Hydraulic limb saws: what they are, who needs one, build vs buy
A hydraulic limb saw is a pole chainsaw or pruner run by oil from a tractor or bucket truck. See the types, the flow and pressure specs, and build vs buy.
Material guide
Wood & MDF
What works on wood and MDF: the right drill bit, saw blade, glue, screw and sanding grit, plus why MDF needs its own screws and pilot holes.
Quick facts
- Best drill bit
- Brad-point bit for clean holes; spade, Forstner or hole saw for big ones
- Best blade
- Carbide-tipped; more teeth for smoother cuts with less chip-out
- Best glue
- PVA wood glue: clamp 30 to 60 minutes, no stress on the joint for 24 hours
- MDF screws
- Parallel-thread screws in a pilot hole at least 90% of the root diameter
- Sanding
- Solid wood: start at 120 grit, stop at 180 to 220. MDF edges: 120, seal, then 220 to 320.
- Formaldehyde
- MDF sold in the US must meet EPA TSCA Title VI emission limits
Wood is the most forgiving material on this list. Solid wood has grain. It cuts, splits and swells along that grain, and it moves as it takes on or loses moisture.
MDF is different. It's wood fiber pressed with resin into a flat, even sheet. It has no grain, so it won't split along it, and it paints smoothly. But its core is soft. A wood screw driven into an MDF edge can split the sheet or just strip out.
So the tricks are different too. In solid wood, you fight tear-out and splitting near the ends. In MDF, you fight weak screw holding and thirsty edges that soak up paint.
Both make fine dust when you cut or sand, so plan to catch it at the tool.
Drill into wood & MDF
Use a brad-point bit for clean, exact holes. Its center spur stops it from wandering, and the outer spurs cut down on splinters. For big holes, use a spade bit, Forstner bit or hole saw. In MDF, drill a pilot hole for every screw.
What to use: Brad-point bit set
Guides
- How to remove a broken drill bit from metal, wood or concrete
- What is a drill bushing?
- What happens if you drill into a gas pipe? What to do right now
- How to drill wood without tear-out (and straight, without a drill press) (coming)
- Forstner vs spade vs auger vs hole saw (coming)
- How to use a hole saw (and get the plug out) (coming)
- How to drill at an angle (pocket holes and jigs) (coming)
Cut wood & MDF
Use a carbide-tipped blade on a circular, table or miter saw. More teeth give a smoother cut with less chip-out; fewer teeth cut faster for rough work. MDF cuts cleanly with carbide but makes fine dust, so hook up a vacuum or cut outside.
What to use: Carbide blade, tooth count matched to the cut
Guides
- Table saw vs miter saw vs chop saw: which one do you need?
- Corded vs cordless miter saw: which one should you buy?
- How to cut laminate flooring without a saw
- How to cut a circle with a jigsaw (or a router)
- What is a trim saw and when would you use one?
- What is a panel saw?
- What is a buzz saw?
- What blade to cut up a hot tub (and how to do it safely)
- How to cut MDF without chipping (and the dust problem) (coming)
- Cut plywood without splintering (coming)
- Circular saw blade guide: tooth count, kerf, and which blade for what (coming)
- 24T vs 40T vs 60T: which blade for which cut (coming)
Glue wood & MDF
Use PVA wood glue for wood-to-wood and MDF joints. Clamp for 30 to 60 minutes, and don't stress the joint for 24 hours. Indoor glue isn't for outdoor work, so pick a water-resistant type there. To glue wood to concrete or metal, use construction adhesive.
What to use: PVA wood glue and clamps
Guides
- Best wood glue: PVA vs polyurethane vs epoxy (tested) (coming)
- Titebond I vs II vs III (coming)
- Wood glue clamp time (how long to clamp, by glue) (coming)
- Waterproof glue for outdoor wood and plastic (coming)
- Adhesive for wood or metal to concrete (coming)
- Gorilla Glue foamed and expanded: why, and how to clean it (coming)
Screw or anchor into wood & MDF
In solid wood, drill a pilot hole near board ends and in hardwood so the screw doesn't split it. In MDF, skip wood screws. Use parallel-thread or drywall-type screws in a pilot hole, at least 1 in from face corners and 3 in from edge corners.
What to use: Wood screws for lumber; MDF or drywall-type screws for MDF
Guides
- Coil vs stick framing nailer: which one should you buy?
- Types of nail guns and what each one is for
- How to install quarter round without a nail gun
- What is a nailer board? (Framing term explained)
- Screw won't go into the wall? Find the cause and fix it
- Can you use wood screws in MDF? The screws that don't split it (coming)
- Pilot hole size chart for wood screws (softwood, hardwood, metric) (coming)
- Do I need a pilot hole? When to drill one and when to skip it (coming)
- Stop wood from splitting when you screw near the end (coming)
- Screw spins but won't tighten in wood (stripped hole fix) (coming)
- How to remove a stripped screw: 7 ways, easiest first (coming)
Sand or finish wood & MDF
For solid wood, start at 120 grit and work up to 180 or 220, ending with the grain. MDF faces come smooth. MDF edges soak up finish, so sand them with 120, seal them, then sand lightly at 220 or 320.
What to use: Random orbital sander, 120 to 220 grit
Guides
- Rotex vs random orbital sander: which one do you need?
- How to use a paint sprayer without drips, spits or tails
- Sandpaper grit chart: which grit for which job (coming)
- Sand and seal MDF edges before paint (coming)
- Random orbital vs palm sander vs belt sander (coming)
- Orbital sander swirl marks: causes and the fix (coming)
More wood & MDF guides
Safety basics
- Catch the dust. OSHA says breathing wood dust can cause allergies, breathing problems and cancer. Use a vacuum at the tool and a dust mask or respirator.
- Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Saws and routers throw chips and are loud.
- Keep both hands clear of the blade. Use a push stick on the table saw and clamp small parts.
- Check the label on MDF. Look for the TSCA Title VI compliant mark that shows it meets the formaldehyde limits.
Sources
- PRO Wood brad point drill bit: tip centers the bit, spurs reduce splintering (Bosch)
- Super-Refined MDF tip sheets: carbide tools, saw tooth count, pilot holes ≥ 90% of root diameter, no wood screws, corner distances, PVA glues, edge sanding 120 then sealer then 220/320 (Weyerhaeuser)
- Screwing MDF: pilot hole 85 to 95% of the core diameter, distances from edges and corners (European Panel Federation, mdf-info.eu)
- Wood glue FAQs: clamp unstressed joints 30 to 60 minutes, don't stress for 24 hours (Titebond)
- Titebond Original wood glue: not for exterior use, not below 50°F (Titebond)
- What grit should I use for prep sanding raw wood? (General Finishes)
- Splits caused by nails and screws (Woodworking Network, Wood Doctor)
- LOCTITE PL Premium construction adhesive technical data sheet: bonds wood and MDF to concrete and metal (Henkel)
- Formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products, TSCA Title VI fact sheet (EPA)
- Wood dust: health hazards (OSHA)