Lumber/Saw Question

[Woodwerker]

Guys, I picked up 50 6"X4"x4' oak beams.
They are about 50 years old and in very good condition considering the age.
I want to use them for a flooring project, the only problem is cutting them down! I tried to rip down a 2X4 board to 1" and it took almost 5 minutes
I am using a 42 tooth carbide blade on a Jet table saw running at 240V
This is very dense wood. Can you recomend a better blade, or should I just take this a mill to have it cut down?
Thanks in advance for the help.

[drumpriest]

I would honestly probably have a mill do it, but you should be using a 24T ripping blade at least. With a 42 tooth blade, the gullets arn't deep enough to accomidate the sawdust at high speed.

[SARGE..g-47]

I have to agree with Keith, WW. If you're going to rip them, I would take slightly over 1/2 the depth on one side. Then reverse ends and rip the opposite side to not overlaod the saw on too deep a cut. I won't consider ripping on anything but a 24 T blade. If you don't have one and don't want to spend a lot, got to HD and get an Oldham 24 T carbide for $13.98. It's just the ticket for this project and especially if you might find a nail in there somewhere. It's sacrificial at that price. I have one on a 7 1/4 circular saw that has been through 2 nails and the carbide didn't chip? Beats me as I'm still using it on outside framing.

Option two is if you know someone with a bigger band-saw set up for re-saw, ASK. Anything 1 1/2 HP or up with a 3 tooth rip blade should do it nicely if the saw is set up properly with the use of a fence or "point fence" as I use.

Or take it to your hard-wood lumber yard and let pay them do it on a "big boy" as Keith mentioned. BTW.. you will need a jointer and planer to get it finish grade for flooring.

Good luck...

[25]

Speaking of nails, you may want to seriously consider getting a metal detector.

[SARGE..g-47]

And if you use anything you can recover or given as I do 25, it's and excellent investment with good blades $40 + a pop.

I remember being 25... I think? ha.. ha...

Regards...

[Knottscott]

You didn't mention the HP of your saw, but I assume it's less than 3hp if you're concerned about it. That being the case, a thin kerf 24T rip blade will load your motor alot less. The best deal on a TK ripper I know of right now is over at Woodnet. A Leitz distributor named Mike Jackson (XCESSTOOLING) has high quality German made blades under the Leitz, Irwin, & Delta brandnames that are all made by Leitz. His 24T TK ripper is exactly like the $50 Schumacher & Sohn blade and it's a ripping animal. For that price, get 2! He also has a 10T Delta ripper for $10 that might do well. Make sure your saw is well tuned, and the top is waxed. If you've got a jointer, flatten the face and the adjacent edgee that goes against the fence. You should have no trouble getting through each piece in two passes.

10" z24 FLAT TOP fast rip thin kerf #011 $ $11 each
35-610 10" z10 SQ 5/8" bore $10
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthr...apsed&sb=5&o=7


If you'd prefer a full kerf ripper, there's a 24T DeWalt 7124 Series 40 on Ebay right now for $10.99.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Woodwerker]

Thanks for the help guys.
I have a planer and jointer for the finish, the 24 T blade is the way to go.
I will try one of the suggested blades, if it doesn't work well I will send this to the mill. The Saw is 1.5 HP.

[Woodwerker]

Guys, I picked up a 24T blade and it worked like a charm!
Thanks for the help.
I have a few more questions and I would love some help with them

1) I am using this oak for a floor, what would you recomend as far a thickness?
I cut a few boards down to 1" and planed to a final thickness of 3/4"
Too thick?

2) I am installing over concrete, I am planning on laying down a moisture barrier, (tar paper) then a sub floor 1/2" ply. Is this ok?

3) Should I edge nail these or if not how would you install over the sub floor.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
This board is GREAT because of the people like you!!!

[DaveS]

I have a few more questions and I would love some help with them

well... 3/4" is the most common "standard" flooring thickness - especially in hardwood.

I believe one of the reasons that they make it that thick so that they can put a solid tongue and groove on each piece (1/4" each).

If you are going to the trouble of making your own hardwood flooring, I'd say you ought to route a tongue and groove on it. Then install it with a flooring stapler ($130 for knockoff from HF, or rent a "good" one for $60 a day).

While I am not a flooring expert, I do know that many flooring manufacturers do not recommend hard wood over concrete - others give a procedure for doing so. Earlier this month someone posted a link to a flooring forum, you might go ask over there.

If you cut the flooring into 6" wide pieces, you may have trouble with cupping. Typically hardwood flooring is 2.25" wide (or sometimes 3").

I'm also concerned with the likelihood of many identical 4' pieces - during the installation, you will have to plan ahead to make sure that you get a "random look to the boards. Traditional hardwood flooring comes in many random lengths, so making it random looking is automatic.

Also, please make sure you figure how much flooring you need - given the dimensions you provided, you will get 350-400 square feet of flooring, best case.

Personally, I'd go buy some oak flooring for $2 a square foot and save this wood for something special.