Firewood Chop Saw

[wireedm]

A couple of weeks ago I installed a BK Princess insert into our fireplace (which has far exceeded our expectations). That created a small problem.........the insert, ideally, needs 16" long splits. The length I've been cutting to over the years has been 18-22". After having culled through my stack to get the few short pieces that would fit I needed to figure out a rapid way to get them shorter before the cold snap came through recently.

Here's what I whipped up real quick. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Nice, I approve! Good looking beads there. I also like the pivot design. I always appreciate simple, well-made solutions. How's the balance?

 

[wireedm]

Nice, I approve! Good looking beads there. I also like the pivot design. I always appreciate simple, well-made solutions. How's the balance?

Thanks for the kind words......Once I moved the pivot back to the rear bar screw stud it was balanced very nice. The saw is sitting balanced in the picture.

 

[lindnova]

Nice. I had the same problem. I just eyeballed and started cutting using the woodpile as my bench - probably not the recommended way. All those short pieces make for a lot of nice kindling wood.

Does it put much pressure on the stud? Wouldn't want to break it off.

 

[D8Chumley]

Good idea! Fortunately my "problem" is reversed. All my wood I cut this year is 20-22" whereas the old stove everything was cut > 18"

 

[Ashful]

Good idea! Fortunately my "problem" is reversed. All my wood I cut this year is 20-22" whereas the old stove everything was cut > 18"

Maybe you could engineer a glue and dowling fixture, to add small extension pieces to each of your short splits.

 

[D8Chumley]

Good idea Joful!

 

[D8Chumley]

Since I've only worked 1 day since Christmas I've been burning some of my uglies and a lot of shorties I dug out. I'm able to keep the stove room around 75* and the back of the house ~ 65ish. At least some good has come of me being off, not burning any oil when the fire dies out during the day

 

[wireedm]

Nice. I had the same problem. I just eyeballed and started cutting using the woodpile as my bench - probably not the recommended way. All those short pieces make for a lot of nice kindling wood.

Does it put much pressure on the stud? Wouldn't want to break it off.

That was a concern at first, but I found that the saw has enough power (394xp) that I really put very little pressure on the split when going through it since the cross-sections are so small. I was prepared to make a little bracket that attached to both studs if it seemed to be a problem but I think it will be okay.

I used 3/4" hex bar (4140PH) to mount to the stud, so there's a good bit of surface area surrounding and supporting it to help keep it from snapping off.

I really don't want to have to EDM a broken stud out of the bar mount. lol

 

[MrWhoopee]

I like to place a nut over a broken bolt/stud, then wire weld thru the hole to attach the nut, let cool and back it out. The heating and cooling will frequently free a frozen stud. Much faster, and if it fails you can always EDM.

 

[Jags]

Neat and simple build. I like it. I once saw a different (more difficult) design where a guard was made for the nose sprocket and a grip handle attached with a squeeze throttle in the handle. Work just like a chop saw. That was pretty cool too, but I like the simplistic style of your build.

 

[wireedm]

I like to place a nut over a broken bolt/stud, then wire weld thru the hole to attach the nut, let cool and back it out. The heating and cooling will frequently free a frozen stud. Much faster, and if it fails you can always EDM.

On larger broken bolts we use a left-handed drill. Once it breaks loose it just spins right out with the drill.
Just never, ever use an easy-out. We are removing them for folks all the time and at that point it's very difficult to know where the center of the hole is from a pin punch beating up the top of the hole. Ugh!

 

[shoot-straight]

i have used an actual electric chop saw with great results.

 

[mass_burner]

did u weld that holder just for this? or did you already have it?

 

[mass_burner]

i have used an actual electric chop saw with great results.

i have too, but something inside me was very apprehensive about it. The piece not being even on either sides is not predictable. I only do it for scrap lumber now.

 

[wireedm]

did u weld that holder just for this? or did you already have it?

Everything about the fixture was just for this. The material was convenient and wasn't being used for a particular job. I just sawed it to the lengths I needed, deburred, and welded. No precision, just quick to try and beat the arctic air that was coming.

 

[mass_burner]

Everything about the fixture was just for this. The material was convenient and wasn't being used for a particular job. I just sawed it to the lengths I needed, deburred, and welded. No precision, just quick to try and beat the arctic air that was coming.

i'm wondering why a wood holder (2x6) wouldn't have been preferable, it case the saw hit it for some reason.

 

[wireedm]

i'm wondering why a wood holder (2x6) wouldn't have been preferable, it case the saw hit it for some reason.

I'm sure the 2X6 would have made a good holder, I just didn't have one around. I whipped the base and uprights together quicker than I could have gone to the store and purchased the wood.

I'm sure I could have figured a way to make the saw mount very rigid to the wood base though.

The nice thing about using wood is that it would have been easy to adjust if I was off a bit. Welds.....not so much. lol

 

[shoot-straight]

i have too, but something inside me was very apprehensive about it. The piece not being even on either sides is not predictable. I only do it for scrap lumber now.

yeah it was a little hairy especially with strong, stringy woods like oak. key was to take your time. i do think its alot safer than the chainsaw.

 

[MrWhoopee]

On larger broken bolts we use a left-handed drill. Once it breaks loose it just spins right out with the drill.
Just never, ever use an easy-out. We are removing them for folks all the time and at that point it's very difficult to know where the center of the hole is from a pin punch beating up the top of the hole. Ugh!

Back when I had my shop, we kept a selection of LH drills just for that purpose. Easy-outs should be illegal, or at least more expensive than a shop charge (which you're going to pay anyway). It's always more expensive to remove after you've broken the easy-out.

 

[MrWhoopee]

The nice thing about using wood is that it would have been easy to adjust if I was off a bit. Welds.....not so much. lol

Yea, but try putting a sixteenth back on that 2x6.

 

[Ashful]

Back when I had my shop, we kept a selection of LH drills just for that purpose. Easy-outs should be illegal, or at least more expensive than a shop charge (which you're going to pay anyway). It's always more expensive to remove after you've broken the easy-out.

I've searched far and wide for a set of left hand bits, but have only found a few sources, at a very high cost per bit. Any recommendation on where individual bits or a set could be bought at prices similar to standard RH bits?

 

[MrWhoopee]

I've searched far and wide for a set of left hand bits, but have only found a few sources, at a very high cost per bit. Any recommendation on where individual bits or a set could be bought at prices similar to standard RH bits?

Maybe Australia?

Try MSC
http://www.mscdirect.com/FlyerView?contentPath=/sales-catalogs/big-book
page 35
LH drills are never cheap, limited demand.

Edit:
I stand corrected:
http://www.harborfreight.com/13-piece-left-hand-drill-bit-set-95146.html

 

[wireedm]

I've searched far and wide for a set of left hand bits, but have only found a few sources, at a very high cost per bit. Any recommendation on where individual bits or a set could be bought at prices similar to standard RH bits?

Here is another source I use often.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#left-hand-drill-bits/=q7h0h5

 

[MrWhoopee]

Here is another source I use often.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#left-hand-drill-bits/=q7h0h5

When I was doing a lot of purchasing, McMaster's big yellow book was my bible. I kept one by the crapper just to keep up on all that was there. I routinely received calls from friends in the business asking "Do you know where I can get ......?" My first response was always "Have you tried McMaster-Carr?" It's easier now with the Internet, but McMaster is still the go-to for all things industrial. Small minimums, reasonable prices, high quality and FAST shipping.