cutting a 4x4

General
1

Which tool at the Hive would work best for a straight cut on a 4x4?

2

With the grain or against the grain? i.e. cutting it along the length or cutting it across the short sides?

With the grain, You have two options:

  1. You could rip it on the table saw with the fence and possibly a feather board as a guide. This is probably just about as deep of a cut possible on our saw, and if the blade isn’t long enough, you would make two cuts by flipping the board over and cutting along the same line. Then you would need to send it through the planer or drum sander to clean up the cut edge.

  2. Use a resaw blade on the band saw. (I have a personal one that I will let you borrow). Set up the resaw fence and have someone help you hold it and then catch it as you send it through. This would be a single step cut but will produce an edge that needs several passes through the drum sander or planer to clean up.

Against the grain would work best with the radial arm saw and clamps to hold it in place. This will produce a really nice finish right from the saw, because our blade is nice! A miter saw would be another option, but I don’t think our miter saw has a deep enough blade.

Hope that helps! (I can also show you in person, just let me know).

Elly

3

against the grain (across the length)

I need to cut several lengths of this and they need to be nice square cuts.

(the Home Despot worker cut too short AND did not do an initial cut to square up the end so the first piece had a flat side and a ‘wopperjawed’ side (the uncut end piece)

4

Yep radial arm saw it is then.