# I'm thinking crazy again



## johnmark (Jul 21, 2012)

I'm thinking about making a one man rip saw.

If i took a normal panel saw, layed out large rip teeth, then cut it out, i think it could work.

I've ripped with a normal panel saw sharpened for rip down a bunch of logs before, but i'm going to do a longer section.

I'm wondering what other people think about sharpening for cutting on the pull or the push.

Traditional pit saws are thicker and cut on the downstroke.

Many japanese saws are very thin and cut on the pullstroke.

Since the panel saw is thinner, i may go with the up/pull stroke, but i don't know how that will do with me physically. I could probably push with more endurance, but pulling would keep the saw straighter.

I'm thinking my teeth can't be as big as a pitsaw, so the pull could work just fine. 

I've also thought about putting two saws together to make it thicker. 

Perhaps I'll start with a small toothed panel saw until i can get my home-cut saw in the kerf.

Thoughts? Doubts? Crazypills?


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Forget it. And in the future...


----------



## railaw (Nov 15, 2011)

Tangent: In the illustration, after cutting half way down, how would the cut be finished? If it gets flipped around you have to start new on the line and hope it lines up or start in the kerf and saw up the slope instead if down. Which was it, or is there another possibility?


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Forget it. And in the future...


----------



## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

> Thoughts? Doubts? Crazypills?


All the time, but somehow I've survived this long. I say go for it.


----------



## johnmark (Jul 21, 2012)

i forgot one of the most integral details.

i'm going to rip a 6' log that used to be 22" in diameter.

i have the log in pieces of about 10"x10", and i'll be cutting 2.5 inch boards.

this thread probably could go in the milling section.

i have a huge slab that's probably...8-10 inches thick and 2 foot wide and 6' long. it's all very green, so i'm thinking about milling it thin to dry and glue it back to make a workbench top.

I'm also wondering if i should just cut the legs into smaller sections so that they'll dry quicker and after a few years i could start on it. I would hope that the (by then) ~4" thick top would be somewhat dry and the legs would be all the way dry so i could just start the project and it would just get stronger with age.

Crazy? good planning? horrible?

(this would be a roubo style bench, hence the ridiculous sizes)


----------



## johnmark (Jul 21, 2012)

i had a dream last night where i was milling wood with a portable mill that used a flywheel and a treadle. i now want to do this for a living. i need to create my invention first. 

i would need some pretty huge fellies and whatnot, and i would like the treadle or whatever to not be directly connected.

i'm good at bikes, and i've thought about going that route, but i think for the simplicity and maintenance it might be easier to not use a freewheel. i don't know anything yet. 

i got an adze from work that is never ever used. (They're left over from a previous property management company) It's really a pick-adze. I sharpened it up and flattened out some of my logs. perhaps i should take pictures of the process. it's a learning process for sure.


----------



## johnmark (Jul 21, 2012)

firemedic said:


> Thin is good. This the biggest drawback to my 1 TPI pit saw - he kerf is much thicker than it needs to be to effectively rip. Think about a band saw mill.
> 
> What I'm getting at here is you have to strike a balance.
> 
> ...


okay. i'll acknowledge you. 

telling me that choosing a thin saw is better doesn't do me any good because i only have one choice in the first place.

telling me a bigger angle that touches more surface area is common sense physics. 

i asked about the push or pull of the tool and you answered about the thickness.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

johnmark said:


> I'm thinking about making a one man rip saw.
> 
> If i took a normal panel saw, layed out large rip teeth, then cut it out, i think it could work.
> 
> ...


I'm trying to envision what exactly you want to do. I've used a one man rip saw, looks like a regular western type hand saw but toothed for ripping on the push stroke. I guess you could cut it yourself to be more aggressive. 

Hand ripping a log can be a real chore. the mention of a pit saw, is a common process for hand cutting utilizing a "pit" so to speak with one guy underneath (in the pit), and one guy on top. Guy on top pushes, guy on the bottom pulls. Guy on the bottom gets the debris in the face.

So, if what you are thinking of is much different than handsawing, and you mention a treadle, makes me think you want to mechanize a saw blade that is foot operated...am I close?


















.


----------

