COTS Project Thread

[cityofthesouth]

I will have an actual project in the next few days but in the mean time this poorly drawn diagram. This is just how I do the cross wedges, there are other methods that make sense. The next time I do one, I'll photograph it along the way.

crosswedge by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

What I wanted to illustrate is that the first wedge is the same width as the handle - top left image.

Top right image shows the wedge driven. The green line indicates where I split the wedge with a chisel. The arrows indicate that the first wedge has spread the handle "front to back".

Bottom image shows that the second wedge can be driven as usual.


Another picture of the same concept.
crosswedge2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

First image the black is the eye, the 2 kerfs are cut.

Second image the first wedge is driven the same width as the handle, spreading the eye "front to back", leaving room "left to right" for the handle to spread.

Third image shows a wedge as wide as the eye. You can picture that when the second wedge is driven it will be fighting the first one.

Final image shows both wedges driven, filling up the eye.

So, could you just use 2 small wedges in the 3rd picture to solve the problem? Yep. But to my way of thinking, this is simpler and the result is the same.

 

[Agent_H]

Thanks for taking the time to put that together COTS!

Always like this thread bounced to the first page in the forum.

 

[cityofthesouth]

Thanks for taking the time to put that together COTS!

Always like this thread bounced to the first page in the forum.

I'm happy to, because it hadn't occurred to me until I tired to explain it, that it's really not very easy to put into words. Just didn't want to clog up the other thread with my rambling. And more importantly, you nailed it on your first try and I really hate sounding like I am condescending ... in fact I find it difficult to give advice, particularly in person, for that reason.

 

[rjdankert]

. . . in the mean time this poorly drawn diagram. . . .

I think your diagrams are excellent and clearly illustrate the concept. Thanks for taking the time and sharing.

Bob

 

[cityofthesouth]

I think your diagrams are excellent and clearly illustrate the concept. Thanks for taking the time and sharing.

Bob

Thanks!

And now an actual project! So I still had a rough handle from my last order sitting around, and I told myself that unless something spectacular came up I would not buy a new axe unless it was a beveled Plumb Jersey. I almost spent $50 on one, but now in hindsight I'm glad I didn't. I spent much less on this one and it's more my speed. A little rough around the edges but complete. The only wonky part is that little dip near the heel in the edge, which came out fine with a little effort. It's a 3-1/2 pounder, marked 3/2 and on my postal scale came in at 3lbs, 8.9oz. That's what I like to see. As for the handle, it had the same issue as one of the others where it was put in the lathe off to one side slightly, causing a flat side on the swell. That's annoying but I can deal. The grain is arrow straight from end to end, and with this in mind it became a "how thin can you go" experiment. I picked up a can of "merlot" stain with hopes of making the handle red the way Plumb did.

plumb_beveled_jersey2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

plumb_beveled_jersey1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Also tried my hand at making a spoon (green Silver Maple) and put a piece of hickory on one of those ... bah, I forget the brand .... puukko blade blanks to use as a carving knife. My well cared for crooked knife is seen there as well and my favorite tool hanging hammer.

 

[Square_peg]

crosswedge2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr


So, could you just use 2 small wedges in the 3rd picture to solve the problem? Yep. But to my way of thinking, this is simpler and the result is the same.

That's what I do. I don't split the cross wedge. But your way looks just as good.

 

[cityofthesouth]

I invented a few new curses for this one.
plumb_jersey_crack by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

So obviously it's not finished but here it is hung. I can only guess that the beating it had taken may have induced the crack and my wedging finished the job. I'm going out to pull it off the handle now and see if I can get it welded. I HAVE welded, it doesn't mean I am a welder.
plumb_jersey_hung by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

 

[Square_peg]

I invented a few new curses for this one.

Been there. Done that. Cried. Had it welded by someone better at it than me. Went off and used it just fine for the past 6 or 7 years.

Use a cutting wheel on a grinder to open it in a vee. Grind past the end of the crack. Weld with 7018 to over fill the vee. Pre-heating is a good idea. Grind flush. Patina. Wedge a little less aggressively next time. Don't be concerned with the welding damaging the heat treat. The eye was likely too hard to begin with. You might want to tie a wet rag around the bit to protect it from the heat.

I've also found old axes that had been left in the weather with cracks like this. I surmised that the rotten remains of a haft inside the eye became saturated with water and then froze.

 

[300Six]

I invented a few new curses for this one.

plumb_jersey_crack by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

I would have done the same! Good plug for Florida if you emphatically muttered some version of "sunny beaches". I have a hard time visualizing that a wood wedge could have done this to a sound head; is that entire crack fresh? In the same token it does make me wonder if soft hardwood wedges (Poplar) became an industry mainstay (instead of Hickory/Oak/Maple wedges) through misfortunes such as this.

 

[Square_peg]

In the same token it does make me wonder if soft hardwood wedges (Poplar) became an industry mainstay (instead of Hickory/Oak/Maple wedges) through misfortunes such as this.

The same thought has crossed my mind. Imagine a time before welders. Your axe was finished at this point. I can see how a softwood wedge could become the industry standard. Not that it's necessarily best, but that the lost revenue from occasional failures would cause the industry to seek alternatives.

 

[cityofthesouth]

Thanks fellas. I think I've got someone in mind who can handle the weld. Good Lord was the wedge and handle tight .... I've pulled a lot of my own handles before, but not right after hanging one. It was hung for life.

 

[cityofthesouth]

is that entire crack fresh? In the same token it does make me wonder if soft hardwood wedges (Poplar) became an industry mainstay (instead of Hickory/Oak/Maple wedges) through misfortunes such as this.

Sorry, I meant to respond to this. I think there was a small crack there. I didn't do a good job examining it, and I think that I mentally wrote it off as something typical at the point of the eye, but it's one of those things where you know you can't rely on your memory because you didn't make an effort to look and think about what you were seeing. Yeah my theory is basically that "something" was there and I made it worse.

I think it's possible that my use of harder wedges may ultimately be turning out to be wrong, or risky. As you guys are pointing out, if the wedging process could destroy an axe, then I could see avoiding the risk. Though I have no idea what that wood is. You are seeing it nice and fresh in these pics because at that point all I did was quickly sand a hair off the top - you can still see the ring where it was held in the lathe - so maybe one of you guys will have an idea. I believe it is stud material (2x4) but it's really old and rough sawn. It's just something that was in my shed when we moved here.

 

[quinton]

That sucks COTS..

 

[300Six]

Though I have no idea what that wood is. You are seeing it nice and fresh in these pics because at that point all I did was quickly sand a hair off the top - you can still see the ring where it was held in the lathe - so maybe one of you guys will have an idea. I believe it is stud material (2x4) but it's really old and rough sawn. It's just something that was in my shed when we moved here.

Building studs today are almost exclusively Spruce with a small proportion of Red-type Pines thrown in despite the ubiquitous S-P-F (Spruce-Pine-Fir) grading stamps. Hemlock/Douglas Fir is hardly ever used because it's tough to nail and it splits easy. Judging by the distinct band colouration you've likely got a Fir or perhaps a Southern Pine. To me that's a hard softwood and not really different from a soft hardwood so I don't think you can blame the wedge.

 

[quinton]

Looks like SYP to me.

 

[quinton]

Building studs today are almost exclusively Spruce with a small proportion of Red-type Pines thrown in despite the ubiquitous S-P-F (Spruce-Pine-Fir) grading stamps. Hemlock/Douglas Fir is hardly ever used because it's tough to nail and it splits easy. Judging by the distinct band colouration you've likely got a Fir or perhaps a Southern Pine. To me that's a hard softwood and not really different from a soft hardwood so I don't think you can blame the wedge.

Long leaf, or Southern Yellow Pine is actually stronger than White Oak in compression.

Compress. Parallel to Grain, Max Crushing Strength; Long Leaf Pine - 8,470 psi. White Oak - 7,440 psi. Yellow Poplar - 5,540 psi.

 

[300Six]

Long leaf, or Southern Yellow Pine is actually stronger than White Oak in compression.

Compress. Parallel to Grain, Max Crushing Strength; Long Leaf Pine - 8,470 psi. White Oak - 7,440 psi. Yellow Poplar - 5,540 psi.

Far out man! Up this way I only ever tangled with Southern Yellow Pine a few times while building decks 25 years ago. Unlike Cedar or PT Spruce I had to pre-drill the ends against splitting, it was a bear to nail and I was thankful not to be trying to straighten 1 1/2 inch thick versions of these boards (Pressure Treated SYP deck boards were an industry first of 5/4 thick at the time).

 

[quinton]

Far out man! Up this way I only ever tangled with Southern Yellow Pine a few times while building decks 25 years ago. Unlike Cedar or PT Spruce I had to pre-drill the ends against splitting, it was a bear to nail and I was thankful not to be trying to straighten 1 1/2 inch thick versions of these boards (Pressure Treated SYP deck boards were an industry first of 5/4 thick at the time).

I have fastened quite a few SYP boards over the years. Nails pretty good while it's green or wet, but when it's dry and seasoned it is similar to oak. I think that is why Pressure Treated SYP lumber is sold wet..

 

[300Six]

I have fastened quite a few SYP boards over the years. Nails pretty good while it's green or wet, but when it's dry and seasoned it is similar to oak. I think that is why Pressure Treated SYP lumber is sold wet..

The 5/4 x 6 stuff I used had been stockpiled for well over a year in an Ottawa warehouse (no one was buying because it cost more than ordinary PT decking and was 3/8" thinner than conventional, which contractors and homeowners hadn't seen/experienced before) and I went for it because it was noticeably harder and the PT green treatment went right through instead of showing a thin outer green layer as best you can expect from PT Spruce. Obviously I've never experienced SYP in it's fresh state!

 

[Square_peg]

Hemlock/Douglas Fir is hardly ever used because it's tough to nail and it splits easy.

Hemlock and fir are still common out west here, but spruce is showing up, too. 20 years ago is was mostly hemlock. Now we have a lot of Doug Fir coming down from BC. I see more Doug Fir than anything at my favorite supplier (not a big box store). Big box stores mostly have spruce.