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need help finding a specialty tool

| Posted in Tools for Home Building on December 21, 2004 04:22am

Good Morning All,

     My name is Brent.  I am currently transitioning into the field of residential construction, an area in which I have hobbied for the past ten years.  I was led to your site while searching for a tool and have found it to be a great source of information, thanks.  I am trying to find a tool to assist me in my latest project.  I am building a barn.  The walls will be framed with 6×6.  I want to let in 2×4’s horizontally to provide a nailing surface for a vertical board finish.  I would like to use a through half lap at the point of connection.  This will result in approximately 150 half laps.  I have seen a universal dado kit on a circular saw in a book, “Framing Roofs” by the Taunton press but have been unable to find one.  The dado accessory allowed you to cut dados up to 3.25″ wide.  Any help in finding this tool would be greatly appreciated.  You all have a wonderful  holiday.

                                               Brent     

Reply

Replies

  1. Sasquatch | Dec 21, 2004 05:52pm | #1

    Amazon is always a good place to look.  You might try the back of the book for sources too.  Contacting the author of the article might be possible if all else fails.  If the article is originally from a Fine Homebuilding issue, you might find out what issue it was in and check out the ads in that issue.  You could try to Google it also. 

    Les Barrett Quality Construction
  2. zendo | Dec 21, 2004 05:52pm | #2

    Brent,

    Im not sure if they will have the tool you are looking for, but if you are going to be a timber framer, you need this website for all kinds of tools.

    timberwolftools.com - this is a company owned by John Libby a timber framer in Maine, he probably has a site as well.

    check also amazon, and there is a tool forum on the tool bar in this website...if you havent found it.

    1. brnzbaks | Dec 21, 2004 06:33pm | #4

      I looked on Timberwolfs website but did not find the tool.  Calling John Libby was on my agenda.  I am not a timberframer, there is just a particuliar look my client is interested in.  Thanks for the tip.

                                                        Brent

    2. brnzbaks | Dec 21, 2004 07:21pm | #6

      Gave timberwolf a call and there response was that of everyone I have contacted, " I've seen them but have no idea where to get one".  I will give amazon a try. 

  3. User avater
    BossHog | Dec 21, 2004 06:09pm | #3

    I can't imagine why in the world you would want to go to that much trouble. It seems like an enormous amount of work for nothing.

    For starters, trying to dado all the purlins into the 6X6 posts seems unnecessary. What's the purpose in that?

    And why all the half laps? You have half the width of the 6X6 post to fasten the purlins to. What do you hope to gain with the half laps?

    Liberalism, at its heart, is: low expectations, pessimism, an assumption that ordinary people are helpless. All of American history proves that false. Every American family proves that false. [Rush Limbaugh]
    1. brnzbaks | Dec 21, 2004 06:47pm | #5

      Ultimately my goal was to have the siding tight against the posts.  I had considered installing boards horizontally between the posts like girts but when I saw the circular saw with the dado kit I thought it might be nice to let in the nailers.  I also considered letting in the entire girt.  Just playing around with some ideas and trying to justify the purchase of another tool.  I will be meeting with a supplier the week after next to discuss the design and put together a materials package.  If you an idea I would love to hear it.  Thanks for your time.

                                                      Brent

  4. User avater
    IMERC | Dec 21, 2004 10:39pm | #7

    there's a similar item that you want on my truck...

    use a router and a home made jig instead....

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

    1. brnzbaks | Dec 21, 2004 11:02pm | #9

      not sure what you meant with the first comment, are you saying you have this accessory ?  I thought about using a router and jig.  I only have a 3/4 hp router which I assume is to small for such an application but am willing to purchase a larger router.  My thought was to gang cut the joints through say 10  2x6 at a time.  Any suggestions as to what type of router and bit ?  Thanks.

                                                       Brent

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Dec 21, 2004 11:06pm | #10

        1619EVS Bosch router..

        3+ hp plunge and a straight bit....

        really easy as in cake and pie...

        yes I have that attachment...

        go with the router...

         

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Dec 22, 2004 12:31am | #11

          why not a few kerfs with the circle saw and a slick to clean it up?I bet my socks ya get a better job with less hassle. 

          Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

          Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

           

           

          1. brnzbaks | Dec 22, 2004 01:23am | #13

            Certainly considered it but thought it would take more time than I wanted to spend on a detail.  Thanks for the response.

                                                            Brent

          2. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 22, 2004 01:34am | #14

            it's quicker than ya think..and i once used one of those dado blades..it clogs up the dust port on the saw something awful.make a slew of kerfs, knock out the waste with a hammer, pare it flat.might take a minute and a half each..and I always learned, let the weakness of the wood work for you, not at you..in other words make chunks of waste with little effort, rather than a pile of dust and sweat. follow that weakness of kerfing and snapping before ya grind all that to a pile of dust.Just my take on it. 

            Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

             

             

          3. zendo | Dec 22, 2004 02:32am | #17

            I think a routing plane might be better.  Saves electricity.

          4. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 22, 2004 02:48am | #19

            you ever actually use one of them?I have..really an exercise in futility. Unless ya are REALLY commited, or want to be. 

            Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

             

             

          5. zendo | Dec 22, 2004 02:53am | #20

            no just messing around, but I do hand cut dovetails... I prefer the look and shock of the handwork.

            chainsaws work well too.

          6. AJinNZ | Dec 22, 2004 03:40am | #21

            I did a job recently where I had to set a 6X3 into 8X8 posts.

             

            3 per post and about 30 somthing posts..............I ended up using a small,light 71/4 saw and made a heap of cuts per checkout, bust out the strips with a hammer, chisel off the larger lumps and get a sharp chainsaw and rub it up and down the groove. Worked really well and way neater than I expected it to be.

             

            For the dado cutter saw, check out Joe Fusco's site. There is a couple of threads on that. The feller there that has one got the thing made specially. Wasnt cheap either. 

            Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.

            DW

          7. zendo | Dec 22, 2004 02:33am | #18

            Hey brnz,

            You ever go to Woodbutcher Tools in Wiscassett?

          8. slykarma | Dec 22, 2004 04:07am | #22

            I use the technique Sphere describes quite often and it works well. When there are a lot of notches to do, I use a sliding mitre saw with depth stop set at the correct saw kerf depth. Holding that circ saw will get real tiring after about 4 notches.

            If you use a router you'll need a 3hp or bigger production model. Expect to go through a couple of straight cut bits. Also you'll spend a good couple hours making up a template and setting up router.

            Better start looking for some cheap temp help now. Be a couple days work for someone there for sure. Welcome to the forum!

            WallyLignum est bonum.

          9. User avater
            dieselpig | Dec 22, 2004 01:57am | #15

            I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not going to find that saw anywhere.  I remember that picture well, it was on a skill 77, right?  Anyway, OSHA came along and did away with saws like that, in all fairness, that's a pretty dangerous saw!  If you want one, you're going to have to find someone to make one for you.  I think your best bet would be to either use IMERC's router, or Sphere's technique if you really need to go that route.

        2. brnzbaks | Dec 22, 2004 01:21am | #12

          Thanks for the router tip, I have heard many good things about the Bosch routers.  After a week of calls to countless tool manufacturers and distributors I am curious as to where you aquired the dado accessory for a circular saw.  Everyone I called responded as though I was from Mars. 

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Dec 22, 2004 02:26am | #16

            same people that make the zero clearence trim / close attachment...

            all after market...

            use it once and you'll park it... wastes way too much time and it has a lot of limits...

            router is the way to go... cut yur limits with a circular saw and hog out with the router...

             

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  5. DanteO | Dec 21, 2004 10:53pm | #8

    I think a Makita Groove cutter 3803A wll do the trick.  Also check out http://www.aloghomestore.com

  6. FNbenthayer | Dec 22, 2004 04:24am | #23

    Chainsaw and a sharp chisel.

     

     

     

     

    The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
    - Fyodor Dostoyevski

  7. Shoeman | Dec 22, 2004 05:04am | #24

    how about using a dado blade on a radial arm saw?

    1. User avater
      bobl | Dec 22, 2004 07:42am | #25

      Need to be sure you get the right size dado blade and you have good support for the piecesused a 8" blade on my RAS and the motor housing hit the piece for a 1.5" depth cuthad what I thought was good support, but was a little lacking and the cuts weren't quite right. 

      bobl          Volo, non valeo

      Baloney detecter

      1. mosseater | Dec 22, 2004 09:08am | #26

        Ditto the chain saw. Mark it, score it, three cuts and pop out the scrap with the bar, clean up with a chisel. Only drawback might be bar lube on the purdy wood but shouldn`t be much. Hey, no cord!

  8. User avater
    skyecore | Dec 22, 2004 12:56pm | #27

    another vote for cutting the limits with a skilsaw and hawging out the middle with a router..

    Welcome to BT!

    -->

    measure once

    scribble several lines

    spend some time figuring out wich scribble

    cut the wrong line

    get mad

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