Apparatus including a saw mill cutter for removing risers or excess material from castings such as for engine blocks, cylinder heads, cam carriers, transmission housings and the like, with the saw mill cutter simultaneously cutting the riser from the casting body while milling the cut surface to form a finished and/or semi finished surface and with a method for utilizing such a saw mill cutter and forming such finished and/or semi-finished surface and with one form of the method including feeding the casting widthwise to the cutter such that it is cut and milled along its length.