Fatwood Wedges?

DeadFall27

DeadFall27

Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,476
Hey all,

Has anyone here toyed with the idea of using fatwood for wedges? Ive found a lot of it lately since I started clearing out the deadfall and dangerous trees at my grandparents' home that they have around the house.

Unfortunately, I didn't bring any of my heads in need of hanging out here, but I've made a couple wedges to test them out when I get back home. Any thoughts?

(I tried to uplaod these from Imgur, but they were blown up so big it was just a giant zoom in on my hand)

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-Jim
 
I've seen a few guys use 'em before and it seems to work well.
 
I can' get the vision of sap bedding up on 2X4's or pitch running out of them on hot days out of my head. I would question its stability. Might be fine but...
 
Presuming "fatwood" has it's origins as resin-impregnated heartwood of pine species this would make the material rather soft for use as wedges. You best bet is to whack in one as a trial to find out what happens. If it compresses and doesn't retain any spring to it you'll find out soon enough when the axe works loose. As others have pointed out the bountiful pitch might make for a natural adhesive to seal the cut and keep the wedge in place. No harm in trying!
 
300Six said:
Presuming "fatwood" has it's origins as resin-impregnated heartwood of pine species this would make the material rather soft for use as wedges.
Click to expand...

Mostly I've seen it as stump wood and around deep scars in the tree in ponderosas and whatever version of white pine it is we have down here.

Now in Mexico there's a pine that produces it in abundance - montezuma pine, which is usually called ocote locally. One place I worked had them and one of the old timers there used to tell me all about them. I was always too busy to go off with him when he cut one -- now that its 20 years later I realize I should have made the time for it. I'd have liked to have known if it was all the heartwood or just the oldest of it.

It sure would be and interesting experiment though. I may have to try it if I can find a bit in my wood pile.
 
We have some cedar root fatwood in these parts that I think would do for a wedge. When a tree dies in winter when the sap is down it preserves the wood in the roots and stump. Some of this cedar is SUPER aromatic.
 
So, my beater axe started to wiggle out here so I decided to try and put a fatwood wedge in after I seat it farther down the haft. I hung it in a humid area before I returned home for good, it probably just shrunk on me since then. So far, the wedge has held, Ive been beating on the thing the past day and a half, and it has seemed to stay in place. I'll keep everyone posted and see if it fails.
 
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