What's the best way to square off the end of a 4x4?

[Alan Lightstone]

Simple question, but not sure of the answer.

I'm making some posts for a pet gate. They are 4x4's. My Festool Kapex doesn't have that capacity, nor does my Sawstop table saw.

I'm thinking bandsaw, but wondering if that can make a perfectly straight cut through that.

Alternatively, are there other approaches with hand tools or power tools that will work?

[Rick Lizek]

Make a three sided box as a guide and use your handheld circular saw.

[Dave Zellers]

I do it on my 10" radial arm saw. As long as i'm cutting less than an inch or so, it can do it perfectly.

Seems like a band saw would work if it had a hearty blade, say 3/4". Also wouldn't two crosscuts on a table saw using a stop work?

[Jack Jackson]

I've used the cut - turn over - cut again method on the miter saw several times. Especially if you use a stop block on your saw fence then it's easy to make the 2 cuts meet almost perfectly in the middle... that's how I would do it.

[Myk Rian]

No matter what saw you use, make sure the blade is 90º to the table. Check it twice.

[Jamie Buxton]

Hand saw -- specifically a pull saw. You can cut a softwood 4x4 in a minute or so. And a pull saw can cut a very straight plane. Pencil marks on two adjacent faces. Sink the post in the ground, then cut the top off at the right height.

[lowell holmes]

I would cut it with my 7 1/4" circular saw, using a speed square to make a square cut. The saw would not cut all the way through.

I would finish the cut with one of my crosscut hand saws.

[Erik Loza]

Hand saw -- specifically a pull saw...

+1 ^^^

Exact same way I do it, seems to work fine.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Rich Engelhardt]

Decorative caps are your friend .

[Prashun Patel]

Crosscut on the tablesaw as deep as it will go, then rotate and repeat.

[Jason Roehl]

I agree with the circular saw and speed square approach. The trick is to rotate the post only 90º after the first cut so that you can align the blade with the cut (saw off), set the speed square, then run the saw again. Repeat again.

[Alan Lightstone]

Are you holding the speed square with your hand and using it as a guide, or clamping it?

[Sam Murdoch]

Lots of the above will work fine. My least favorite would be the circular saw.

Jamie and Erik (post 6 & 8) suggest using a handsaw and that would be my choice, especially if cutting to length after setting the posts. Build a 3 side plywood box as a guide and if you want a bit of extra alignment - saw a kerf on 2 sides first. The kerf will help the saw track straight. This is very easy and fast in pine, spruce or cedar - more tedious in hardwoods but still effective.

My 14" Laguna bandsaw will do such a cross cut nicely with a sharp blade and a cross cut sled.

And finally, I agree with using your Kapex with a stop and doing the cut twice. If the saw is set up perfectly square and vertical this will be fast and accurate.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I would use a cross cut sled on my table saw. Cut and turn, then cut again. Of course, it would depend somewhat on how long the posts are. If they weigh a ton, I would bring the circular saw to the post, rather than trying to bring the post to the table saw.

[Chris Merriam]

For the suggestions on using a stop, either with table or miter saw, how would you use a stop if you can't guarantee that the end is square to begin with? As you rotate the piece against the stop you could end up changing the cutting length if you're not careful.