[Will1983]

Hi i have managed to come across about 30 sleepers and wish to build some raised beds. however im not sure what the best way of cutting them to length is.

i have access to a stihl saw with a diamond blade, would this do it? a chainsaw would be ideal but i dont know anyone in the Crewe/Nantwich area with one. is it possible to cut them with a normal hand saw, id imagine it'd be blooming hard work!

[arugula]

I may be teaching you to suck eggs, but please make sure your diamond blade is a toothed blade/disc for cutting wood and not an ordinary stone disc. A petrol chainsaw would be a more practical tool to take to the sleepers. You might be able to hire one - I'm not sure if this is allowed by law or not - but if you can, you're bound to have to do some sort of training before they'll let you loose with it. A handsaw would make very hard work of the job!

[Will1983]

as far as i know your not allowed to hire a chainsaw unless you can provide the required ticket of competency.

the diamond blade is one we use for cutting through kerbs and tarmac so i would imagine its up to the job, i'll have to try it and if it doesnt work it looks like it'll be a hand saw and very sore shoulders for me!

[arugula]

Its a different kind of blade for cutting wood or stone, so the one you have wouldn't be suitable. At best it could make a messy cut, at worst it could be dangerous.

[Lardman]

Whats wrong with hand tools ?

Any decent saw should do, depending on how wet they are you might even get away with a bow saw.

If your don't like that you could try a reciprocating saw, cheap blades for when you catch something nasty in the sleeper. You can always buy a chainsaw a small electric one should cost you less than £100.  Don't bother with the stihl saw, save it for cutting concrete.

[Will1983]

i dont know if they will be wet, they used to hold up the blackpool tram system! im not averse to using hand tools i was just looking for a quicker and easier way to cut them as ive got 10-15 to do.

my whole plot has gone from a weed covered bomb site that hadn't seen a fork in 15years to a terraced productive allotment with scaffold plank raised beds, woodchip paths, 2 pallet compost bins and a homebuilt shed with nothing but hand tools in less than 12months. but if theres an easier way to do something im always open to suggestions

[8doubles]

Being a carpenter i would  put a 'second best' blade in the circular saw and cut from each side, finish with a bow saw if needed.
Saw  this on you tube, still looks like hard work. cOvvBgzyeEI

[Lardman]

I suppose we should ask if you have power on the plot   

Im always concerned about resawing reclaimed timber, you never know whats in it. A lesson I learnt the expensive way.

Screwfix are doing a cheap petrol chainsaw for £100.  £10 / Cut ... Cheap and easy seem to always be mutually exclusive. 

[Will1983]

no we have no power available on our plot unfortunately. god knows it would be handy, ive lost count of the amount of times ive have to stop work as the batteries are dead on my drill.

i cant afford to spend £100 on a chainsaw so i'll just try it with a decent sharp hand saw and see how i get on, i can always do it over a few days.

[savbo]

I did 4 oak sleepers with a Bahco barracuda - took me a while but got through...

[Yorkie]

i dont know if they will be wet, they used to hold up the blackpool tram system!

If they are anything like train track railway sleepers, they will have been heavily treated with strong chemicals - which I wouldn't advise you use anywhere near edible crops, and they can ooze tar etc out of them in warm weather - leading to staining on clothes if you touch them.

Check yours aren't contaminated in this way before you use them.

[Slowgrind]

Don't use a diamond blade!
Not on any type of timber. They get overheated and react in all sorts of dangerous ways (jamming in the cut)
Get a decent bow saw and a few blades. Set up a good saw bench, at a comfortable cutting height and get stuck in! Always keep your hands above the saw teeth, and wear some leather gloves.

[Nige2Plots]

Don't forget if wood is wet always rub a candle along the teeth of the saw. It lubricates them and makes cutting so much easier!

[AndyRVTR]

Buy one from Argos (£99 for petrol), cut your sleepers to the required sizes and take back under their 'no quibble guarantee', tell them it's not powerful/big enough.... simples 

[Tenhens]

Good answer!  Whats the catalogue number?!