Link to the beam cutter attachment: geni.us/ZuGc6B NOTE: I cannot, for the life of me, get my reviews to submit on Harbor Freight so I'll keep trying. Let me know below if you see my review (LRN2DIY) on the page. Thanks!
I bought the Hercules beam cutter and at the same time bought the exact Hercules circular saw that is pictured on the packaging of the beam cutter. It wouldn't mount with the materials included. The beam cutter kit includes a huge bushing that is just way too long. The bushing fits between the circular saw and the back of the beam cutter. The bushing in the kit the beam cutter so far out that it jammed against the circular saw plate and wouldn't work. FYI, if you have bushing length problems you need to order 5/8" external, 7/8" external bushings and they're available from car racing supply sites. The bushings aren't expensive, which makes me wonder why the mounting hardware doesn't include a handful of these bushings in various (short) lengths. Get the shortest bushing that will keep the beam cutter clear of the saw chassis. You'll have to use a square and fiddle with the rear mount screw to get the beam cutter square to the forward (vertical), and then adjust your plate angle to get it square to sideways vertical, then you'll be square both ways. Mounting the beam cutter was admittedly tough. When you first start the saw after mounting, if the beam cutter shimmies like at 2:14 in the video, you may have the saw drive spindle/bushing/beam cutter rear plate lined up a bit off center. Loosen the arbor nut, realign carefully, retighten, say a prayer to the tool God of your choice, and try it again. The beam cutter has an oil reservoir (opaque plastic visible at 3:07 in the video) that sits behind the top gear and is super hard to access. It didn't look like the reviewer in this video had added oil, if you don't add oil to the reservoir, or add a dribble of oil to the chain before making each cut, you'll smoke the chain and bar pretty quickly. If you choose to dribble oil on the blade, consider using vegetable oil as it spots the wood less permanently than chainsaw bar oil (my opinion). Safety part - when you get your beam saw attachment hooked up and first hit the trigger of your circular saw, be ready for torque and movement. This saw is pretty dangerous to run, I wear chainsaw chaps when running mine and I recommend others consider doing the same. Good luck to all.
GOOD video - Thanks for sharing! I am currently mounting (or attempting to mount) the same Beam Cutter to an old 2 HP Craftsman circular saw. I ran iinto the same issues as you with extra parts and ones that didn't fit, including the arbor bolts (fine thread) which they supplied. Fortunately I had a coarse threaded bolt in my shop that fit. I think I finally have it hooked up correctly, plugged the saw in and the beam cutter saw bar seems to run as it should. Thanks for helping me realize it wasn't just me who had issues with the installation instructions and the wrong and extra parts they supplied!
They actually recommend using corded saws. You know those pesky old saws that plug into a card. If you put this attachment on a corded saw you will find it fits perfectly and does a great job. Cutting all sorts of lumber. I rip up full length beams and even 2x4 and 1x4 whatever I need.
So many people commenting that don't realize this is simply (and a bit poorly) replicating long-existing specialty tools. Search Mafell or Festool beam saws, then look at the price on them. Should be pretty evident, pretty quickly, why this attachment exists. Skil makes an affordable beam chainsaw that I would probably go with over one of these attachments. Big difference in price, but I would say well worth it.
I'd love to see you use this on some logs to try and cut out boards. As long as you had a flat surface above the log it seems like it would be an ideal tool to make your own lumber from logs.
This doesn't have automatic lubrication like a chainsaw does. It's meant as a inexpensive alternative to extremely expensive specialty tools for doing straight, perpendicular cuts in large dimension lumber. You have to manually lubricate the chain and bar every few cuts. Using this to mill lumber would be tedious at best, and likely result in a very short life for both the attachment and your circular saw.
Quick question: I’m planning on hollowing out a tree stump and use it as a planter. Do you think this would work to cut the inside perimeter? Then I’d have to use other tools to chisel out the core.
This is definitely a two handed tool and unlike a chainsaw that has the felling dogs in the front and usually the mass of a tree to help hold it in place. This tool should only be used if what you want to cut is strapped down.
Very similar beam saws are made by Skil (SPT55-11) and Festool (SSU200 "SwordSaw"). Are you saying someone who uses any of these tools should die and not reproduce?
Personally, I'd rather just buy an integrated tool that is does this job, You're not really saving money I bet. Attaching a whole damned chainsaw seems like dumb , pointlessly jumping through hoops idea for morons. Plug in saw motors are cheap, maybe $40. Integrated tools just work because they're well integrated and the parts and functions are too. To me an attachment is like a blade or an extension cord - simple stuff, not like a whole damned different kind of saw you attach to your other saw, Now you can't use your saw, because you attached it to a chainsaw to it, so you have to buy another saw anyway. And there go your $$ savings, and you'll never get your time back or that finger you lopped off doing this goofy crap. Why not attach a chainsaw to your watch or your electric toothbrush.?? Well...because it's probably going to work like crap, and it's a dumb idea, except I guess for the novelty points.
Try to square the one of a beam with your chainsaw in one cut and then you will understand why this concept makes sense. Look up Skill SPT55-11. The attachment shown in this video is an extremely cheap version of Prazi beam cutter attachment. It it good enough for trimming a few beams from time to time. Faster than cutting four sides with a 7” circular sat and finishing with a hand saw and more accurate than cutting with a chain saw.
Good Video 😎 dumbest invention EVER.... AIN'T IT JUST AIN'T IT 😜 lols.... too many electric and cordless electric chainsaw...on the market....and they even have a much larger Circular saw.... I have both and they work well....
Is it dumb because Harbor Freight produced it? I suppose the Skil SPT55-11 and Festool SSU200 "SwordSaw" are also the "dumbest invention ever". Did you not listen to the explanation of the saw's purpose at 7:14?
Perhaps its a little more dangerous than a chainsaw since the bar isn't out in front of you, but it seems no more dangerous than the Skil SPT55-11 and Festool SSU200 "SwordSaw".
@@ouchymytoe Thanks for the reply. Wow, I looked those two tools up. Not familiar with the tools but they look really dangerous and an accident waiting to happen - but that's me. Maybe I'm wrong.
Solution looking for a problem. Like why would someone invest the time and money in something like this? I mean i really want to hear from the people who designed this to hear what their reasons are.... just cant imagine sitting in the company's meetings and someone presents this idea to the rest and the rest are like, yea, that'll a great product idea. Did they even run this past prospective customers first? Lol
are you one of the designers or folks responsible for producing this product? a few cuts = few sales = enough sales to do the engineering, testing, packaging, selling? Would love a peek at the economics.
@searching4facts of course not. And, no, I didn't say it was a good thing either. Just asking if you knew the origin of it, the idea behind it. And again, no, I didn't say it was a good idea nor did I say it was a well researched product.
I'm certainly not one of the designers or anything but beam saws are pretty common for people working in the timber framing industries. Pergolas, carports, timber framing in homes, gazebos, pavilions, etc. Dedicated beam saws are pretty expensive (Skil makes one for $650, for example) so if you want to do your own timber frame work, this can be a great deal. That said, who knows how many of these they'll actually sell. I can't imagine they're flying off the shelves. I'm actually going to be building a carport with either 6x6 or 8x8 beams so this will get some use for that.
Link to the beam cutter attachment: geni.us/ZuGc6B NOTE: I cannot, for the life of me, get my reviews to submit on Harbor Freight so I'll keep trying. Let me know below if you see my review (LRN2DIY) on the page. Thanks!
I bought the Hercules beam cutter and at the same time bought the exact Hercules circular saw that is pictured on the packaging of the beam cutter. It wouldn't mount with the materials included. The beam cutter kit includes a huge bushing that is just way too long. The bushing fits between the circular saw and the back of the beam cutter. The bushing in the kit the beam cutter so far out that it jammed against the circular saw plate and wouldn't work. FYI, if you have bushing length problems you need to order 5/8" external, 7/8" external bushings and they're available from car racing supply sites. The bushings aren't expensive, which makes me wonder why the mounting hardware doesn't include a handful of these bushings in various (short) lengths. Get the shortest bushing that will keep the beam cutter clear of the saw chassis. You'll have to use a square and fiddle with the rear mount screw to get the beam cutter square to the forward (vertical), and then adjust your plate angle to get it square to sideways vertical, then you'll be square both ways. Mounting the beam cutter was admittedly tough. When you first start the saw after mounting, if the beam cutter shimmies like at 2:14 in the video, you may have the saw drive spindle/bushing/beam cutter rear plate lined up a bit off center. Loosen the arbor nut, realign carefully, retighten, say a prayer to the tool God of your choice, and try it again. The beam cutter has an oil reservoir (opaque plastic visible at 3:07 in the video) that sits behind the top gear and is super hard to access. It didn't look like the reviewer in this video had added oil, if you don't add oil to the reservoir, or add a dribble of oil to the chain before making each cut, you'll smoke the chain and bar pretty quickly. If you choose to dribble oil on the blade, consider using vegetable oil as it spots the wood less permanently than chainsaw bar oil (my opinion). Safety part - when you get your beam saw attachment hooked up and first hit the trigger of your circular saw, be ready for torque and movement. This saw is pretty dangerous to run, I wear chainsaw chaps when running mine and I recommend others consider doing the same. Good luck to all.
GOOD video - Thanks for sharing! I am currently mounting (or attempting to mount) the same Beam Cutter to an old 2 HP Craftsman circular saw. I ran iinto the same issues as you with extra parts and ones that didn't fit, including the arbor bolts (fine thread) which they supplied. Fortunately I had a coarse threaded bolt in my shop that fit. I think I finally have it hooked up correctly, plugged the saw in and the beam cutter saw bar seems to run as it should. Thanks for helping me realize it wasn't just me who had issues with the installation instructions and the wrong and extra parts they supplied!
Awesome to know! Thanks for clarifying that it won’t replace a chain saw. Got over excited at first. But great vid. Thanks again.
They actually recommend using corded saws. You know those pesky old saws that plug into a card. If you put this attachment on a corded saw you will find it fits perfectly and does a great job. Cutting all sorts of lumber. I rip up full length beams and even 2x4 and 1x4 whatever I need.
Yeah, I was just about to second-guess myself between the chainsaw and the beam cutter. Thanks for this video.
So many people commenting that don't realize this is simply (and a bit poorly) replicating long-existing specialty tools. Search Mafell or Festool beam saws, then look at the price on them. Should be pretty evident, pretty quickly, why this attachment exists.
Skil makes an affordable beam chainsaw that I would probably go with over one of these attachments. Big difference in price, but I would say well worth it.
NICE! I've got a cordless Hercules circular saw so compatibility shouldn't be a problem.
Perfect just what I needed to know, I Will be able to use it with my flex 7 1/4 circ saw
Thanks
Good work! Thanks.
I'd love to see you use this on some logs to try and cut out boards. As long as you had a flat surface above the log it seems like it would be an ideal tool to make your own lumber from logs.
This doesn't have automatic lubrication like a chainsaw does. It's meant as a inexpensive alternative to extremely expensive specialty tools for doing straight, perpendicular cuts in large dimension lumber. You have to manually lubricate the chain and bar every few cuts. Using this to mill lumber would be tedious at best, and likely result in a very short life for both the attachment and your circular saw.
@@np6851 It actually does have a lubrication reservoir (for what it's worth).
An Alaska chainsaw mill with a real chainsaw is what you want for that
Quick question: I’m planning on hollowing out a tree stump and use it as a planter. Do you think this would work to cut the inside perimeter? Then I’d have to use other tools to chisel out the core.
Even though you explained the purpose of the attachment people are still saying "jUsT gEt a ChAiNsAw"......
Well said.
Test it out for trenching with the flex rear handle saw with that Hercule blade
Thanks for doing the review, pretty much solidifies why you don’t see lumber jacks using this 😂
Have you ever had any issues with Flex tools?
Jason Voorhees has entered the chat
👏👏👏❤❤❤❤
Much cheaper in price than Prazi
Something I would not need, I would use a chain saw way more
Crazy inovations
How did u get the bolt to fit cause none of the bolt I got fit on the flex rear handle saw
ah the good old finger remover 5000
Don t understand. No oil on bar chain? 😮
Someone can explain it to me? 🤔🤨🙃
It does have a chain lubrication reservoir. Perhaps it was added after this video was posted?
What about your SKIL saw?
You didn’t mention how dangerous it was. I’ll pass . An electric chainsaw is cheap.
Yes, it seems scary to use it...
A chainsaw is just as dangerous, that's why you have to use caution and common sense with these saws.
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
@Mixwell1983 You made me think that the common sense is: don't use it if you have doubts.
This is definitely a two handed tool and unlike a chainsaw that has the felling dogs in the front and usually the mass of a tree to help hold it in place. This tool should only be used if what you want to cut is strapped down.
Ud puede enviarme uno yo le mando todos mis datos para que me compres uno porfavor Bendiciones
This is Darwin Award material.
Very similar beam saws are made by Skil (SPT55-11) and Festool (SSU200 "SwordSaw"). Are you saying someone who uses any of these tools should die and not reproduce?
Pretty much the most worthless tool I've purchased. Buy a larger circular saw and if that don't cut it, just use a chainsaw.
Personally, I'd rather just buy an integrated tool that is does this job, You're not really saving money I bet. Attaching a whole damned chainsaw seems like dumb , pointlessly jumping through hoops idea for morons. Plug in saw motors are cheap, maybe $40. Integrated tools just work because they're well integrated and the parts and functions are too. To me an attachment is like a blade or an extension cord - simple stuff, not like a whole damned different kind of saw you attach to your other saw, Now you can't use your saw, because you attached it to a chainsaw to it, so you have to buy another saw anyway. And there go your $$ savings, and you'll never get your time back or that finger you lopped off doing this goofy crap. Why not attach a chainsaw to your watch or your electric toothbrush.?? Well...because it's probably going to work like crap, and it's a dumb idea, except I guess for the novelty points.
Because you can, it does NOT automatically follow that you should!
What a waste.
I recently bought an electric chainsaw for less than the price of that attachment - it just doesn't make sense.
Try to square the one of a beam with your chainsaw in one cut and then you will understand why this concept makes sense.
Look up Skill SPT55-11.
The attachment shown in this video is an extremely cheap version of Prazi beam cutter attachment.
It it good enough for trimming a few beams from time to time. Faster than cutting four sides with a 7” circular sat and finishing with a hand saw and more accurate than cutting with a chain saw.
Did you not listen to the explanation of what this is for at 7:14
@@rok1475 thanks for saying it.
If you know, you know
Good Video 😎 dumbest invention EVER.... AIN'T IT JUST AIN'T IT 😜 lols.... too many electric and cordless electric chainsaw...on the market....and they even have a much larger Circular saw.... I have both and they work well....
Is it dumb because Harbor Freight produced it? I suppose the Skil SPT55-11 and Festool SSU200 "SwordSaw" are also the "dumbest invention ever". Did you not listen to the explanation of the saw's purpose at 7:14?
Man this is an accident waiting to happen (IMHO).
Perhaps its a little more dangerous than a chainsaw since the bar isn't out in front of you, but it seems no more dangerous than the Skil SPT55-11 and Festool SSU200 "SwordSaw".
@@ouchymytoe Thanks for the reply. Wow, I looked those two tools up. Not familiar with the tools but they look really dangerous and an accident waiting to happen - but that's me. Maybe I'm wrong.
Solution looking for a problem. Like why would someone invest the time and money in something like this? I mean i really want to hear from the people who designed this to hear what their reasons are.... just cant imagine sitting in the company's meetings and someone presents this idea to the rest and the rest are like, yea, that'll a great product idea. Did they even run this past prospective customers first? Lol
I guess you know there are dedicated beam saws and this is a cheap alternative for someone who wants to do a few cuts.
are you one of the designers or folks responsible for producing this product? a few cuts = few sales = enough sales to do the engineering, testing, packaging, selling? Would love a peek at the economics.
@searching4facts of course not. And, no, I didn't say it was a good thing either. Just asking if you knew the origin of it, the idea behind it. And again, no, I didn't say it was a good idea nor did I say it was a well researched product.
I'm certainly not one of the designers or anything but beam saws are pretty common for people working in the timber framing industries. Pergolas, carports, timber framing in homes, gazebos, pavilions, etc. Dedicated beam saws are pretty expensive (Skil makes one for $650, for example) so if you want to do your own timber frame work, this can be a great deal. That said, who knows how many of these they'll actually sell. I can't imagine they're flying off the shelves. I'm actually going to be building a carport with either 6x6 or 8x8 beams so this will get some use for that.
@@LRN2DIY so an 8x8 beam can be cut with a regular circular timber saw, 2 passes or a sawzal or a bandsaw. All of which have multiple uses....