I have a root that is lifting up an 8x8 piece of timber that I need to has set flush with the ground. I am going to use a saw to cut out the sides of a small section of the timber then to a depth 1.5" and 3" wide then chisel the wood out of it. What chisel would I want for that?
A sharp 1" Wood Chisel should do the job with no problem.
But that root will continue to grow and it will probably press upwards against that board in the future.
This is probably more of an IMHO question as there are several answers to this question. I’m going to move it over.
Do you own chisels already? Can you borrow them if not?
But if no to both, a chisel set for light use like this can be had very cheap from Lowes or Harbor Freight.
With a chisel set you can get more precise lines when you’re finished.
If you’re not use to chisel work, remember to take small amounts out as you get close to the end of the job.
You don’t mention the wood involved. The part chiseled out will be more vulnerable to rot typical and you might want to use some sort of preservative on it. Even something like Tung, Teak or Danish Oil would help.
Something like this will work. It’s got a 1", 3/4" and 1/2". And the handles are suitable for striking with a hammer if needed.
Note - ALWAYS keep your free hand BEHIND the tip!
Be sure to buy one from a reputable dealer. Avoid the chiselers.
If you’re going to buy some for yourself, you might as well buy a whetstone along with them. A dull chisel is of no use to you.
I decided that as rarely as I’ll use it to save a few bucks but buy one good one so I have a Kobalt 1" wood chisel
If you have a saw to cut out, I doubt you really need a chisel. If I understand correctly. Make about 5-7 passes with the saw (circular saw?) and then the chips should break off easy.
Are you sure the plant (tree?) needs that root? Or is it a really big root? If not I think you’d be better served to cut off the root, for reasons others have mentioned upthread.
I think you should cut through the root also but I don’t know how important it could be for that tree. If not doing that I would use an old beat up chisel for a tree root but apparently you have no chisels at all. You’ll want to make a lot cuts across that root, ideally close to the width of the chisel. The chisel going through the root sideways is pushing it’s way between fibers, a saw will be better than a chisel at cutting across the grain.