Saw Types for Dummies

rip cut vs. crosscut

Every once in a while we run across yet another post that came to the eHow.com canon courtesy of a freelancer with one of the most hilarious pseudonyms in the history of pseudonyms: Jagg Xaxx. This worthy, who claimed to have once been a cabinetmaker and to hold a PhD in art history, managed to publish some of the most egregious garbage at a site that's an object of scorn for its level of garbage. So, without further ado, here's another installment: "The Difference Between Cutting Vertically or Horizontally," now residing at OurPastimes.com.

Every woodworker or carpenter on the staff looked at that title and declared it obvious that the OQ did not know the right terminology to ask about cutting with the grain vs. across the grain. Not so good ol' Jagg, though: he took the question literally and pounded out several hundred words about how carpenters use circular saws to cut vertically and horizontally. Sadly, this particular eHow.com post was written in the era when Demand Media didn't require references: we'd have loved to have seen his!
Of course, a lot of what the freelancer says is common sense... so common even someone who doesn't know the difference between "rip" and "crosscut" probably knows about it. Jagg did manage to stick in some stupidification, though, like this advice for "cutting vertically":

"Be sure that your extension cord is positioned properly so you won't get snagged or inadvertently unplug your saw in mid cut."

Apparently, Jagg didn't know about cordless saws, nor did he consider accidentally cutting through the power cord (don't laugh: we've seen it happen). Of course, given that Xaxx was required to meet a minimum word count, he also had to hold forth on horizontal cuts. In that section, he informed us that,

"Carpentry is more challenging than cabinetmaking because it often involves structural work, while nearly all tasks in cabinetmaking can be done in horizontal, controlled conditions."

We call bullshit, Jagg... only someone who's never done either would make that claim! And finally, our boy shares this sage advice:

"Whenever possible, make cuts in pieces of plywood or lumber before it is installed in a vertical position. "

Our staffers all thought that should be self-evident... they also had a snicker at Jagg's lack of knowledge and inability to figure out that the OQ wasn't literally asking about "vertical and horizontal." No, it's highly likely that the OQ was talking about the orientation of the cut vs. the grain. Xaxx missed any discussion of tooth count for hand saws, tooth shape for hand and power saws, or mention of chipping and tearing of wood fibers. You'd think a self-proclaimed "cabinetmaker" would have known better.
So that's why Jagg's our Dumbass of the Day again, for the fourth time. Any questions?

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