[DaleFiorillo]

I want to bevel the ends of a bunch of cedar 4 X 4’s. My biggest concern is splintering
at the end of the cuts. I could use a skilsaw, or buy smile a chamfer bit. Any
thoughts?
Dale

 

[DaninVan]

How fussy are you re this particular project, Dale?
Not a lot of support for the base plate of the saw, and you still need some kind of square or fence to run the narrow portion of the plate against. I usually do it freehand but I'm talking about fence posts...

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I agree with Dan. What's the end use and just how much chamfer and at what angle?

 

[DaleFiorillo]

The 4x4 are not appearance items, they are shelf braces. One end is fastened into a vertical
column, the other end faces outward, and I didn’t want it to be just a flat surface. The 45 degree
chamfers would leave a 1” square in the center which is where the head of a very long
lagscrew resides in a 1/2” recess. I have a jig, but it would be cumbersome to reset for 3 cuts
on 8 posts. These braces are quite short, only 10”, if that makes any difference.
Maybe I should buy the bit, and try both methods. Someone else be pondering about this.
Dale

 

[DaninVan]

Rough cut them and clean them up with a hand plane, Dale. Ahhh the smell of fresh wood shavings in the morning!
By the way, those are massive chamfers. Try making one chamfer 1/3 that big and see what it looks like before you commit to the big ones.
Another idea; do a scroll on the ends, rather than a chamfer.
https://www.vandykes.com/restorers-rustic-thorton-traditional-bracket/p/230692/

 

[fire65]

What tools do you have? I would just use my chop saw. A skil saw would do it also is that is what you have to work with.

 

[mgmine]

A chamfer bit will not take that amount of wood off to leave a 1" center. On the other hand a skill saw will be extremely difficult for the reasons already stated. If you don't have a miter saw how about a hand saw?

 

[Bob Adams]

I would clamp them together with scrap in/out feed pieces. Attach a temporary fence/straight edge that is set up to match your circular saw set to 45*. Make your cut, rinse, repeat.

 

[DaninVan]

What Bob said about gang sawing them, if you don't have a miter saw that'll take a 4x4.

"...a 1” square in the centre which is where the head of a very long
lagscrew resides in a 1/2” recess."
-Dale
Can't you screw down from the horizontal member into the brace?
If the ends of the brace are set into notches, all the force is in compression. Once the shelf is loaded, you couldn't move those braces even without screws holding them.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=wooden+braces+corbels+pictures&t=ffsb&atb=v77-3_q&ia=images
If you want to do it from the brace side, pre-drill and counter bore, then use wood plugs after you've screwed it down. Two #10 or #12 woodscrews per end and that sucker ain't goin' nowhere. Lagscrews seem a bit risky on a 10" piece...you'd need to pre-drill completely through the brace at all locations; you don't need or want lateral stress cracking the braces(s). Whichever way you choose, take a wax candle, or bar of soap and thoroughly lubricate the threads. You don't want to create stresses in the brace, as the screws/bolts go in.

 

[DesertRatTom]

I'd build a jig that holds the workpieces in position for whatever tool you choose to make the cut. The shape will have to match the tool. If you have a router table, and the cut is not too large, you can use a square cut piece of ply or MDF to push each 2x4 piece across the bit. The MDF will hold the piece square and avoid chip out.

If you cut with a circular saw, you'll need to work out a flat top plate with a built in fence for the saw to ride on, and that gets a solid grip on the 2x. Push the saw across to make the cut, and let the piece that straddles the 2x as a backer to limit tearout. With most circular saws, you're probably going to have to use a 45 degree blade tilt.
You'll also need a small stop block against which you'll push each block so all pieces have matching cuts. I'd make the table wide and long enough to keep the well saw supported throughout the entire cut. Add a couple of strips of low friction tape to make the saw behave itself.

If you have a table saw, a long piece attached to the miter gauge, coated with some self adhesive sand paper, and with a stop block for the back end will do. Probably the safest option.

I also agree that using a long bolt will probably split at least several pieces, depending on their grain and density. Of course, you could drill a 5/8ths hole and insert a hardwood dowel, then put a shorter screw through the end, into the dowel. This will distribute the load through the length of the dowel and reduce the chance of splitting.

Making the suggested circular saw jig will take maybe 90 minutes to complete.

 

[hawkeye10]

Do you have beavers where you live??? >

You can tell I have all the answers. :wink:

 

[DaleFiorillo]

Oh my, the knowledgevthat resides here. Here goes. No chopsaw, tablesaw, etc., just a good saber and circular saw. I
planned on predrilling the 4x4’s which have to fasten end on. Plane the ends?, across the grain,? I can back off
how much I chamfer, I just don’t want a big chrome bolt head and washer sticking out, the whole catio is
nice cedar. I think the photos will clarify things. The 4x4 is only 6” long, it will plug into the 3/4” cedar strip, and
beyond that, past the wire, is the vertical 4x4 column for the screw. All clear?
Dale
well, I can’t seem to upload a photo in quick reply mode, so it will be a bit ( ! ).

 

[woodknots]

I'm going to agree with @Bob Adams - gang the 4 x 4's together with a 2 x 4 at each end for the cut support. Bevel one side, spin the 4 bys and do it again for each side.

But, having said that, since these are shelf supports, and only 6" long, how deep is the shelf - is there going to be an overhang at the front end of the 4x4? If you are only leaving a 1" center, will you have enough room left to counterbore for the bolt head and washer? More to think about.

 

[DaleFiorillo]

No beavers nearby, just eagles falcons owls deer elk coyote, etc. Vince and Bob, I’m going to do it your way. There is a 4” overhang,
and the shelf is fastened flush the post so the horizontal overhang is 10”. The 1” square is not critical, just enough for
the washer to fit. This is part of my Project post of the catio.

 

[woodknots]

@DaleFiorillo - Geez, I didn't connect the two threads - all along I thought you were misspelling "patio", but didn't want to say anything.

So, cats, eh? Just through a couple of boxes in there with a plank or two - they won't know.:jester::jester:>>>

I love dogs.

 

[DaleFiorillo]

The plan is to have 5 platforms, ascending 6’ to a 5’ horizontal landing. I could have
used big ugly brackets, but they would be so ugly amongst all the red cedar. Besides,
this is a great opportunity to ‘need’ some new tools. Guide bushings, mototool,
router bits, clamps, oh and 3 forstner bits. I think a chopsaw might be pushing it!
Dale

 

[DaninVan]

!...Not at all what I thought you were talking about, Dale.
OK; back from the drawing board. (Not really...but if I have to...)
The picture below shows a commercial version. The vertical leg points up and gets screwed to the vertical framing. Your horizontal shelf support gets a channel routed on the back face, and also on the underside. The support gets dropped into place over the bracket and the mounting screws go through the metal bracket up into the shelf support.
Now, no need to go and buy fancy hardware; just buy hot galvanized angle brackets and cut one leg to maybe 2 1/2" - 3" long.
6 x 1-1/8-In. Galvanized Corner Brace: Model# N220-228 | True Value

 

[AndyL]

Personally I'd happily make that chamfer cut on a 4x4 with a hand-held circular saw, probably just with an aluminium roofing square clamped to it as a guide. I often cross-cut 4" wide boards with a 6.5" circular saw and I've found it works fine without needing any other support or guidance.

 

[Herb Stoops]

Personally I'd happily make that chamfer cut on a 4x4 with a hand-held circular saw, probably just with an aluminium roofing square clamped to it as a guide. I often cross-cut 4" wide boards with a 6.5" circular saw and I've found it works fine without needing any other support or guidance.

I agree with Andy, I have beveled many 4X4 post tops with a skilsaw and never looked back, just basic carpentry. You could even make a jig to run the saw across, a 3 sided one with a larger top and a square straight edge to guide the saw, if you want to get fancy. I would cut the bevels before I cut them to 6" lengths too as they would be easier to handle. Maybe too late for that. If you have already cut them to length, I like the previous suggestion of lining them up in a row and beveling one side of all of them at once, that only makes 4 cuts to do them all.

How are you drilling the through hole for the bolt? A hand drill and an auger bit ? Will need a smaller bit to drill the post for the threads to bite into, and watch out for the hidden fence wire when you drill.
Herb

 

[DaninVan]

It just flashed on me; if you have a bandsaw, you could do the chamfers on that (because of the short pieces).