Beam Saws

[Whitlock]

 Has anyone ever used one of these? If so what did you think of it

[John_C]

This is the saw I'm interested in.  Anybody used one?



http://www.toolbarn.com/product/makita/5402NA/

[FrankInWI]

OMG is that for real?   I don't have a clue...experience wise, but we're sure not talking close tolerances here.... maybe for rough timber work? 

[Jens]

the Prazi would be great for gang cutting the plumb cut on rafters.  Line em up, set the bevel, snap a line, and got to town!  Might not be too tight though.  Haven't had any experience with them. 

The circular beam saws on the other hand, that is what you would use to gang the birds mouths in a 12-12 roof.  I have cut beams with them, and they work quite nicely.  You can also get the "Bigfoot" modification kit to change a skil worm drive to a 10" (I think) blade.

[Whitlock]

This is the saw I'm interested in.  Anybody used one?



http://www.toolbarn.com/product/makita/5402NA/

I have used the Bigfoot! But never a Makita I was looking around at the big saws and the prices, The Makita is a good geal at that price wow did it drop

[Redoverfarm]

I hope that  Prazi works better than an Alaskan Saw Mill.  I had to cut sill on 4 wall logs.  Real PIA but no one would touch them for fear of nails.  Rip chain is about twice what a crosscut chain is. 

Just take them to Glenn's and use his saw. 

[MountainDon]

I have seen landscapers use the Makita for cutting large landscaping timbers.

[Whitlock]

I hope that  Prazi works better than an Alaskan Saw Mill.  I had to cut sill on 4 wall logs.  Real PIA but no one would touch them for fear of nails.  Rip chain is about twice what a crosscut chain is. 

Just take them to Glenn's and use his saw. 

You can make a Rip chain out of a crosscut if you know how to file it.

[rwanders]

I've used similar to the makita on timbers and wood I-beams----very handy and a timesaver on a large project but not worth the cost for only occasional usage. It will definitely produce finer work than a chainsaw if you are doing timber framing or post & beam project.

[Redoverfarm]

Whitlock I do good just to sharpen the regular chain to keep it cutting straight and not tend to go one way or the other. 

[PEG688]

This is the saw I'm interested in.  Anybody used one?



http://www.toolbarn.com/product/makita/5402NA/

It's a good tool , expensive so like some one said IF limited use is intended rental is the way to go.

The chain ones cut rough like a chain saw so a lot of clean up will be required to any thing cut with one.

The big foot adapter is to a 10" blade , they cut good as well , but not as deep as the Makita with 6 1/4" depth of cut with a 16 5/16th " dia. blade.

The Makita does have a lot of torque when you start it up , way more then you feel with a big foot or standard 7 1/4" saw blade on a skilsaw.

Other than that same safety rules would apply.


There are other brand big saw but the $$ go way up for the European saw which look well made / thought out .

   

  $3,537.00
230v Model

[John_C]

PEG,

While I am a believer in the "you get what you pay for" philosophy, what does that saw do to be worth 3,500 bucks?

I'm also looking at replacing an old Black & Decker 8-1/4" circular saw.  What 7-1/4  to  8-1/4 saws do you like.  I'd like a saw with easy and secure depth/angle adjustment and probably a solid foot without a rolled edge....  one that would work well when a speed square is used as a guide.

My old B&D still cuts just fine but the adjustment thumbscrews have become loose in their threaded holes.  You have to tighten them so much it's hard to loosen them, especially with cold fingers.  The only repair I can think of is to drill out the body of the saw and helicoil the threads back to spec.   More trouble than it's worth for an old saw.

[PEG688]

  #1: While I am a believer in the "you get what you pay for" philosophy, what does that saw do to be worth 3,500 bucks?

#2:  I'm also looking at replacing an old Black & Decker 8-1/4" circular saw.  What 7-1/4  to  8-1/4 saws do you like.  I'd like a saw with easy and secure depth/angle adjustment and probably a solid foot without a rolled edge....  one that would work well when a speed square is used as a guide.

#1: Provides a nice life for the folks who make them . Health care , vacation times off , yadda yadda yadda for the folks who build them.

I bet it's a well made tool and may have some nice features that the Makita does not come with , but I'm only guessing on that. 


  #2: The skilsaw Model 77 is hard to beat for a worn drive, the magnesium one it a bit lighter BUT the saw shoe is designed differently and does NOT guide down a speed square as well as the regular model 77.

 

Mag :

 

Link : http://www.amazon.com/Skil-SHD77M-4-inch-Worm-Drive/dp/B000P7MAGA/ref=dp_cp_ob_hi_image_0

I also like the Porter Cable side winder saw like this , 

 

The PC can be had in blade left or blade right which can come in handy for certain miter cuts . Notice the Skillsaw blade is blade left .

I started out with a blade right saw when I was a young kid so I still like that for some things .

[John_C]

Thank you.

I've almost always had two saws, one blade left, one blade right, and never could choose which way I'd go if I had to choose only one.  Generally I like the blade left for cutting sheet goods.  I've never owned a worm drive saw and only know a few folk who use them, but they all swear by them.

The Makita's seem to be popular here.  Lately I've been doing a lot of work where I hold the saw horizontal at chest level.  I want an 8-1/4"  15 amp saw that weighs under 2 pounds. 

[PEG688]

Your welcome.

In the photo's I posted the saw shoes look alike , maybe they have re-designed the Mag saw shoe , it used to be flatter / thinner , at least on the Mag 77 my last company provided.

As far as weight goes m ya lighter is generally better.

We've managed to drift this thread off of beam saws , sorry about that. 

[cordwood]

I've used some Milwaukee $1,000+ beam saws and they are nice but for any cuts that are not going to be visible I like the $50 electric chain saws just as well. If a chain starts to cut at an angle just toss it and put a new $10 one on. The little chain saws come in handy for a lot of other things as well like cutting out walls for a remodel or cutting notches for let in bracing.
The biggest thing with the chain saw types is you should mark your cut line ALL the way around the beam to be sure your cut is somewhat straight. 

As for the worm drives I have always used the old standby Skill77 but now I have a Makita 5277 and I like it better than the 77's I've had, You can really feel the torque when you pull the trigger on this Makita and it's quieter than the Skills I've owned (around 6 total, 2 new, 4 pawn shoppers). I still have an old Skill 5250 Classic but several years ago it started giving off that dying smell so it has been sitting in it's little orange case for a while. I keep it just in case someone asks to barrow one.

[Whitlock]

Has anyone ever used one of these? If so what did you think of it

I was just thinking this saw would be good for cutting SIP's

[cordwood]

Has anyone ever used one of these? If so what did you think of it

I was just thinking this saw would be good for cutting SIP's

I don't think I would try a plunge cut with it! Might end up riding it like a unicycle out of control.