With this talk of chainsaws, it should be noted:
With a (very) steady hand, and a good deal of confidence, a chainsaw is an excellent choice for cutting timbers to length. However, you have to have a TON of confidence in your ability to handle one (and actually have said ability) Too often I find it is a lack of confidence, i.e. fear, that causes us to fail in such tasks. We are just convinced that if we use a chainsaw we will mess things up. and so we do. Our actions follow our expectations.
And as I said earlier, the two man saw would have been our ancestors choice for cutting to length, and the large frame saw the choice for cutting mortise shoulders.
Now, allow me to go way out on a limb here and reveal a simple yet oft overlooked fact. For timber framing, a saw is 100% unnecessary.
There are many traditions where they were never used for these tasks at all, or if they were used it was viewed as a sign of poor craftsmanship or inadequate ability. The "real" carpenter in these cultures would do all of his shaping with his trusty axe.
But for us, it may be better to stick to the saw for some purposes. If you aren't really really skilled with an axe, and don't have great coordination, the saw is a more reliable way to do it. With skill however, the axe can be faster and just as precise (if not more so). Once again, I think fear limits our ability with this tool, which requires you to be brave and confident in your work.
Just a ramble, a bit off topic but perhaps useful.
DLB
