DIY New Tool

[iffy]

Bob C - Since this was mild steel and I am only using it on 8 holes, I didnt' worry about heat treating. I got thru about 2/3 of the holes last night and I stopped and resharpened it once. Am cutting lodgepole, so it cuts pretty easy. I wouldn't even think of trying it on oak or anything hard. I could have taken the easy way out and just squared off the ends of the joists and made a beam pocket, but I just didn't like the looks of the round joist tapering down to a square. This is more in line with my saddle notch corners. I'll run a couple of long lag screws down into the wall thru the end of each joist to keep it in the wall. The other end gets a shallow saddle cut into it to fit over a 14" dia beam. That'll get a lag screw too. Had to make a couple of other tools too. One was a clearance drill/counterbore combo to drill and counterbore the logs for 1/2" x 12" lag bolts and the other was a set of log tongs without the points (made a curved pad on the gripping end). Didn't have any log tongs so just fabricated some. So far all the tools work.

[Bob C.]

Looks like the tool fits your purpose well.  I was going to suggest a slight upgrade or modification.  Spot welding a section of bandsaw blade with plety of set in the teeth might help keep the teeth sharp longer and help keep it from clogging up.  Would be quick to make as well.  If it got dull you could just weld on a new blade.