Best way to cut RR ties?

have_blue · Nov 8, 2004

( Price for Carbide chain is $1.79 per drive link for my 3/8 X .050 X 60 chain at Baileys. That comes to $107.40 for a 16" bar plus shipping. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

Hey, that's not as bad as I thought. You can pay over $20 for a garden variety Oregon. But then, I bet carbide can't be sharpened as agressive as a good steel chain, so I bet carbide hasn't caught on with loggers yet.

Dargo · Nov 8, 2004

Well, I haven't seen this answer posted yet, but I figure that the best way to cut the RR tie is the same way to cut a utility pole; with someone else's saw! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I ran across a guy who was so proud of his saw that he claimed that it would slice right through them. He said that he'd cut them up for $10.00 for me. I let him have at it! To the best of my recollection, he spent hours trying to sharpen three different chains he wore out. I'm glad I kept my Stihl 039 in it's case safely tucked away on a shelf in my barn. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BarryinMN · Nov 8, 2004

I like your answer best of all! Use somebody else's saw! I have an old Craftsman 7.5" circular saw that the bearings fall out of.. maybe I'll put it back together one last time & then finish off the tie with an old Sawzall blade.

Soundguy · Nov 9, 2004

I agree with the others.. the metal strips are usually near the ends unless you isually see otherwise.

I believe the rrt's are cresote treated.. so don't breathe the dust.. and remember that it will/may cause a rash... soap helps clean the oil off your skin.

Soundguy

chim · Nov 9, 2004

I can't recommend one of these for RR ties, but we have rented these saws for cutting concrete. Pretty amazing. One time we "trimmed" a precast manhole with one. They had hydraulic motors with the fluid supplied by a power unit. It was one way to use a chain saw in a confined space without getting gassed. Definitely not a "girlie saw"........................chim

Concrete-cutting Chain Saw

chucko · Nov 10, 2004

there you go just rent a chain saw

buckle97 · Nov 10, 2004

there you go just rent a chain saw 

The local rental yard where I have rented many things in the past just stopped renting chain saws. I asked them why and the associate said "you know why".

Yes, in fact I do know why /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

Lawrence

KubotaSteve · Nov 10, 2004

I just cut up a few RR ties to make some horse shoe pits and we used old poulan chainsaw. It cut right through them. I actually would pour oil down into the cut to keep the bar and chain oiled. It really gunked up the saw but then again that's why I don't get expensive saws!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Didn't even sharpen the chain and proceeded to cut down 5 locust trees. It still cut through them ok but could definitely tell the edge was knocked off.
I tried the skil saw and sawzall too but they took way too long and was a little jerky for me. If the ties aren't fairly new look out for the pieces of rock coming out.