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Perennials Tool Shed

Report-out on reciprocating saw

last year

Best board tip ever! Made the back-breaking work of dividing ornamental grasses like child's play. The vibrations were a bit much, but in the long run easier on my hands/wrist because it only took to about the count of 20 to saw through the rootballs as opposed to something like 30-45 minutes of having at it with a shovel. You guys, seriously -- this is the THE TOOL for beastly root masses. :0)

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loger_gw

last year

My Root Ball I Have Tried To Share!

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Comments (10)

davidrt28 (zone 7)
last year
thanks, can you post the exact model that you used?
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
DeWalt 12V compact reciprocating saw DCS312. I got it at Lowes about a month and a half ago, at that time they had a deal where you buy the tool and you get the battery pack free -- that might still be going on, not sure.

This enabled me to do some rejuvenation pruning on my rugosa roses, too -- that was never an easy job until now.
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I could probably find one but being Canadian I am betting it would not help you. I will try remember to bring them home from work and check it out. I don't know about your area but I see the reps from the big tool companies in the store most Sat. ask around I bet they would love to help you. We have Rona near by and they have started a women's line- steel toe boots, jackets, other work wear and tools I am sure they one of the chains in the states is doing the same. Now if only they could start bringing in smaller gloves. Tiny hands and large ra swellings make it really hard to find gloves that go on but don't fall off or swallow my fingers
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Internal stressing is more prevelant on 4x's,6x's, 8x's,etc because your larger dimensional lumbers are taken from the inner part of the log as a rule. The closer to the center, the closer the grain, but depending on the cut of the log, you get cross graining on the larger dimensionals. Depending on your area, pressure treated lumber is typically kiln dried doug fir or southern yellow pine treated. I dont know that you will experience internal stressing with those species and i've never experienced it with redwood, but this is all concerning the use of 2x's. I have experienced it with pressure treated 4x6 doug fir, which is the species used out here in the west. Your idea of scribing each individual joist would be more sound than shimming, but very time consuming. Again, i would use string lines and in the case of scribing, run them an inch or so higher consistent all around , as reference points. Temporarily shim the joists to the line, then make your scribes consistent to the string lines each joist.
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I took the thing apart and found the trigger switch has a tiny plastic rod that actually actuates the switch. That little plastic rod is broken. It looks like I'll need to replace the whole trigger which is $20 at the Sears parts page. Better than a new saw, but it seems like a pretty bad design. Thank you one and all for the advice.
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I'm posting in order to bump this thread. I was planning on entering but DH doesn't want to. He said after all the work he has done personally in our house, he wants to be able to do the kitchen himself. Now if they just want to give us cash, that he would accept : )
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always_beezee
last year
Any reciprocating saw will do. Just use a 9 to 12 inch blade that you would use for wood.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
arent all blades for wood .... well.. except for the metal blades ....

i suspect you mean use a tree blade.. rather than a lumber blade.. the wider deeper teeth shed the wet wood shavings so the saw can be more efficient ...

ken
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
I bought pruning blades -- worked great both on both the plant crowns and the tree/shrub branches. You were the one that mentioned all that not too long ago, Ken -- I'm glad you did, wouldn't have know otherwise. I was kinda surprised how cheap the blades are. I was prepared to drop another $20-30 on a blade but nope - got a twin pack for $10.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
last year
mxk perfect timing for a recommendation. I almost went last weekend to buy a saw, but plans changed. Going this week so I appreciate this, knowing absolutely nothing about power tools lol!

:)

Dee
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
It was between this one and a Bosch model. My decision when looking at all the brands and models primarily had to do with how heavy the tool is and how comfortable in my hand -- some of them are really heavy. I found the Bosch more comfortable in the hand and slightly lighter than the Dewalt, but because DH really likes his Dewalt tools and we can make good use of an extra 12V battery pack, I went with that one because of the deal they had going at the time.
loger_gw
last year
Very Good Points! Being a Metalworker I wishes I had known and Respected More about working with Vibrating Tools. Plus "Shock From Hammering Tools" for Years. Please Search The Vibrating Tools and Hammering Tools Negatives.

The Cordless Tools are Dreams above some Corded Tools. I basically have both. My 1970’s Versions of Basic Handyman’s Tools and Basic Cordless. A Big Plus is some will share, as Drills Bits and Blades.

I'll Attached later a Root Ball I Worked on for years. My 1972 Corded and Current Cordless recently got the Job Done (Sharing The Same Blades)…
Deb C
last year
Oh, absolutely. I get misty-eyed just thinking about my reciprocating saw. I've also found that soaking the roots to make them softer can help with cutting, too.

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