saw provides an even and neat cut.
4. A narrow blade saw is designed for cutting rounded parts and large holes. The basic rule for caring for any saw: its blade should always be dry and clean. Saw teeth - even hardened ones - should be sharpened regularly.

Laminate cutting blade T101AO

T101AO has a shorter length of about 75 mm, which does not affect the cutting of the laminate. It has a fine tooth, which gives an even cut. However, the sawing speed is very low. Not suitable for normal use. We use it only for curved cuts, such as bypassing heating pipes. For curved cuts, set the jigsaw speed to medium or lower.

How to saw correctly

You should always cut from the cutting side, close to the marking line. This applies to both rough cuts with a hacksaw and precise cuts with a fine-toothed saw. Next, it is very important that the workpiece being processed has a stable support in the form of a workbench table top or a regular work table. For large-sized workpieces, it is better to use sawhorses. During the sawing process, the part must be held firmly with your hand at all times (large-sized workpieces should also be held with your knee) - in other words, only the saw should move.

Sawing begins with the first short movements at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees. Only after the saw blade has entered the wood and is fixed in it, you can start working with the saw along the entire length of the blade.

At the edge of the cut, cut only in short, sharp strokes. This will avoid breakages on the underside of the workpiece.

Cutting along the wood fibers is always a “critical” situation, especially if the wood has a large grain. Saw naturally wants to follow the path of least resistance, and if it is not restrained, it will begin to “walk.” That is, in such cases you have to press the saw harder than usual, which, in turn, requires the most stable position of the workpiece.

When making large cross cuts, a regular hacksaw can jam. In such cases, it is better to use a rip saw with widely spaced teeth. You just need to take into account that the cut strip will be much thicker than the saw blade.

preparing the saw for work

Cutting fresh or damp wood will be easier if you lubricate the saw blade with wax or soap.

hacksaw for longitudinal cutting of wood

The workpieces are pressed tightly against the lintel, its right edge guides the saw.

Types of equipment used

We will look at some options for doing the work yourself and tell you about the devices used; you will have to choose the solution that will be best for you in a given situation.

Sawing boards

This type of work, such as longitudinal cutting of boards to size, can be done in several ways:

• If the amount of work is small, then you can use a hand saw, although you will need a special version for longitudinal sawing, which differs in the shape of the tooth. The instructions for carrying out the work are as follows: it is necessary to carefully mark using a square and a tape measure, then draw a clear line, then the element is carefully secured so that the board does not move during the work;

The longer the board is, the more difficult it is to carry out the process efficiently

Important! When processing manually, pay special attention to the vertical position of the cutting blade, otherwise the edges will turn out to be nervous.

• The second option is to use a jigsaw for wood, but it is also suitable for small amounts of work, and the thickness of the board is limited; the marking process is similar to that described above. The work is easier to carry out, since there is no need to apply physical force and monitor the verticality of the cutting - the sole in the equipment ensures that the right angle is maintained;
• Now let’s look at how to evenly saw a board lengthwise using a circular saw; there are two options for carrying out the work: if the edges of the element are uneven, then a line is first drawn along which the cutting is made (most often this is done with unedged lumber), if one edge is smooth, then the stop is pre-set to a certain distance, and you simply guide the tool, pressing the stop part against the end;

When working, do everything in accordance with the operating instructions for the power tool.

• Of course, the simplest solution to the question of how to cut a board lengthwise is a circular saw, and both full-fledged installations and compact options can be used. This option is very suitable for cutting a large number of elements to one size; you can set a stop or attach it and not waste time on marking and fixing; in addition, this type of equipment has the highest productivity;

Having secured the stop, you don’t have to worry about compliance with the parameters

Log sawing

A more complex option for carrying out work, which requires more powerful equipment. Of course, purchasing a full-fledged sawmill is not the best option, so sawing logs into boards in the field is done using a chainsaw and a special Timberjig kit.

Let's talk about this system in more detail:

• You will need a standard chainsaw, preferably one with fairly high power;
• It is also necessary to purchase a set consisting of a guide and a stop; it is sold with a set of the required fasteners, so no additional elements are required;

Design fits all standard chainsaws

• Next, a device for sawing logs into boards is assembled; for this, first of all, a stop is made of two boards, one of which is attached at the end to the middle of the other, a very strong T-shaped element is obtained, which will serve as a guide during the work process;
• The log is placed on a flat base, after which stops are screwed to its ends, which are made from a board connected by an angle; it is important to control their level and position them evenly, the quality of the work depends on this;
• Now you need to attach the guide to the stops; it is aligned along the line of the future cut, taking into account the fact that the chainsaw bar will run 10 mm above the top edge of the guide. Fixation is done using clamps, which are also included in the kit;
• The saw is located on the frame; the frame allows it to occupy the same position throughout the entire work. To ensure convenience, we recommend that after fastening, lift the log so that the chainsaw is positioned at an angle, this will make it much more convenient for you to work. The photo shows the structure in operation.

This is what the assembled system looks like

Tsulaga

When processing small workpieces, the tsulaga shown in the pictures below can be of great help.

To make it, you will need a piece of wood slab approximately 20 x 30 cm in size and 2 mm thick, as well as two planed strips, which must be fixed to the slab as shown in the figure. To prevent the slab from bending and breaking, the planks must be positioned transverse to the direction of its core layer.

How to work with a circular saw

The lower bar of the tsulaga rests against the edge of the tabletop and thus sets the correct direction for the cut; the shortened upper bar ensures good centering of the saw.

If you have to saw long boards or planks, then a second tsulaga will not hurt, which will serve as a stop for the other end of the workpiece.

A piece of wood slab and two pieces of plank are enough to make a practical tsulagi.

Before starting sawing, the saw placed at an angle must be pulled towards you several times.

Laminate cutting blade T101AO

T101AO has a shorter length of about 75 mm, which does not affect the cutting of the laminate. It has a fine tooth, which gives an even cut. However, the sawing speed is very low. Not suitable for normal use. We use it only for curved cuts, such as bypassing heating pipes. For curved cuts, set the jigsaw speed to medium or lower.

Teeth and their shape

The capabilities of the saw depend on its shape and size of the teeth. A large number of teeth on a given length of blade means a fine cut but slow forward progress. A small number of teeth produces a rough cut.

Wood is made up of fibres, and when sawed they separate. This creates sawdust that needs to be removed. The finer the teeth, the faster the cut and the cutting edge of the saw become clogged with small sawdust - saw flour. The teeth can no longer grip wood to its full height. Sawing is becoming more and more tedious and, most importantly, unproductive. But large teeth almost never get clogged due to the greater distance between their tips and each other.

Almost any saw has teeth that are set apart, that is, their tips alternately deviate to the left and then to the right. The greater the angle of inclination, the wider the cut strip, and therefore it becomes less clogged with sawdust, and the saw jams less.

Over time, saw teeth become dull and need to be sharpened. In this case, the damaged wiring must be restored. Even for a specialist this is not an easy job. Therefore, we recommend purchasing saws with hardened teeth. They don't get dull as quickly, and they are easier to sharpen than the teeth of a regular saw.

You just need to put the saw blade on the table and use a sharpening stone to run it twice along the cutting edge from the end to the handle, then turn the blade over. The saw is sharpened, you can start working.

Steep teeth for rip sawing

This is how the teeth are positioned on almost all hand saws, including hacksaws and back saws.

The cutting edge of the teeth is located vertically. Suitable for longitudinal cuts.

rip sawing with a hand saw

When cutting longitudinally, the workpiece should protrude sufficiently beyond the workbench - this makes sawing easier.

The marking below the gap indicates where the saw deviates.

What criteria should be taken into account when choosing a cutting method?

All of the options we'll discuss below will get the job done, but each of them is suitable for certain conditions, so you need to decide on several factors in advance:

Important! Sometimes the best solution may be to purchase a ready-made board, especially if the amount of work is large.

Preparing to cut down a tree with a chainsaw

Before cutting trees with a chainsaw, you need to make sure that the unit at your disposal is designed to perform such actions. For felling large trees, professional and semi-professional chainsaws are used, with a power of 2 kW and above.

When getting to work, you need to take into account the size of the tire on the tool. If the diameter of the wood does not exceed 30 cm, then for effective sawing, saws are used whose bar length does not exceed 35 cm. If the diameter of the trunk is more than 40 cm, then you will need to use a chainsaw with a 65 cm bar installed. The thicker the trunk, the more difficult it will be to cut it .

To understand the task, before starting the tool you will need to perform the following manipulations:

1. Check the quality of sharpening of the chain teeth. If they become dull, then be sure to sharpen them before cutting down the tree. It is recommended to do this using a file
2. Check chain tension. If the chain is loose, it needs to be tightened
3. Make sure there is enough fuel mixture in the tank. If the tool has less than half a tank, it is better to refill the tool
4. Calculate the trajectory of the tree's fall and clear the area. If the tree being cut leans and catches on neighboring twigs and branches, it will be very difficult to fell it
5. Clear the area near the tree to have easy access to it
6. Take all the necessary tools for felling trees, which include an axe, mallet, hammer

If there is a strong wind blowing on the day you plan to fell a tree, it is recommended to postpone the work until weather conditions improve. Carrying out such work when weather conditions worsen is dangerous, especially if the sawyer works alone without a partner.

The advantage of a chainsaw as a tool for sawing logs

You can saw a log using a sawmill, gas or electric saw and additional accessories. When choosing one of these tools, you should consider the amount of work ahead. The cost of the cheapest stationary sawmill along with all components is 150 thousand rubles. A chainsaw is much cheaper. It is more convenient than an electric saw for the following reasons:

Insulation of the facade, part 2 Preparation of timber

• Electricity is not required to operate the tool - this makes it possible to use a chainsaw on plots.
• It is more powerful compared to an electric saw.
• It starts smoothly and allows you to conveniently adjust the speed, which reduces the likelihood of a chain break.
• The inertial brake operates faster than that of an electric saw.
• Long working time without interruption – up to one hour.
• Can be used in conditions of high humidity.

The procedure for performing preparatory work

To cut a log lengthwise, you need to perform the following sequence of actions:

• Take two straight boards and attach one to the other at right angles. The result is a strong guide line.
• To support the manufactured ruler, you need to make stops from boards.
• Moving the trunks must be done using a tilter.
• The log should be placed on a comfortable base.
• You need to secure the frame to the chainsaw bar using nuts.
• The supports of the leading ruler must be attached to the ends of the log, checking the horizontal position with a level.
• Self-tapping screws must be used to secure all brackets and structural elements. Nails are not suitable for these purposes, since they are difficult to remove in the future without causing damage to the structural parts.
• The leading ruler needs to be attached to the supports using brackets and its height adjusted taking into account that the cut will not go along it, but approximately one centimeter higher.
• The log needs to be rotated and the second board secured so that it rests on the ground and supports the log.

Insulation of the facade, part 2 Preparation of timber

Sources:

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