cutting down a hollow cylinder with Festool Circular Saw

[Scott Felicetti]

I don't know if this can be done accurately but perhaps someone here has done it. I have a 10" long 12" diameter hollow cylinder. The thickness of the wall is between 1/4" and 1/3". The cylinder is made of maple. I need to cut the cylinder down from 10" long to 9" long. How do I remove 1/2" from each end of the cylinder using my Festool Circular Saw? The procedure is usually performed on a table saw by placing the edge of the cylinder against a fence and then spinning the cylinder slowly around the blade. I want to avoid the table saw and come up with a decent method of using the Festool Plunge cut circular saw. Ideas? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Scott

[Scott Coffelt]

Why don't you make you a jig - U shapped where you lay the cylinder in, that can accept a straight edge along the top, then turn on your sawand then rotate the cylinder.

[Vijay Kumar]

I am not sure if this is a job for the Festool. This is how I would do it.

On a table saw. Make a V Block Sled about 6-12 inch long. Mount a bar on the bottom of the sled so that it can slide on the miter slots.
Place the cylinder in the V Block. Slide the V Block as the saw is spinning. As soon as it starts cutting through the walls, stop the sled and the saw. (This can be done in the reverse order if you feel that is safer). Stop the saw. prevent the sled from moving by clamping etc. Holding the cylinder firmly turn on the saw, and slowly rotate it in the v block.

I am curious to see what other answers you might get.

Vijay

I don't know if this can be done accurately but perhaps someone here has done it. I have a 10" long 12" diameter hollow cylinder. The thickness of the wall is between 1/4" and 1/3". The cylinder is made of maple. I need to cut the cylinder down from 10" long to 9" long. How do I remove 1/2" from each end of the cylinder using my Festool Circular Saw? The procedure is usually performed on a table saw by placing the edge of the cylinder against a fence and then spinning the cylinder slowly around the blade. I want to avoid the table saw and come up with a decent method of using the Festool Plunge cut circular saw. Ideas? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Scott

[Jim Becker]

For hand-held use, I believe a jigsaw would be safer and easier than using a circular saw.

[Alfred Clem]

Sounds like a simple job for a back saw -- forget the Festool saw. I would first make a series of cuts around the perimeter of the opening, one inche deep. Nibble away with complete control and accuracy.

[Jim Becker]

Sounds like a simple job for a back saw -- forget the Festool saw. I would first make a series of cuts around the perimeter of the opening, one inche deep. Nibble away with complete control and accuracy.

With some thought, I have to agree with this...better than my earlier suggestion for the jig saw...and more controllable.

[Michael Schwartz]

Mark out a line and use a Japanese pull saw.

[Dan Clark]

Even as a fan of Festool saws, I would suggest using a Japanese pull saw. I think a decent Dozuki would the tool of choice. That would be much safer and easier than trying to use either any circular saw or even a table saw.

If you don't already have one, you can a decent one for about $30.

Just mark the line, get into a comfortable, stable position, line it up nicely, and cut.

Dan.

[Scott Felicetti]

Thanks guys. So it sounds like a Japanese Pull Saw for this job. Can I get a fairly clean straight line with this method? Any hints for marking a line equidistant 1/4" or so all the way around the bottom of the cylinder. The edge of the cylinder is not currently flat. It's a little wavy and chipped up. Again thanks for all your help.
Scott

[Ray Knight]

If this is a straight cylinder, you can get a close accurate mark, by wrapping the cylinder with large piece of solid wrapping paper, carefully aligning the edge as it is wrapped, you then have an accurate line. This is a method carpenters frequently use to scribe porch columns before sawing. You can then cut with the weapon of your choice. Ray Knight

[Jamie Buxton]

Okay, you guys who suggested the hand saw (which seems like a good idea to me too), go on to the next issue: how do you hold the cylinder while you saw it? The scheme which occurs to me is to impale it on a horizontal 4x4 or the like, but I suspect it will flop around. Better ideas?

[Dan Clark]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why not just get a couple of 2X4's, screw 'em to a small piece of plywood an appropriate width apart, and staple a little rubber sheet to each. Flop the cylinder on top so that it's suspended between the 2X4's, hold it with one hand and cut with the other. That should be very stable.

The rubber sheeting might not be necessary; just the 2X4's would probably be enough.

Dan.

[Greg Funk]

If you really want to cut it with a Festool saw you could throw together a little jig like this. You would need to rotate the cylinder 5 or 6 times but if you have one decent reference edge it should work.

Greg

[Charlie Plesums]

This job seems to cry for a bandsaw. Most (with a riser block, if a small saw) would handle the 12 inch diameter.

[Vijay Kumar]

This job seems to cry for a bandsaw. Most (with a riser block, if a small saw) would handle the 12 inch diameter.

I like this answer the best and certainly better than my answer.

Vijay