Railroad Ties for Landscaping
 

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?
Thanks.

In article ,
lid (James Black) wrote:

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?
Thanks.

And now you know your teacher was correct after all, that you WOULD need
to know a bit of math when you grew up.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he
http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html
"In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to
liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson

James Black wrote:
Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

Thanks.

This isn't what you're asking, but aren't railroad ties treated with
all sorts of nasty wood-preserving chemicals, chemicals that can leach
into the ground water?

Patrick

James Black wrote:
Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?
Thanks.


Hint: The diameter of the "circle" is irrelevant. The number of cuts is
what's relevant.

--
Warren H.

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Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

Per previous poster, depends on how many "sides" the circle will have.
A method that seems like it should work is to remember that the number of
degrees, cut at an angel, in the "n" sided circle must total 180 degrees. In
other words, a four sided circle (grin) would have each cut made at 45
degrees (180 degrees divided by four). An eight sided circle would have 22.5
degree cuts, six sided circle 30 degrees.
I'm not much of a Gardner nor mathematician, but I believe that should
work.

Old Chief Lynn

Patrick wrote:
James Black wrote:

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

This isn't what you're asking, but aren't railroad ties treated with
all sorts of nasty wood-preserving chemicals, chemicals that can leach
into the ground water?

That's ok some of us are toxic dumpers.

Dick

"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message
...

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

Per previous poster, depends on how many "sides" the circle will have.
A method that seems like it should work is to remember that the number of
degrees, cut at an angel, in the "n" sided circle must total 180 degrees.
In
other words, a four sided circle (grin) would have each cut made at 45
degrees (180 degrees divided by four). An eight sided circle would have
22.5
degree cuts, six sided circle 30 degrees.
I'm not much of a Gardner nor mathematician, but I believe that should
work.

Old Chief Lynn

I always thought a circle was was defined as a degenerate ellipse with
coincident foci. Sounds more like like a polygon (or octagon) - Most
certainly an over-engineered tree basin. Why not just lay out the ties and
make the beveled cuts where and at the angles requiired to close the
polygon? Olin

James Black wrote:

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

I presume the lengths are diameters and you really want a circle and
not an octogon which would be very easy.

Does the inside have to be circular or just the outside? Are you a
master craftsman with a heavy duty router and a router bit the length
of the thickness of a railroad tie?

The real question here is: How many pieces of wood are you prepared
to cut?

Dick

"omi" wrote in message
...
"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message
...

Where can I find mitre angles for creating a circular border around
the base of trees? For example, what is the angle cut needed to
create a 7 foot circle, an 8 foot, or 9 foot circle?

Per previous poster, depends on how many "sides" the circle will
have.
A method that seems like it should work is to remember that the number
of
degrees, cut at an angel, in the "n" sided circle must total 180
degrees.
In
other words, a four sided circle (grin) would have each cut made at 45
degrees (180 degrees divided by four). An eight sided circle would have
22.5
degree cuts, six sided circle 30 degrees.
I'm not much of a Gardner nor mathematician, but I believe that
should
work.

Old Chief Lynn

I always thought a circle was was defined as a degenerate ellipse with
coincident foci. Sounds more like like a polygon (or octagon) - Most
certainly an over-engineered tree basin. Why not just lay out the ties and
make the beveled cuts where and at the angles requiired to close the
polygon? Olin

"over-engineered tree basin"? Oh, Olin, are you trying to develop this
promising thread into some kind of practical solution? Where's the sport in
that? (grin)
Old Chief Lynn

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
[...]

You'll never get rid of the creosote, and it's messy. I acquired some
ties which had been removed from the railway at least 20 years earlier,
and hadn't been treated since. As soon as hot sun shone on the wood, the
creosote came to the surface..a nuisance if it gets onto hands or
clothes (or carpets, via shoes and pets feet).

Janet

Janet


Oh my, you do have a problem. Must have been fairly fresh ties when you
got them. On the bridge ties that edge my driveway, the creosote doesn't
bubble up, the surface is weathering away sl-o-o-o-o-wly, and moss is
growing out of some of the cracks. I figure there's 20 years left in
them. :-)

Creosote does weather, you just have to be patient. The fact that it
weathers so slowly indicates that its toxins are released very slowly
also - slowly enough that they will degrade (oxidise, usually) before
they accumulate.

"Wolf Kirchmeir" wrote in message
.. .

The remaining chemicals are mainly copper sulfate and fungicides, neither
of which are cause for alarm (unless you get down on your hands and knees
and gnaw on the wood... :-o).

Perhaps you should provide more information on the fungicides you're
referring to, and which of them might or might not be safe near edible
plants. The OP may or may not want to stick some chives or parsley or other
stuff in the ground near the treated wood.


Besides, there are worse sources of pollution in your neighbourhood, such
as the car in your driveway or the power mower you use.

Unless you're the kind of slug who lets his car ooze fluids for years on end
without fixing it, you cannot compare engines to fungicides/pesticides in
contact with the soil.

I propose using only one piece of wood, cut to the circumference of
your circle. (I'm sure _someone, somewhere_ must sell 30-ft. railroad
ties!) You can just use a 90-degree angle on both ends, and then run
it through your railroad tie bender (available from your local home
improvement store for a mere $499.99), and there you have it!
;)

Seriously, I wouldn't be too concerned about an exact angle because the
ties will probably shift over time and something will inevitably grow
up through the cracks anyway! Not exactly like building a picture
frame.
OK, now everyone can flame me for my "rustic" approach. :)
Gary

"Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
I propose using only one piece of wood, cut to the circumference of
your circle. (I'm sure _someone, somewhere_ must sell 30-ft. railroad
ties!) You can just use a 90-degree angle on both ends, and then run
it through your railroad tie bender (available from your local home
improvement store for a mere $499.99), and there you have it!
;)

Seriously, I wouldn't be too concerned about an exact angle because the
ties will probably shift over time and something will inevitably grow
up through the cracks anyway! Not exactly like building a picture
frame.
OK, now everyone can flame me for my "rustic" approach. :)
Gary


Your approach is extremely rustic and you are a bad person. :-)