RubberBiker wrote:
Perfectly possible to handsaw, however if you know *anyone* with a
bandsaw, it's going to save you a good bit of work.

Buy a new hardpoint ripsaw - probably less than a fiver, if you don't
have a good saw.

If you're not experienced with sawing substantial bits of hardwood,
you're likely to drift off your line to some extent and will need to
true up with a plane afterwards.

You may already know this - but this is how I was taught to saw:

Mark round all 4 sides.
Widest (top) face upwards (so the normal upper face of the block).

Get the saw started in the back edge (furthest away from you) of the
top face - just sufficiently to stop it slipping about.

Now extend the saw groove following your line across the top face,
whilst avoiding going deeper at the back - concentrate all your
attention on getting your groove straight across this top face.

You now have a shallow groove across the top, on your line. Now start
working down the side nearest to you, whilst again going no deeper at
the back - again concentrate all your attention on following that line
down the front face - you're aiming to saw out a triangle i.e. the saw
goes no deeper at the back, nor does it rise out - when you've
finished this stage,you've cut away half the material, making (in x-
section) a triangle.

Now you have a choice, either turn the job around and repeat the
previous stage, or start working down at the back - but now using your
already-kerfed-out groove at the front as your saw guide.
Once you get to the point where all the material has been removed in
the upper half of the cut, start increasing the angle of the saw - so
that you end up with all the material removed to the bottom of the cut
both front and back - but with a "pyramid" of material left in the
middle of the cut.

Finally cut out this pyramid with the saw level - supporting the
offcut as you get to the end of the cut to avoid splitting out.

Sounds elaborate - much simpler in practice. Get the line right across
the top, and then down the front and you should get a square cut
overall. The method completely avoids splitting out where it will be
visible (top and sides), and with care when finishing, should be no
more than fibres on the base.

Good advice, but don't forget to position your index finger so that
it's pointing towards the tip
of the blade, dont wrap it around the handle with the other four.
I was given this tip by an old (now deceased) carpenter, it gives you
more control on the direction
of the saw blade, it works for me but it needs a bit of practice.
Cheers
Don