# Portable bandsaw for timberframing



## big builder (Feb 26, 2008)

Hey everyone,

We are looking for a handheld bandsaw for curviing timbers and site cutting the joinery on a timberframe job we are doing.

I have found online the milwaukee and such but they are too small. I only need to cut say 6" timbers on this job so I don't need a huge one. Since I am not sure how much we will need it in the future then I don't want to get too carried away with the cost either.

Has anyone seen something like this?

Thanks


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Check out timber wolf tools.

Is it Prazi, or pozi. Mafell and even makita and someothers have similar things that you speek of.


----------



## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

Prazi :thumbsup:


----------



## big builder (Feb 26, 2008)

Has anyone used this prazi saw?

Are these accurate?

I need to cut 4 - 16 ' long curved hip rafters out of 6 by 12 fir.

It doesn't look like it would do curves that well with the width of the blade?

Thanks


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

You are cutting 6" of material right?


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I would think you could get it close to the line and then tune it up with a belt sander or planer.

I thought maybe a Festool jig saw but, their max cutting depth is 4 3/4". 

That only leaves you 1 1/4" left, flip it over and finish the cut, touch up with a belt sander.

Hell the Jig saw is only 310.00 and blades are cheap enough. Their blades fit a bosch as well only problem is that the festool will give you a perfect 4+" cut, the others wont. My bosch is close but it still deflects.


----------



## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

big builder said:


> Has anyone used this prazi saw?
> 
> Are these accurate?
> 
> ...


I picked up a Prazi from a freind of mine that built a timber cabin and i love it, but i use it for notching 4x6/6x6 posts for inset beams for decks and have been experimenting with it for cutting multiple stair stringers as well since we all know 2x12 lumber varies so much and once stress relieved it can create off plane/out of whack surfaces to attache the toekicks and treads to, with the prazi i'm able to cut 4 stringers at once and they all come out spot on, just trying to find the best way to do this to prevent chip out, be it scoring the cut lines with a utility knife first, using hard lumber since it's less prone to chip out, or using sacrifical boards on top/bottom clamping the main stringers together.

Anyhow, i'm sure you can cut radiuses with it, but with the width of the bar/chain and then factor in the safety/guide on the back side of the blade it's a pretty large/thick bar to be trying to cut tight radiuses with IMO. I'm sure if a guy took smaller nips out of it and then finished it off with a sawzall and a long blade it'd work, but just being able to go at it with the prazi in a one shot cut, i dont see it. A large throat bandsaw is definately the clear cut winner in this scenario.










you can easily cut 4 stringers in one shot, but blade sharpness and wood hardess are the key factors so you dont get chip out.


----------



## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

if you have a jigsaw that uses a T-shank blade (Bosch, Dewalt, Festool, Makita, maybe others?) you can get 7" long Bosch blades which are just barely capable of cutting through 6" material. There could be a fair amount of flex however, particularly if the radius is tight, so make sure to leave a little room and tune it down with a belt sander or grinder.


----------



## DrewD (Jun 10, 2007)

This probably is out of your price range at a little over 2 grand. Check timberwolftools on google.


----------



## falbergsaws (Sep 27, 2014)

*Leasing Portable Band Saws*

Hand held portable timber saws are incredibly expensive to make, but you don't have to buy a Titan, Elf, or Corbel King from Falberg Saws. You can now LEASE them with no money up front and affordable payments only for the term that you'll be using it to turn a profit. Tools should pay for themselves and if you're cutting big timbers, portable timber band saws are the way to go. http://www.falbergsaws.com


----------



## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I would think you could get it close to the line and then tune it up with a belt sander or planer.
> 
> I thought maybe a Festool jig saw but, their max cutting depth is 4 3/4".
> 
> ...


You don't want to see what happens when you try to cut too deep with a carvex. Or any jigsaw for that matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5LeKf2_C_w

Deflection or not I wouldn't push a jigsaw to camber a 6" timber. Especially along 16'.

If I'm understanding that correctly, I don't see how the prazi wouldn't be ideal.


----------



## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

If they held on for 5 years waiting to do the job.....date stamp on the thread boys.


----------



## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

falbergsaws said:


> Hand held portable timber saws are incredibly expensive to make, but you don't have to buy a Titan, Elf, or Corbel King from Falberg Saws. You can now LEASE them with no money up front and affordable payments only for the term that you'll be using it to turn a profit. Tools should pay for themselves and if you're cutting big timbers, portable timber band saws are the way to go. http://www.falbergsaws.com


Did you read the rules when you joined?



> ContractorTalk.com Advertising Rules
> 
> *Members of ContractorTalk.com may work for or own a company that sells tools, equipment, supplies, or other contracting related products and services.* It is natural to want to promote your product and/or services on this site. However, in order to create a community that is not continuously filtering through unwanted solicitations the administrators will enforce firm rules in regards to advertising.
> 
> ...


----------



## falbergsaws (Sep 27, 2014)

*Rules*

Sorry if I violated your Rules. I sincerely thought I was being very specific in my narrowly worded reply to the OP. The facts, just the facts. I hate spam, too, and I've never done it. But if you ask, I'll answer.


----------

