I'm looking to cut a small log that has about a 5 cm diameter, made of laurel wood, which is actually pretty nice to work with. The tools I have include a handheld circular saw (but I don't have a jig to help keep it straight), a bunch of clamps, a piece of straight scrap wood, a drill, and a jigsaw. I'm trying to figure out if I can make this work with what I have, or if I should just go with the traditional axe and mallet approach. Any advice?
3 Answers
Honestly, just holding or clamping the log down and using the circular saw should be doable since 5 cm isn't that thick. Just go slow to keep it straight as you saw. But keep in mind the edges might not be perfectly smooth without a jig.
Using a handsaw is definitely a solid option here. Your log is pretty small, so it shouldn't take too long to cut through it. Just make sure to secure it properly with your clamps to prevent it from moving while you're cutting. If you don't mind a bit of manual work, this could be the easiest and safest route!
Totally agree! A handsaw would work just fine. Plus, you won’t have to worry about any complications that come with power tools.
If you can get your hands on a bandsaw from a friend, that would be ideal for this kind of woodwork. But if you’re going solo, using the axe and mallet isn’t a bad idea either. Just take your time, and remember, it’s basically a twig you're dealing with here!
Yeah, it’s a small log so the circular saw should handle it fine. Just try to stabilize it well!