Due to their large scale, if you are cutting a lot of sleepers in one go, then using a hand saw is not the best option as you will tire quickly and there is a high risk of injury and inaccuracy. The best type of mitre saw for cutting sleepers is a sliding mitre saw. Best Circular Saw – Bosch Professional Hand Held Circular Saw 240 V, Saw Blade 190 mm, 1400 W. We talked earlier about the importance of having a large cutting depth when using a circular saw for cutting sleepers and that’s exactly what you get with this product.
I’m concerned with the number of people recommending a chainsaw, circular saw or chop saw. The nature of a blade thats spinning upwards means that when a kickback occurs, the saw is going to come back towards you and turn so the blade is facing you(legs,arm,stomach). Yes thats a way of doing it, but oak is a hard timber, and the saw blade, especially at full depth will have difficulty.
One more thing, I make furniture with the oak and not landscaping. When I require accuracy on the cuts I mean no more than 1mm out. No disrespect to some of the advice given but I have researched this a lot and there is little on the market for accurate cutting for over 130mm cuts at 90′ at a medium budget.
Cut your sleepers with a circular saw or a chainsaw by slowly making clean, straight cuts. A circular saw is the most widely used method for cutting sleepers at home. A high-end table saw with a 12 inch blade can cut a 4×4 in one pass with maximum cut of about 4 inches.
In. How To Outdoors Sleepers 7 Mins Read. Sleepers are getting more and more common, particularly softwood sleepers for raised beds or steps in the garden. A circular saw will not cut all the way through so you will have to flip the sleeper onto each side, even then you will still probably have to finish it off with a handsaw. Below is the saw I use myself and indeed the saw I used when cutting this sleeper.
best circular saw for cutting oak sleepers Related Question:
What is the best way to cut oak sleepers?
A circular saw is the most widely used method for cutting sleepers at home. The most accurate method for cutting larger sleeper quantities, you will find in most instances that the blade is not deep enough to cut through the depth in one pass. Instead, the sleeper will need to be rotated and cut in sections.
Can you cut oak sleepers with a hand saw?
A good handsaw is probably going to be best for you. You could knock up a giant mitre box quite simply and quickly to help with your accuracy – you could even use the sawn ends of other sleepers as a guide assuming they’re square of course.
Do I need to treat oak sleepers?
Oak reproduction sleepers will naturally last longer than their softwood alternative. Both types should be treated with an exterior wood preservative on all sides prior to installation and paying special attention to any sawn ends.
How do I join sleepers on top of each other?
If you are stacking the sleepers horizontally on their broadest side, e.g. on the 250mm width of a 250mm x 125mm sleeper, then all you need to do is to overlap the joints of the sleepers, from layer to layer, like building a brick wall, and fasten each layer to the layer below with timber lock screws or similar.
What blade is best for cutting oak?
The best saw blade for ripping hardwood is a rip blade. This blade is specially made for cutting through wood fibers, so it will cut through hardwood easily and leave a clean edge. Rip blades usually have 10 to 40 flat-topped (FT) teeth, which is a comparatively small number, but it will move through the grain quickly.
Can I use a circular saw to cut tree branches?
While its possible to use a circular saw to cut a tree branch I wouldn’t advise it. They’re not meant for trimming trees and because of that, I won’t be adding it to list. Same goes for the other saws designed for something other than cutting trees.
Can you cut hardwood with a circular saw?
To make straight cuts, you would need to create a jig or a straight edge clamped down to the hardwood floorboard to use as a guide while cutting. For a beginner, a circular saw is enough for most wood flooring cutting needs as it can do both rip cuts and cross cuts.
What is a scorpion saw?
The versatile Scorpion® Saw combines a reciprocating saw, pruner and jigsaw in one. With Autoselect® technology, it automatically adjusts the settings at the push of a button, delivering hassle-free versatility and powerful cutting through timber, metals and plastics.
How do you fix two sleepers together?
To add a second layer, place your sleepers on top of the first layer, overlapping the joints. Simply screw through the second layer into the first layer below. Repeat for additional layers. Again, at least two screws per sleeper end is a good solid formula.
Can you use a chop saw to cut sleepers?
If it’s softwood then a good hand saw will do it. Or circular saw both sides and finish with hand saw.
How long will oak sleepers last in the ground?
Hardwood sleepers are much more resistant to softwood sleepers, this is because oak is generally high resistant to any decay and without being treated it can last you up to 30 – 40 years.
Will Oak sleepers rot?
Like all wood, sleepers will eventually rot and fade when exposed to the weather. To prevent them falling to bits before their time, you need to use a good wood preserver.
Do oak sleepers go grey?
Will New Oak Sleepers stay the same colour? No, once the Oak has been subjected to the elements, it will turn a natural grey colour. If you want to apply a stain coating every 2 or 3 years, you may do so, but many people do actually prefer the natural grey weathered effect.
Can sleepers be laid on soil?
Can you lay railway sleepers on soil? Yes you can. If you’re only creating a structure that’s one or two sleepers in height you don’t necessarily need foundations, which means you can lay your railway sleepers onto the soil.
How do you anchor sleepers to the ground?
Cut your sleepers to your required length, which could be random for a rustic look. Then mix up some lean mortar, such as 6:1, to be used as a concrete base and haunching. Place at least a 50mm bed of concrete in the bottom of the trench and start inserting the sleepers, haunching them up as you go.
