My maths might be wildly off, but I’m getting about 34.5kg for a 240x20x10cm piece, @ 720kg per cubic metre?
No thats about right.
English oak is about an average of 670kg per cubic meter and American white oak is about 750kg per cubic meter.
Japanese oak is comparable to English and Persian is comparable to American. Turkish oak is about 870kg per cubic meter and Evergreen oak is an average of between 800 and 960kg/c/m.
(I've a book from college - Handbook of hardwoods that lists all the properties of all the commercial hardwoods, its actually been invaluable over the years.)
when one half of the tree flips off in the wrong direction eg moves uphill.
The barberchair.
The tree splits as the backcut is made,as it falls it can send the trunk backwards into the operator, or if its high off to either side. Luck denotes its the operators side
Did just this 2 years ago and again this year, on 125x250 sleepers, about 40 of them.
Chainsaw works best, some good advise above on using one safely - I had a petrol erbauer model from screw fix. I had the chainsaw gloves and that helped. My hardwood sleepers were ridiculously heavy and I had to swap out the chain at some point.
For the other garden project I used 100x200 sleepers and I was able to use my srewfix mitre saw that would just cut through them in a single pass, made the whole job much easier.
I did have to cut a few sleepers with a handsaw and I really wouldn’t recommend it.
I have a Festool Kapex
Genuine tool envy here. Saw one demonstrated a few years ago; feels so solid and precise. I needed a chop saw to do our decking, but couldn't justify even the KS60. Went with a decent Makita which was on silly special offer, but it's been sat in a friend's house since I did the deck. He used it once and put it away in a cupboard. So it's actually been pretty poor value for money. He's badgering me to take it back, as it's taking up space. I might just sell it to be honest; a decent chop/mitre saw is a great tool if you need one, but unless you're doing regular work with it, it's bulky and redundant most of the time.
For the other garden project I used 100×200 sleepers and I was able to use my srewfix mitre saw that would just cut through them in a single pass
@walowiz what model was that?
@walowiz what model was that?
@molgrips It was this one Erbauer EMIS254S 254mm Electric Double-Bevel Sliding Mitre - still at the same price as I paid - £180, but I figured I had more than enough projects to justify it. I don;t knwo how it compares to Festool etc, but for the money its very nicely made, solid and importantly cuts really well.
I combined it with a mitre saw stand (from Aldi of all places - as the Erbauer one wasn't in stock for ages) and using the mitre saw on a proper stand made cutting the sleepers way easier.
I don;t knwo how it compares to Festool etc, but for the money its very nicely made, solid and importantly cuts really well.
90% of the functionality for 20% of the price 😉
I have a Festool Kapex
Genuine tool envy here. Saw one demonstrated a few years ago; feels so solid and precise.
Such a shame they put the handle on the wrong way... 😉
90% of the functionality for 20% of the price 😉
@footflaps lol, I really really wanted a festool, but everytime I looked at the full cost, I had to go and have a little sit down.
It says 90mm cut on that saw, is it typical for the cut to be a little more than advertised? I mean, a 254mm blade is clearly more than 100mm in diameter.
Such a shame they put the handle on the wrong way… 😉
Tell me about it. I've a dewalt dw700 which also has a vertical handle and its really difficult to use. Not keen on it at all.
It says 90mm cut on that saw, is it typical for the cut to be a little more than advertised? I mean, a 254mm blade is clearly more than 100mm in diameter.
Theres a bit more to it than that. The mount, the guard and casing get in the way. Or someties the saw is direct drive and the placing of the motor limits depth of cut.
Opting for the screwfix saw then are we ?
Best check this out, and please take note thats a little saw, not the beast that screwfix are doing.
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-grandad-chopped-entire-hand-19438924
You;ll notice he didnt use the clamp.
If thats not the best representation of a sheepish face, I don't know what is 😆
It says 90mm cut on that saw, is it typical for the cut to be a little more than advertised? I mean, a 254mm blade is clearly more than 100mm in diameter.
But the spindle, motor, blade guard mechanism etc are all in the way and stop the blade getting exactly half way into the wood.
Of course, but @walowiz says he cut 100mm timbers with a saw advertised as cutting 90mm so clearly something is open to interpretation.
Managed to reduce the amount of work we have to do by 33% by only actually ordering 20 instead of 30.
Best check this out, and please take note thats a little saw, not the beast that screwfix are doing.
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-grandad-chopped-entire-hand-19438924
/blockquote>Yep, that's quite a small chop saw!
Managed to reduce the amount of work we have to do by 33% by only actually ordering 20 instead of 30.
You could remove all cutting required by digging really deep holes.
Are there any sawmills locally that would do the lot for you in a matter of minutes?
For a price obviously. And transporting 20x sleepers may be the bigger problem there.
Lol
#didntthinkitthrough
Are there any sawmills locally that would do the lot for you in a matter of minutes?
Good point, our local builder's merchant has their own timber yard and you can just order timber pre-cut to exact lengths if you're buying a load.
i bought a circular saw to do 5. i did them half way through and flipped them over. it went through them like butter.
i did actually do one of them by hand, just to see how long it would take and i was quite pleased how easy it was with a regular hand saw. they didn't bend and bind like soft wood does.
Have you got them yet. I was staggered by how heavy they are, compared to softwood ones.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-dwe560-gb-1350w-184mm-electric-circular-saw-240v/83289
Yeah they arrived this morning. Just finished my work call so I'm heading out now to have a crack at one of them.
Uh oh. Standby... 😜
I’m heading out now to have a crack at one of them.
Posted 3 hours ago
3 hours? #Pray4molgrips
Yes, any updates?
Bruneep; I once saw a man cutting a ply/MDF board by holding it up in mid-air with one hand, and cutting it with a circular saw in the other. Quality work practices. Some people shouldn't ever be allowed to hold spoons, let alone dangerous power tools.
Thinking about that horrific dismemberment above; what's the insurance situation for such injuries? I'm pretty sure that there are strict conditions relating to the use of dangerous equipment, such as having had proper training, using correct safety procedures etc. Such an injury is life changing, and potentially massively debilitating. Putting aside the years needed for surgeries, proper rehabilitation, physiotherapy etc, even if you were to regain use of a limb, it would never function 100% again. So that could have a huge impact on a person's economic situation, possibly requiring them to need the financial support a big payout could provide. But I'm sure insurance companies protect themselves against idiocy. If that happened to someone, and they didn't get a payout, that could have massive consequences for the rest of their life. Terrifying.
I'll put a fiver on
Half the pieces are to long the other half to short after using the first cut sleeper as a guide and getting it wrong.
I noticed in the photos of that chap who chopped his hand off, that the saw was not mounted to the stand just placed on it (likely for the photo). Think I'd just use a nice sharp hand saw. Hmmm, see what I did there.
Sorry to disappoint. The circular saw is still boxed, turns out it is indeed a piece of piss to saw them in half (properly measured of course) with a hand saw (lolol).
I had to take another few inches off the bottom of the trench and then come up with a method for erecting them reasonably accurately. I roughly levelled the trench using a fence post and a spirit level and some more digging - this involved removing some pretty large rocks that were preventing the last few inches from being loosened up. Then I used a ratchet strap to lash the first eight together, I developed techniques for straightening them up using the pry bar and big stones, now the concrete is setting:
[img] 
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I think doing the rest will be easier because this lot are more or less straight and now fixed in position so I can just lash the next eight to these and pour.
they might be straight by spirit level but they look squint as **** to the eye which is going to piss your wife off no end.
Straight at the bottom edge and all hand cut to slightly different lengths?
If purposeful to have a staggered top edge then it works well. If not, then you'll have to quickly run a chainsaw along the top to straighten them off 😉
That's really good, well done Molegrips. Good to see you've listened to common sense, and not bought a chainsaw. As for that circular saw you bought; just take it back. As I said; a plunge saw is a much better tool, although a bit more expensive. Look elsewhere other than BnQ for power tools though, they don't have a great selection, and what they do have tends to be the cheap end of the market, tools for very occasional use rather than things that will serve you well.
What are you going to do with all those rocks?
Use a length of string to get them all level, as long as the string isnt made to slope you can just hammer each down till the string brushes the top.
I would also look to cap them though with a long board. Problem with endgrain is it soaks up moisture, one of the reasons outside cellar doors rot at the base of the stiles.
All this for a hipster fence 😆
😉
Look elsewhere other than BnQ for power tools though,
www.ffx.co.uk is the wiggle of the power tool world....
Of course, but @walowiz says he cut 100mm timbers with a saw advertised as cutting 90mm so clearly something is open to interpretation.
Good to see you’re able to cut using a hand saw, it’s easier on the smaller 100x200 sleepers, but the big 250 hardwood sleepers are really hard work to cut through with a hand saw.
I can confirm that the erbauer mitre saw I linked to, will cut through the 100 x 200 sleepers completely in a single pass and makes the job a complete piece of proverbial.
Probably worth mentioning that I was able to justify the purchase, as I had an 18m retaining wall to do and then a 15m run of raised beds to do using sleepers. I’m keen on DIY, but I’m not doing all that by hand.
when i did mine i bought a 300 long auger bit and drilled a straight and level hole through each one. Use threaded bar through the whole lot to tie them together, kept them level and from falling out of line with each other.
Good to see you’ve listened to common sense, and not bought a chainsaw
When I built a 15m long retaining wall out off sleepers, 4 high, the extra large ones, I used common sense and got the most suitable tool for the job = a chainsaw.
that I was able to justify the purchase
You never have to justify the purchase of a new power tool - this is STW, we understand.
I normally start with the tool I want to buy and the decide what I'm going to use it for 😉
more expensive that they used to be and few decent offers anymore? Yup agree with that 🤣http://www.ffx.co.uk is the wiggle of the power tool world….
I’ve got my last few Makita tools from Tools4Trade - sounds a bit dodge but great prices & quick delivery 😃
Bruneep; I once saw a man cutting a ply/MDF board by holding it up in mid-air with one hand, and cutting it with a circular saw in the other. Quality work practices. Some people shouldn’t ever be allowed to hold spoons, let alone dangerous power tools.
You seem shocked but was a common sight on site 20 years ago.
Not been on a site in 20 years but I can't imagine the tradies have stopped taking short cuts.
*Do you feel lucky punk*
When I built a 15m long retaining wall out off sleepers, 4 high, the extra large ones, I used common sense and got the most suitable tool for the job = a chainsaw
@Painey agreed, tried every other tool I had on the very large 2.4m 60kg+ 125x250 sleepers for my retaining wall and the one that worked the best was the chainsaw. Would use the chainsaw every time on those.
I do agree that chainsaws are dangerous tools and should be treated with respect and care.
I do agree that chainsaws are dangerous tools and should be treated with respect and care.
Absolutely. I had the same size sleepers and they're very heavy. I specifically went for an electric saw due to the fact it stops instantly when you let go of the button. I also learned how to sharpen the blade properly so it cuts well. I was amazed how quickly they can go blunt and you really notice the performance drop off. I'd go as far to say that cutting through sleepers with one of those is highly unlikely to cause any safety issues, providing you know what you're doing. Very little chance of kickback but I wouldn't want to use a petrol one on a tree. A friend is a tree surgeon and has told me all about the dangers involved. Sod that.
When I built a 15m long retaining wall out off sleepers, 4 high, the extra large ones, I used common sense and got the most suitable tool for the job = a chainsaw.
If I'd been building such a wall, I'd have used common sense and employed the most suitable tool for the job: the massive industrial saw in the timber merchants who supplied the sleepers. Obviously having them do it for me. So, so much easier. A decent timber suppliers who can cut, mill and plane wood to your specifications, is an absolute boon. I had one recently plane some lovely Ash planks to a specific thickness; was £22.85 inc vat for the work. They do such jobs for free, if you order a sufficient amount.
Buying a chainsaw means buying a lot of protective equipment (if you want to retain all your limbs and blood and eyes), so I can see why it's a lot less hassle to just saw them in half.
With that said... I would have put a horizontal line in to make sure that the sleepers are straight, level and upright.
I'd also be tempted to buy a lod of rebar and drill through the sleepers mid-way so I could use the rebar as a brace to hold them together. You'd need a big hammer for that though, so possibly a trip to the local crossfit gym needed.
Other than that, your garden looks like a cross between a south american strip mine and trench warfare. Good work for an easter weekend.
Other than that, your garden looks like a cross between a south american strip mine and trench warfare.
All the rage now, lawns are so 2010....
If I’d been building such a wall, I’d have used common sense and employed the most suitable tool for the job
A chainsaw.