It doesnt really push it against the fence as that implies that the blade doesnt cut, when in fact there is no resistance

Don’t agree that there is no resistance. There cannot be no resistance. Changes in density, kerfs opening or closing, material potentially shifting. There’s resistance. If there wasn’t, I’d never need a new blade! 😉

Anyway, experience counts for a lot. Don’t just go picking up tools without some understanding. 👍

Hmm, I’m not even sure my version would let me cut on a pull stroke anyway as it has an automatic blade guard that doesn’t disengage properly until the blade is fully down (then rides over the work piece). Either way it seems counter intuitive to pull a saw (on a bench) towards you rather than push away from you, same as any blade.

All miter saws come with clamps. Best use them, speed isnt your friend here. Safety is.

For sure, I just meant if the blade wasn’t cutting well for whatever reason then you could stall it by twisting the work piece if you were pulling it with enough force. If you’re pushing then you can’t stall it (of course you shouldn’t be trying to pull the saw through with such force anyway but…)

Anyway. Buy a handsaw and you cant go wrong, you’ll give yourself a fair old workout, and theres little to no risk on anything untoward happening, unless the cut beam drops on your toes 😆

To be fair though; the OP has asked for opinions on what tool for the job and people have answered. The safety side of recommendations are up to the person using it to sort out.
Of course you need protective kit when using a chainsaw.
Do we have to tell people to use the seatbelt if they ask for recommendations for a car or van as well?

Do we have to tell people to use the seatbelt if they ask for recommendations for a car or van as well?

No, that’d be the law. Need a license to drive one too. 😉

The safety side of recommendations are up to the person using it to sort out.

True in theory, but an unfortunate state of affairs if nobody cares about anyone potentially hurting themselves.

To be fair though; the OP has asked for opinions on what tool for the job and people have answered. The safety side of recommendations are up to the person using it to sort out.
Of course you need protective kit when using a chainsaw.
Do we have to tell people to use the seatbelt if they ask for recommendations for a car or van as well?

Cars and vans come with seatbelts … and the dangers of cutting oak sleepers are not that apparent.
My mitre saw will go through in a single cut but the danger of kickback exists as the sleeper gets cut.
They are bloody heavy and proper support whilst cutting is easier said than done.

A handsaw will go through much easier than most people seem to think… a two man one in no-time.
I could have carried the mitre saw or used a circular but after cutting through with a handsaw it just wasn’t worth the hassle, especially making it safe. Carrying the things was WAY more effort TBH… uncut they were about 200kg each (reclaimed creosoted oak) and a struggle for 2 people.. any mistake would take off a door/finger etc.

using the 2 man handsaw and some wax it just whizzes through then a break whilst you carry it then the next one.

unless the cut beam drops on your toes

Did this with some regular sized sleepers I made into a fireplace… not the cutting but mitre-ing the top with the mantle balanced to check fit.

I cut four 200mm X 100mm sleepers in half with a handsaw last week. I was worried it would take ages but bought a new cheap Irwin panel saw from screwfix for £6. Each cut took seconds not minutes and was surprisingly easy. The saw did all the work. They were soft wood sleepers.

Electric chainsaw at Screwfix £35, 30% off at the moment. I have this saw and a straight cut is fairly easy to achieve.

I used one of these recently to cut oak timbers. Get a fairly neat job. Set the timber on bearers close to either side of the cut, and at the ends. Clamp it down if you can.

Oh, and don’t forget to buy chainsaw oil either, there’s none in the box 🤭

Can I just say. Chainsaws are dangerous as ****.

My safety gear cost as much as my cheapest saw. I never ever lend one out as the damage they can do in a split second is enormous.

Classic thread – how many STW’ers does it take to saw 30 sleepers? 😀

True in theory, but an unfortunate state of affairs if nobody cares about anyone potentially hurting themselves.

But where does it stop? It’s elfin safety gawn mad it is. If someone wants to know the quickest way down a slippery slope then no matter if recommended shoes or socks or Crocs it’s not your job to caution, it’s up to the enquirer to provide themselves with a safe landing. Are strawpeople now expected to always offer safety advice to OPs otherwise they’ll be sued or worse still canceled????? All you do-gooders are really doing is growing the nanny-state and encouraging an ever-increasing litigious nancy-pants culture/society.

PS OP handsaw for the win and workout.

PPS it’s Crocs for the fastest way down a slippery slope. Any slippery slope you might care to imagine.

Avidly,

MAJ T. Esther
Flagsham Planorium
Harumphington
Sussex

I’m concerned with the number of people recommending a chainsaw, circular saw or chop saw. Basically all these tools are extremely dangerous if you have little to no experience of them. I did a 2 day course in chainsaws and wouldn’t recommend one.

I totally agree. I think some people see it as very ‘manly’ to own and use a chainsaw, which is just complete egotistical nonsense. I love buying new power tools as much as the next person, but I ALWAYS get advice and if possible, some ‘training’ from someone who has experience of using potentially lethal tools. Listen to those who know. Anyone who is recommending using a chainsaw to cut some oak timber, should not be listened to. As others have suggested; buy a hardpoint saw from whatever DIY/Tool suppliers are near to you, and spend an hour or so cutting them. Great workout, and far, far safer than using a chainsaw. And if you really want the ‘manly’ bit, then obviously a hand saw is far more macho, because you’re not relying on power other than your own strength, to do the job. Grrr.

I think it may have already been mentioned, but wax the blade with candlewax (I use a tealight pulled out of the foil tin, just rub it on the teeth). This helps lubricate the blade, and helps lessen heat build up, which leads to the blade wearing faster. Take your time, and don’t force the saw; let the blade to the work. There’s a knack to sawing wood, and once you’ve got that, you’ll find sawing anything by hand, much easier. I own a chop/mitre saw, but it’s been round a friend’s house for about 5 years now, when he borrowed it for a job and then it’s been left in a cupboard since. There’s been a couple of times I could probably have done with it to speed things up on a job, but it’s ultimately proven unnecessary.

If you want a square cut, then you can use a set/T-square to draw a line all around the piece, then turn it over when you get part of the way through. Won’t be as neat as a machine, but you’ve said you don’t need it perfect anyway. Have fun!

Are these new green oak sleepers or old, covered in tar sleepers?
If the former, Footflaps suggestion of a tracked chainsaw looks spot on. If they’re old, the oak will be rock hard. film yourself and give us all a laugh.
Any circular saw is going to have to be effin massive. My 65mm 2.3kW saw scared the shit out of me and I only ever used it clamped in a bench. The depth of cut will be much less at an angle.
Have fun!

For some reason I assumed you wanted to Rip saw the sleepers. If you just want to cut them in half use a handsaw. Far easier than poncing about with powah…

Get a chainsaw, it’ll be fun!

Chainsaw

Right, so:

I am highly risk averse.

I take aot of care to be as safe as possible.

I like hand tools.

I only have one ‘man’ available, and my wife who is happy to do work but is nowhere near as strong as me and will struggle with that much work, so a two man saw is out.

I feel no desire to prove my manliness with power tools or any other kind of tool (see hipster wqnker axe thread), that’s all stupid.

I do like a good workout outside cycling.

I did just stop by B&Q for a circular saw and I bought a DeWalt one.

I think I may buy a hand saw, try it, then return this circular saw depending on how I get on. I’ll buy four saw horses to hold up both halves. I will probably be making quite a bit more cuts than 30 as I have a load of edges to do as well.

Any tips on hand saws?

Go slower than you think you need to and you’ll cut quicker.

They aren’t real railway sleepers by the way, just oak timbers 100x200x2.4m

And if you really want the ‘manly’ bit, then obviously a hand saw is far more
macho, because you’re not relying on power other than your own strength, to do the job. Grrr.

Cultural psychology question:

If the above statement were true then which of the following is the manliest way to fetch 40kg of groceries? Vin Diesel vs van diesel?

*Answer: C. You’re too busy with powertools to fetch groceries. Send the good woman in her Croydon tractor.

I’ll buy make four enough saw horses to hold up both halves.

ftfy 😎🪚

Sounds like a sensible approach OP.

Hand saws are definitely very capable and I find often give a better cut than a circular saw, particularly for cutting boards or laminate (it is probably that I am better at setting up and using the handsaw) but the circular saw is a very good tool for cutting. I originally bought mine for cutting wooden worktops and the other thing it has been great for was laminate flooring, both with selecting an appropriate blade first.

I have an electric chainsaw for cutting logs and firewood, mainly using a log horse. It is beast that can catch you out.
See that clip above. My dad was very lucky to only end up with 80 stitches in his face when the chainsaw jumped when cutting firewood, something he has been doing since the 70s, and he was wearing a helmet with visor at the time!

Your approach seems spot on.

Any tips on hand saws?

Any generic ‘hardpoint’ handsaw with a low teeth count (8Tpi or so) will do the job. You can often get packs of 5 or more for not much. Screwfix have an ‘Irwin Jack’ 8Tpi saw for £5.99. Oak will blunt a saw quite quickly, as it’s dense, hard stuff, but using wax will help a lot with that. As I said before; let the blade do the work. If you try to force the saw, as many ‘beginners’ do, the flexible blade will warp and twist, and make things even harder.

Go slower than you think you need to and you’ll cut quicker.

This is true. Your first few will be bloody hard work, then you’ll start to get the feel of it more. Subsequent cuts will be straighter and easier. Oak is easier than some other woods. Iroko, for one. That stuff is really hard to work with, and has nasty toxic dust. It should go without saying,that you should wear a mask, even outdoors, whatever wood you’re cutting. And definitely eye protection if you’re using power tools.

Other complication is that I’m back at work tomorrow and my wife thinks she can use the circular saw but won’t have the endurance to use a hand saw. She’s pretty good with tools generally but I’d still worry like hell.

OTOH if I can hand saw them in an evening after work we’ll save £110.

If that was true then which is the manliest way to fetch 40kg of groceries*?

*Answer: C. You’re too busy with powertools to fetch groceries. Send the good woman in her Croydon tractor.

Wrong. It’s D: you are rich and successful enough to have the ‘power’ to employ someone else to do such menial tasks for you. And you are rich and successful because you are so manly. You’d know this, if you were a real man. 😉

^ C = D & D = C

You’d know this, if you were a real man. 😉

She’s pretty good with tools generally but I’d still worry like hell.

OTOH if I can hand saw them in an evening after work we’ll save £110.

Just pay her in kind?

(Obligatory satire disclaimer because it’s 2021)

OTOH if I can hand saw them in an evening after work we’ll save £110.

If you’d bought a hand saw yesterday you’d have had them all done already.

OTOH if I can hand saw them in an evening after work we’ll save £110.

A circular saw is a poor tool for that type of task anyway. Circular saws are best for cutting large sheets/panels, accurately. That type of circular saw is vastly inferior to a plunge saw (the blade and motor mechanism is sprung loaded so retracts up clear of the baseplate, meaning it’s a much safer tool. you can set the plunge depth as well, so you can cut partially into a piece, rather than all the way through, so good if you were needing to cut through say an existing worktop to adapt it, without damaging the structure underneath. You can also start a cut in the middle of a piece, not just at the edge. Plunge saws are often used with a ‘track’ system, which enables very accurate clean cuts. Just a much better tool. Take that thing back and get a plunge saw. Not from BnQ.

You know B&Q will cut timber to length before you get it home?

my wife thinks she can use the circular saw but won’t have the endurance to use a hand saw. She’s pretty good with tools generally but I’d still worry like hell

I make no comment on her competence or otherwise but if it worries you, take the circular back today.

All power tools are just applied violence, circular saws hide it less than others.

I’ll buy four saw horses to hold up both halves

Given that you’re outdoors an not on dead level ground keep in mind that two of those horse are to catch the wood you cut off, not hold its weight while you cut.  (presuming you’re right handed) The weight of the sleeper wants to be on the left two horses only (a bit tricky for you as you’re cutting in the middle so the cut line means the supports won’t be under the balance point). The horses under the off cut only need to be a mm or so lower but the need to be placed so that off cut can fall slightly onto them

If theres weight bearing on the right two horses then as you near the end of cutting the weight of the wood will close the cut line and jam the blade. Only annoying with a handsaw but a circular saw would kick back.

If you’re using a circular saw for the cuts then both hands are on the saw and you don’t have a hand free to steady the wood on the sawhorses so you’ll need to do a bit of clamping and figure out some balast to keep weight off the off-cut

Your sleepers won’t be dead flat / straight so each time you set up for a cut make sure theres no upward pressure on the off cut and that both the left hand horses are bearing weight – just flip the plank over if need be.

Other complication is that I’m back at work tomorrow and my wife thinks she can use the circular saw but won’t have the endurance to use a hand saw.

As mentioned earlier – a piece of 2400x200x100 oak will weigh at least 70kg. And also as mentioned earlier – don’t be daunted by the effort and try it – saws were invented for cutting wood.  Endurance isn’t really an issue if you’re sawing by hand as you can stop as often as you like and unless the wood is very wet or your set up is awkward then a cut won’t take very long.

And it seems like a a daft thing but it wouldn’t hurt to watch a YouTube tutorial on something like using a handsaw -its the sort of thing that’s simple if you know how but the errors aren’t obvious if you don’t.

I like my chop saw. But as i stated above, bolt it to something solid. Mine lives bolted to a cheap workmate clone. Its great but it always is treated with care. A good sharp hand saw is almost as much fun. Just be careful whatever you use.

That chainsaw video made me feel sick. I’ll never own one.

Other complication is that I’m back at work tomorrow and my wife thinks she can use the circular saw but won’t have the endurance to use a hand saw. She’s pretty good with tools generally but I’d still worry like hell.

OTOH if I can hand saw them in an evening after work we’ll save £110.

https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-bow-saw/p36245

You’ll be through them in a lot less time than that.
Get the wife on the other side.(twice as easy and helps get the rhythm going).. take a break after every few and carry one through to wherever its going. Maybe grab a spare blade or two

You can still buy a circular, I just wouldn’t use it for this.

I have chainsaw, circular saw, mitre saw and tractor saw bench available.

I’ve been using a handsaw to cut sleepers from the old shed, a knackered builders cast off saw because they are old wet tarred sleepers. Can do 2 or 3 cuts in the time it just takes to get the power tools out.

If they were new clean dry timber, I’d probably use the silky saw, most dangerous of all handsaws.

I bought a titan electric chainsaw when building a retaining wall out of sleepers. It was about £45 from screw fix and did a great job. Safety wise, I’ve been known to wear flip flops and hold wood in place with my feet when cutting. Now that might sound bloody stupid but at no point using it have I ever had any issues. Always have a sharp blade, learn how to sharpen it correctly etc. Learn how to cut with it too. A chainsaw is only as dangerous as the person operating it and as the electric one stops instantly it really isn’t a nasty prospect.

I’d treat a petrol one very differently though!

You need fingers to grip handlebars, and even the loss of a single digit, let along three means an end to cycling.

You haven’t met Tommy Caldwell.

Chopped his forefinger off with a circular saw and Redpoints 9a+

A chainsaw is only as dangerous as the person operating it

advice is only as dangerous as the person offering it 🙂

I have a Festool Kapex and it scares the crap out of me using it, had it bite a few times and the whole thing judders – almost crap myself. As soon as a I start it, the speed and size of the blade makes you realise that your whole hand would be gone in a flash….

Shaped charges?

I have a Festool Kapex and it scares the crap out of me using it

Sell it to me then 😆 I can stretch to 40 quid and 2 packets of princess marshmallows.

I’ll give you £50 and THREE packets of Haribo Tangfastics. Can’t say fairer than that.