Hi all:

I have used hand saws, portable bandsaws and large skill saws to make the plumb and foot cuts on rafters and in all cases, the blade tends to wander somewhat resulting in a cut that is not flat. Other than kerfing the assembled joint, what other techniques (tools) are being used to create better joinery. Keep in mind that I only run into this problem with angular cuts. Thanks!

Once a line has been drawn for the cut, with a pencil, the line is usually scored with a knife, all the way around the timber. Then the saw of choice is used to cut away the bulk of the waste wood.
Then the remaining wood is "pared" to the "knife line" using a slick or other wide flat chisel, checking often with a square or combination square that the surface is flat and true.
Hope this helps.
Jim Rogers

Hey Jim:

I've been sending you emails but they keep getting bounced back. That's the process that I've been following, but sometimes, on a angular cut, I end up with either a hollow or a swell. I was just curious if there were some other ways of making the angular cuts easier.

Joey,

The first necessary condition for tight joinery is accurate layout. If the lines are in the right place, it is simply a matter of cutting to the line. A man I really respect said "The score line is neither a suggestion nor an inconvenience."

If your saw is not cutting perfectly, the best thing to do is stay off the line and take it to the line with something you have more control with (as Jim was saying.)

One thing I frequently do with circular saws is watch both the line on the top and the line on the side as the blade enters the wood and you can tweak the saw by slightly raising one side or the other to follow both lines. It takes a little practice, but when cutting joinery on irregular stock, it allows you to cut to the line and create the flat plane you need.

Good luck,

Gabel