Circular saw---better eat your wheaties!

[1982fxr]

Anyone else ever look at old tools and wonder if the goal in designing them was how many people you could kill?

Like the old "we have gone *** days without an accident " signs, instead the engineering dept would have a blueprint of the tool on the wall surrounded by obituaries and hospital reports?

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/tls/6075306050.html

 

[1982fxr]

Pic...

 

[MaineGuide]

They still make a version of that saw; they're a fixture for timber framing crews.

 

[Finky198]

We have the same one its a beast... its no more dangerous then a typical sized ones just 3 or 4 times heavier.

Makita beam saw 16-5/16" cutting 10x2x12 Gluelams

 

[1982fxr]

I bet a kickback is fun

Lucky for us we had a chainsaw

 

[Packard V8]

Anyone else ever look at old tools and wonder if the goal in designing them was how many people you could kill?

Like the old "we have gone *** days without an accident " signs, instead the engineering dept would have a blueprint of the tool on the wall surrounded by obituaries and hospital reports?

Whaddya mean? - that little saw even has a working guard!

Here's one which would require some focus.

Or just imagine going to work here every day.

jack vines

 

[2oolhound]

I'm pretty sure the makita I had for log building was only 14". Wish I'd known about the 16-5/16er" I remember locking the blade from side pressure in moist wood but kick backs weren't a problem as you had good leverage at that distance on the handle.

 

[KnurledNut]

I bet a kickback is fun

They are too heavy and spin too slow for much kickback.
Also the electric brake helps.
They work great when you need the depth of cut.
Definitely wouldnt recommend putting a greenhorn on one of these.

 

[Finky198]

All correct ^^^

 

[manwithtools]

Kickback danger on these is far less than a small saw. They are under powered and spin slowly. I cut a lot of logs and beams with one of them. I also had a Hitachi 15" miter-saw with in-feed and out-feed roller tables to help with cutting the logs to length.

They will leave you tired at the end of the day though. A very useful tool for log and timber framing.

 

[Uncle_Charlie]

I ran across this youtube video a couple days ago. Seems appropriate.

 

[Advan]

Most people call them "timber saws". Must be a model from before when Milwaukee and Makita split off into two different companies...

 

[M6erfan]

I ran across this youtube video a couple days ago. Seems appropriate.

That was cool!

 

[manwithtools]

Most people call them "timber saws". Must be a model from before when Milwaukee and Makita split off into two different companies...

Yep, I remember those days. The guys from Wisconson and Japan just could not agree on how to spell the company name

 

[ddawg16]

Tool safety was a by product of idiots and lawyers.....and the loss of common sense....

 

[LXCam]

Most people call them "timber saws". Must be a model from before when Milwaukee and Makita split off into two different companies...

I've got a beam saw. Certainly something you pay extra attention too when getting ready to pull the trigger that's for sure. And certainly not something you let someone without good framing saw skills either, that ain't no amateurs tool.

 

[DanielC99]

I ran across this youtube video a couple days ago. Seems appropriate.

Wow! That is so cool. And, I didn't get bored listening to some guy talking about this and that and me yelling "ok, just get to it!".

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Anyone else ever look at old tools and wonder if the goal in designing them was how many people you could kill?

Like the old "we have gone *** days without an accident " signs, instead the engineering dept would have a blueprint of the tool on the wall surrounded by obituaries and hospital reports?

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/tls/6075306050.html

Had to kind of laugh the saw above was listed as a Milwaukee but actually was a Makita. Seller had the presence of mind though to ask $450 for it!

 

[FMC1959]

Anyone else ever look at old tools and wonder if the goal in designing them was how many people you could kill?

Like the old "we have gone *** days without an accident " signs, instead the engineering dept would have a blueprint of the tool on the wall surrounded by obituaries and hospital reports?

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/tls/6075306050.html

That one looks old but they are still sold new and look pretty much the same. At 16 5/8", definitely big.
https://www.makitatools.com/products/details/5402NA

If you do a YT search on a Makita 5402 saw, you can see them in action.

 

[My Old Tools]

I have a 16" Makita. They are the go to saw for timber framers. Kick back is non-existent because the blade size eats so much of the torque. You will always stall the blade before it kicks.

 

[aka Larry]

Tool safety was a by product of idiots and lawyers.....and the loss of common sense....

Not that designing a tool for safety is a bad thing, but the few times I've injured myself with a tool, it was 100% my fault, and I wasn't looking to blame the manufacturer and get paid.

 

[ddawg16]

Not that designing a tool for safety is a bad thing, but the few times I've injured myself with a tool, it was 100% my fault, and I wasn't looking to blame the manufacturer and get paid.

That is pretty much my experience.....

My worse injury....a hammer falling off a ladder that I was moving....7 staples in my head......not a whole lot you can do to build safety into that....it was just an idiot move on my part.

And....no alcohol if I'm going to be doing cutting....beer drinking and table saws don't mix.....

 

[tarbellb]

I actually have the exact same saw the OP listed, but... its branded Ryobi!

I never knew Ryobi had been around so long, definitely seems like a rebranded Makita. Made in Japan!

 

[Firebrick43]

Tool safety was a by product of idiots and lawyers.....and the loss of common sense....

Really? In factory shown above, a worker would have a life span in years, not decades. I read an account of a factory in Sheffield England that made knives. The workers set in front/straddled of a natrual grindstone, a long line of them run by line shafting. If you didn't die of a grindstone exploding you died of lung diesease. Average life span, 4 years.

The factory was next door that weaved cloth. Lifespan was six year, either got wrapped up or again air quality was atrocious.

Read pages 13-14 of this document about shingle mills on the west cost. http://www.portofeverett.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=514

 

[ddawg16]

Really? In factory shown above, a worker would have a life span in years, not decades. I read an account of a factory in Sheffield England that made knives. The workers set in front/straddled of a natrual grindstone, a long line of them run by line shafting. If you didn't die of a grindstone exploding you died of lung diesease. Average life span, 4 years.

The factory was next door that weaved cloth. Lifespan was six year, either got wrapped up or again air quality was atrocious.

Read pages 13-14 of this document about shingle mills on the west cost. http://www.portofeverett.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=514

I believe the discussion was about hand tools......not factories....

As for factories.....yea, it was a hazardous environment....part of it driven by economies and part by not knowing.....How long did it take us to learn about the hazards of asbestos?

 

[ddawg16]

Fire....I should add....your link made for interesting reading....thanks for posting that

 

[dutchgray]

I want a beam saw, but don't do enough to justify buying one, I can get by with a chain saw or cutting all round.
Mafell does a 450mm bladed one (17 11/16") that cuts 185mm (7 5/16") if the Makita is a bit small.

 

[Slednut]

I built a hopper extender for my pellet grill and decided it was too tall. Cut it off with my circular saw. Made a lot of sparks.