Joe and I started building a bunch of porches and handicapped ramps for the local school district Monday. Lots of 4×4 posts, 4×6 and 4×8 beam work involved.
I thought it would be a good excuse to finally convert one of our worm drives with the Big Foot kit I bought a year or so ago. I’ve never minded rolling the beam over and making two passes, but Joe’s been itching for a chance to try a Big Foot setup ever since he saw their booth at JLCLive! last fall. So what the hey, I spent a couple hours switching it out last weekend (including grinding off part of the original saw body) and we’ve been using it all week.
I’m impressed. In fact, it’s hard to believe I’ve never even seen one onsite before, much less used one. After using it for just a few days, I can’t imagine not having one handy all the time. Why the heck did I wait so long? These things are NOTHING like those Makita beam saws from the rental yard. Not much heavier than a regular worm drive and just as well balanced. I’m sold.
Put a Big Foot handle on our other worm, too. Very nice. Find myself using it all the time.
What a pleasure it is to use a well designed tool. Makes all the difference in the world.
Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Replies
Jim,
We have 3 10" Big Foot saws now, one with a swingtable and I really don't know what we'd do without them. Well I do . . .
They are great for remodeling new construction too :-)
What does the swing table add, Tim? The ability to exceed 45 degrees, maybe? We're going to take a serious look at the chainsaw table/guide/whatever they call it.
Amazing how natural that saw feels already. Not like other retrofit tools I've used. Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Jim,
Yeah it swings to 75°. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/9094915/127782308.jpg
If/when you decide to get the Headcutter, email me.
Hey. What kind of blade is that? Are there several companies that make the big blades with diamond knockouts?Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Its a Freud. I think its a better blade, although it is thinner and there is some wobble. http://www.amazon.com
Is it wrong that Tim's picture made me want to make love to my wife?
Same effect on me :-)
That's not a problem. However, if Heck's picture gave you that feeling ..."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Does that bigfoot have 'crazy legs'?
I've got a 10" Milwalkee that comes in real handy. A bit of a beast, but you can get real accurate cuts in big timber. I like that 75 degtree table for the Bigfoot though. That would be very useful.
Kimball
It's only wrong if it was in fact "Tim's" picture, and not the picture of Tim's saw.
Yeah, phrasing certianly can be important eh?
What's up with the head cutter, Tim? Problems? Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
No problems, but mine isn't stock and if you buy one, I can give you the measurements for them to make you one. They may have made a few when they made mine.
Jim,
I forgot to mention that I think I may have sat by you at Gary's SketchUp class at JLC Live last November. He made a comment to you and it didn't click until I was leaving the class that I was sitting next to you. Next time I'll introduce myself :-)
oops this was supposed to be directed to Jim
Edited 2/24/2007 10:40 pm ET by Timuhler
That's funny, Tim. I spent a great deal of time trying to spot you top say hey.
Next year.
Gary sure has the gift of gab, doesn't he? Mike Guertin, too. I also found myself stopping more than once to listen to Mike Slogget talk on the floor, too. I've never met him, but he's a good presenter.
I'll tell you something, man, those JLCLive! shows grow on you, don't they? I've been to a few now and it seems like I get more out of every one I go to. Can't wait for this year. They going to be in Seattle again?Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
I spent a couple of hours walking the show with Gary at the IBS show a few weeks ago. He is one interesting guy, and his enthusiasm is infectious.
I got to mee Mike Guertin at the JLC show and he was really cool. I've tried to copy as much as I can from his and Rick Arnold's framing book and to talk to him, he is really down to earth.
Mike Sloggatt is a cool guy. Did you check out his SIP's pics? http://sloggatt.smugmug.com/Work%20in%20Progress I spent quite a bit of time at that show and then at the IBS show with him. We stayed late on the Thursday session because the Construction Master people had questions on roof framing and had Mike walk them through it. They were looking to add some features on their CMs that would make ridge thickness adjustments and similar funnctions. I think I get to work with him at the JLC show in Seattle at the end of the year, but so far Gary is the only guy who has said anything to me :-), so I'm not totally sure that is going to happen, but I'll be there either way.
I've been attending that show since 2000 in Las Vegas and its great to see it growing so much. I hope to see you at the end of the year.
Pictures !!
We want pictures.
=0)
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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing. -William James
That's not Jim's saw !!And why you following me to the outhouse and taking pictures, anyway ????!!?
i am trying to be normal, i really am, but until i get there at least i have breaktime. ~segundo
I thought that was what Jim saw, sorry.
Does a bigfoot #### in the woods??_______________________________________________________________
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing. -William James
HECK!
You just made me guffaw out loud!
be too friggin' rich man
snort
is today Saturday?
I thought it was pretty funny,too. Right place, right time. :=)_______________________________________________________________
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing. -William James
hey how you get that pic???
you weren't at riverfest!!I don't feel safe in this world no more I don't want to die in a nuclear war I want to sail away to a distant shore and make like an ape man
I have my sources. <G>_______________________________________________________________
I used to be schizophrenic, but we're OK now.
Pictures of the saw? Yeah, okay. I'll try to take one or two tomorrow. Didn't think about that.Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Yep.=0)
i am trying to be normal, i really am, but until i get there at least i have breaktime. ~segundo
I have been wanting to get a bigfoot, I have a big makita beam saw but i hate it, the last few jobs i turned my 4 by4s over to cut and missed by a lot, maybe im getting older i never had a proplem before
I've used those beam saws a few times, bobbys. This Big Foot is nothing like them. If you use a worm drive now you'll be amazed how natural if feels - almost like the saw was always that size. Great tool. Get one, you won't regret it.Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
jim- what was the cost of the kit, magnesium ? ? . much heat build up ? thanks k
..
I bought the kit about a year ago, Alias, maybe longer. But I'm pretty sure it was a little over 3 bills with shipping.
"Magnesium"? I don't know. It almost seems lighter than magnesium if that's possible. I mean, after you put all the parts on, you can hardly tell any weight difference and the blade sure as heck isn't magnesium - that thing isn't "thin kerf" either - it's a freakin' brute. I bet that the Mag 77 with the Big Foot kit weighs very close to what the old Skil 77s weighed.
"Heat build up"? Not the motor. Not the blade that we've noticed, but that was a new blade and we haven't even used it a week yet. We ARE cutting ACQ treated beams and posts though, so I'm sure that will dull the blade in no time.
The local Western Tool carries the Big Foot blades and Thursday I have a couple appointments in town so I'll pick a second one up one my way past. One on the saw, one at the sharpener, and we'll be good to go.
Still shaking my head over all the years I spent rolling 4x stock instead of investing in one of these things. We love it. Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Thanks jim..... stay well.." I'm working on it"
I'm surprised you got a kit so recently because I din' think they sold them that way anymore. Might be my supplier tellin a yarn for a bigger sale. kits used to only run 150 and I think the last one I bought with the saw included was less than 400.
Iused to kind of go thru those when I was doing apts and such, guys to rough on them and don't chang the blades enough, but they were worth replacing because you could cut through TJI 350's at a single pass.
Try plating with it, time saver. Set the blad depth just a skosh over 3" and you can cut plates at a single pass.
Anybody know if you can purchase the bigfoot 10 1/4" saw with the 75* swingtable installed?
I looked at there website and it apears you hafta buy the saw and then buy the extra swingtable.
So then your left with the original table to collect dust?
bumpity
I bought mine with the swing attached about 2 1/2 years ago. I can't remember where I bought it. I would call Emma at Big Foot and ask her where you can buy it with the swing already installed.