stuart noble wrote:
On 04/03/2015 13:52, Tricky Dicky wrote:
I would be tempted to get a cheap table saw and set the fence to
allow the blade to cut just below the level of the bitumen. This
assumes the edges are fairly sound and not gummed up.

Richard


I think that would be my approach too. I'd set the blade depth to half
the width of the parquet and do it in 2 passes. Yes, you'll have a
slight ridge in the middle, but nothing significant, and it would enable
you to hold on to the wood as it passes through the blade. Not something
I'd enjoy doing myself, but I have done similar things in the past, and
still have a full complement of fingers.
As already mentioned, no blade will tolerate bitumen, it melts too readily

Band saw might be easier to control and waste less wood. Needs 1/2 inch
blade to get a straight cut.

Alternatively white spirit will soften bitumen. However I'd heat and
scrape first to reduce the amount of white spirit used. Maybe a
vapour/spray bath might be feasible.