I`m building a 4 ft high retaining wall out of old railroad ties.Its rough on my chain-saw blade.Can you clean it?I`ve been pegging it with rebar.Basically this is a nasty job and any helpful hints would be appreciated.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Fine Homebuilding is excited to be the official media partner of the 2024 Building Science Symposium series! This event offers builders, tradesmen, architects, designers and suppliers to discuss topics ranging…
Featured Video
Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by BrickHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
For railroad ties, telephone poles, etc full of creosote, I use a long wood blade on the Sawzall. Works better and longer than a chain saw and it doesn't kick back on the tough center veins.
I`ll try the sawsall.Does the creosote gum up the blade?If so can you clean it?
Try mineral spirits to clean creosote tar.
Samt
No way I'm cleaning someone else's chainsaw! But if you want to do it yourself you can try Gumout along with the pre-mentioned mineral spirits. I believe I also have a can of spray that is actually called "Pitch and Gum Remover" that is meant to be used for cleaning saw blades. If you ask me, it's just oven-cleaner in a different can though!
Hose it off sideways from a 45 degree angle or more, that will help the CS blade. Also compressed air works at very oblique angle(>80 deg).
Of course, if you hit a spike, get a new chain.
Probably have done over a hundred RR tie cuts with old cross cut saw in the 50's. Even (especially) with a hand saw always washed them first. When RR right of ways were first being abandonded, think that was where RR tie landscaping started. A Mr. McAllister, a friend of Pops, lived next to an Illinois Terminal line being abandoned in the 50's, had about 2000 ties in his yard as he could not pass up a good deal as he said he got paid 10 cents apiece when he was a kid to cut down an oak and make a tie.