How to Cut Railroad Ties

Railroad ties can be used for many things, even to create a flower bed. However, in order to get pieces the proper size, railroad ties need to be cut. This can be done with a chainsaw and an attachment, such as the Curry Log Lizard, which makes a straight cut. First you need a tape measure to determine the proper length of the pieces.

Power drill
Chainsaw
Pivot pin
Lock nut
Wrench
Straight edge
Pencil or felt-tip marker
Ratchet
Curry Log Lizard

Instructions

- 1
  Drill a small hole into the guide bar of your chainsaw with a power drill to mount the chainsaw on the Curry Log Lizard. The guide bar is the piece of metal that that chain wraps around.
- 2
  Insert the pivot pin for the Curry Log Lizard into the hole, with the threaded end first, and secure it with the lock nut. Tighten the lock nut with your wrench.
- 3
  Place a straight edge on top of the railroad tie and make a mark where it will need to be cut with a pencil or felt-tip marker.
- 4
  Place the Curry Log Lizard on the railroad tie and tighten the strap by using the ratchet. Pull the ratchet back and push it forward repeatedly to tighten the strap.
- 5
  Insert the pivot pin into the Curry Log Lizard so that the chainsaw is aligned with the mark you made in Step 3.
- 6
  Start the chainsaw and slowly tip it forward to cut into the railroad tie.
- 7
  Repeat Steps 3 through 6 to cut additional railroad ties.

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