How to shorten a 2 x 4 joist made from old pine

fein

So you would rather take a bit off a joist rather than trim the stud?

Have you not got a mitre saw or hand saw you could bring up to trim the stud?

-- Do or do not, there is no try

Jorgensen Pony Japanese type pull saw.
I cut 16 4×4 posts with one of these.
Amazing how easy it is to cut, especially when trying to get a thin cut off the end.

Cheaper alternative, Stanley “Sharp Tooth” standard western type saw.
Sells for about $12. Goofy plastic tote and all.

Wait a minute. You said “stud” in one sentence and “joist” in another. Which is it?
I was referring to shortening a stud.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

i’m a ittle confused as well. You would want to take an 1/8” off the stud. You can even make it just a hair short and shim it tight.

When you say you made a new “stud” by joining 2, how did you join them?

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

*note: I mean “stud” not “joist”. Re: renners note, I could perhaps plane the ceiling joist a little where the stud meets it. It would be much easier to plane the joist instead of the end grain of the stud. I would prefer, however, to shorten the stud if I can do so w/out too much hassle. I suppose I could bring it back down to the table saw.

Re: Japanese style pull saw, I love these saws and used one extensively to cut through studs when I was doing demolition. I don’t think though that I would be able to trim 1/16” evenly across the surface of this piece of wood.

Another thought I had was what about a really sharp block plane? I read that if the blade is sharpened properly, it should be able to cut shavings off of end grain.

Yes, I could shim it tight, if necessary. I joined a 6’ and 3’ stud of similar thicknesses by sandwiching them between two 25” pieces of scrap stud and then nailing those scrap pieces onto the main studs. That should provide enough lateral support. Any other way to join the studs? I do have a couple more in the house to fix, and I’m trying to use the same old wood to fix studs, where possible.

No, no, no, you’ve got it all wrong. Don’t touch the joist (or floor or upper wall plate). Shorten the stud. Should have inserted the wtf emoticon after my first sentence.

-- Do or do not, there is no try

I agree with renners.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

2×4 actual doesn’t have such a huge amount more strength than modern “2×4” that is 1.5×3.5, but I’d be very concerned about the strength of your joined stud. I’d be very surprised if it met code as the amount of lateral stress a stud is designed to handle would pop the nails. You’d be better off putting two modern studs in place of the old one you took out, each of them the full length. If you really want to match your old studs find similar full length material.

richard2345 – agreement with renners (wtf included) and Don W. Cut the stud to fit. Tim – I will assume that the studs on either side of his repair are intact. If thats the case then his method of sistering 2 – 25” pieces should be fine.

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

Perhaps you can post a picture so everyone’s on the same page. :-)

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

Up north we can get 2×4 studs for as cheap as a buck each. Just my 2 cents, but Id never sister up a wall stud when a new one is a buck. Id throw 2 new ones in and make boxes out of the 120 year old wood. :) Id burn the old wood before I would sister up a stud.

-- The Box Whisperer

The Box Whisperer - agreed – but richard2345 was using the materials he had on hand. As long as the studs on either side of his repair are intact, his sistering method would be fine, maybe not prefered, but fine

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

In the time it took you to post this and wait (then read) all these replies, you could have hauled it down to your saw, cut it to fit, and have it reinstalled by now LOL

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joein10asee – ROFL….thanks

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once