My lucky day. - Bunch of cleaned up PICS UPDATE

Operator1975 said:
I have a lot of Elm on my property, some alive, some dead. It is some serious hard a@@ stuff. When I chop it it will eat up axe bits. I couldn't imagine trying to qork with it unless you have the tools to do it. I hope you pull it off, I would assume the handle would last forever.
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I should be able to make it happen. My dad has all the power tools I should need.
 
What kind of power tools? I have never used anything powered for my handles. an axe, a block plane or spokeshave and a round rasp is all you really need. Takes me about 2 hours from start to finish. cutting it out with a bandsaw I've found doesn't save much time, you just need to be confident with how much you take off when you are roughing it out.

BTW, I make most of my handles green and haven't had much of a problem with checking. Thats mainly a problem if you leave it out in the elements. I would rough the handle and put an old sock on each end and hang the handle up as straight as you can for a week or two, after that checking shouldn't give you any trouble at all.
 
G-pig said:
What kind of power tools? I have never used anything powered for my handles. an axe, a block plane or spokeshave and a round rasp is all you really need. Takes me about 2 hours from start to finish. cutting it out with a bandsaw I've found doesn't save much time, you just need to be confident with how much you take off when you are roughing it out.

BTW, I make most of my handles green and haven't had much of a problem with checking. Thats mainly a problem if you leave it out in the elements. I would rough the handle and put an old sock on each end and hang the handle up as straight as you can for a week or two, after that checking shouldn't give you any trouble at all.
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I really appreciate the help, g-pig. I was planning to split a log, then rip into a plank on the table saw, then shape with the bandsaw, and then dry a week or two. Then go to the spoke shave and rasp. I could do it all with my trusty mustad carpenter's axe, too. It just depends how the elm works with the different tools. 2 hours is not bad at all. I'm sure it will take my at least double that. We'll see. Have you ever used elm?
 
I haven't used elm, but its suitability as a bow wood crosses over to axe handles. I might consider leaving it a bit on the thicker side, just to be cautious (I make mine about 7/8" or 3/4" thick, so that may not be thick at all for you). When I first started, it would take me about 4 hours per handle because I was not bold with the roughing axe and riving at the beginning. I use quarters most of the time, and I just rive off (with wedges and mallet) most of the excess. This saves OODLES of time. Also harder to remove fingers than with a tablesaw, and I would wager its faster too.
 
You can also paint the ends of the handle to seal the end grain while you let it dry. That keeps it from checking or cracking while drying as well.
 
G-pig said:
I haven't used elm, but its suitability as a bow wood crosses over to axe handles. I might consider leaving it a bit on the thicker side, just to be cautious (I make mine about 7/8" or 3/4" thick, so that may not be thick at all for you). When I first started, it would take me about 4 hours per handle because I was not bold with the roughing axe and riving at the beginning. I use quarters most of the time, and I just rive off (with wedges and mallet) most of the excess. This saves OODLES of time. Also harder to remove fingers than with a tablesaw, and I would wager its faster too.
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Thanks for the tips, I've been wanting to try making handles for a while now. I'd love to see a photo tutorial if you ever have the time.
 
Painting the ends works great too. I don't always do it since its a bit of a pain for my small scale stuff, if I was storing away a bunch of rounds of wood for tool handles I would certainly do it though.

I am going to write up a little tute on handle making sometime soon, I need to post it over to bushcraftusa too. I have a little rockaway that I need to hang, perhaps I will do that in the next few weeks.

Good videos memphis. There isn't a whole lot of material on making axe handles on the web unfortunately. I had to learn via "denial and error" :D
 
Definitely looking forward to your tutorial. All the vids I have seen are entertaining, but not super helpful IMO. How bout I just come over and you can teach me??? :)
 
Don't think it'd be worth the trip just to here me ramble and talk over myself (yes, its possible). Probably end up in a debate about coke vs. pepsi or something like that. Writing up a tute will be more concise I hope :D
 
Elm is evil. I spent about an hour (until dark) trying to split an elm log. Wow. Tenacious stuff.

Also managed to crack a handle. I gave it a big swing and heard it snap.

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You can really see the disappointment on my supervisor's face in this pic:
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Nothing like breaking one handle while trying to make another. :rolleyes:
 
You need a mallet and wedges for that fella for sure. I have never split a long log like that with an axe, just 3 wedges and a sledge or wooden mallet.
 
G-pig said:
You need a mallet and wedges for that fella for sure. I have never split a long log like that with an axe, just 3 wedges and a sledge or wooden mallet.
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Oh, Dude, I had three wedges, two splitting maul heads, an 8 pound maul, and several axes. It's a b****.
 
I may be dum, but I ain't stoopid. :D

Just ran out of daylight. I'll have it split tomorrow.

I really could use some better wedges, though. I'll have to keep my eye out.
 
I would try some wooden wedges if its spitting out your metal ones. I have found some wood where a nice sharp wedge will start a split right off but it will spit out one of my fat firewood wedges.
 
Okay, thanks, I'll try that. I was thinking about taking some of my loose axe heads and using them as wedges cause they would probably work well. But I've never done that, and I'm not sure how much abuse they can take on the poll, especially while the eyes are empty. I just don't want to get carried away and warp the eye of one.
 
well, your supervisor is obviously an inadequate failure, otherwise your handle would not have broken... im so sorry that you had such inadequate supervision that caused such a tragrdy...:D
blame it on the poor kid...
no, im just kidding, nice work. at least you tried. the next one will be fine... i made a handle last spring for a hatchet... it broke too...
what i see here though...; a future axe nut...;):) nice work...
 
memphis, i dont mean to get off topic here..., but wheres the snow? were digging out around these parts... over 3' in the past 4 days, on top of the 2' we already had...
no snow in smurf turf town...?
 
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