Need AXE (possibly multiples) selection help...

S

Survivormind

Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
399
Hello All,

Here's the scenario:

I have purchased a decent-sized piece of land that is half timbered. I will be moving my family out to it this coming April and will be building a cob home completely off of the grid. During this time, we'll be living in our trailer. I am going to be building the home with my wife and plan on hewing all of the beams needed for the roof supports out of the old pine on the property. I'm fairly handy and can pretty much figure out how to do anything with some reading and slow-going.

I will need to be able to fell trees as large as 2' in diameter (most are about 1'), hew them, and then cut them into beams. Another one of the issues is that I want to keep my costs as low as possible. All of the other things we've had to get to prepare have costed an arm and a leg.

I was thinking of getting a kind of middle of the road axe for the felling, limbing, etc, and I am looking at the Husqvarna Forest Axe as it seems like a good middle of the road length for lots of tasks. For a lot of the other carpentry work that requires more control, I was looking at the Husqvarna Carpenter's Axe. I would prefer a broad axe for the hewing (it can be rough finished) but can't find an affordable one. I also plan on getting a two-man crosscut saw.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I will be completely off of the grid. I will have a generator initially but I do not want to use any power tools with the exception of my DeWalt drill. I don't even want to run a chainsaw.

Is there anything I am missing? I realize it's going to be a lot more work doing this with two tools as opposed to 5 or 6 but I will have options to add to these later. This is just what I'll have initially.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Survivormind
 
You can often get vintage american steel cheaper (and often better) than new off the shelf. For Pine, I would choose a Connecticut or Jersey pattern in the 4lb range. Broad bit = soft wood, narrow bit = hard wood. I see broad axes occasionlly at flea markets, but they want antique price for them, not used tool price. Best of luck!


-Xander
 
wow, great project.
I'd be weak, though, and use the chainsaw to drop the trees and save my time and energy for the post-processing.

Sounds like you'll need a chopping/felling axe (thin bit for cross-cutting) and then some hewing tools like a broad axe. If you expect your wife to help, get tools to fit her too. :)
 
A related discussion on what axe(s) to choose for a homestead:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/844996-If-only-one-axe-%28or-only-two-or-only-three-axes%29

Also, here's a log cabin that is being constructed without the use of a broad axe (all hewing was done with a regular axe, by a member of this forum called Sparrow):

IMGP5636_1_1.jpg

from the thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/839234-Log-Cabin-In-Progress
 
You might want to get a drawknife for stripping the bark from some of the trees and smoothing out boards for the floor. You could leave a lot of your roof supports 'in the round'. You could use some wedges and a sledge hammer for making lumber for the floor. My limited understanding of hewing and ax carpentry suggests right and left hand hewing axes and carpentry axes were used depending on the need. I'm guessing that your property has all the materials necessary for making the cob?
 
You guys are awesome!

Fast14riot, I've looked at garage sales around town but not too much. I'll have to make this more of a priority.

Daizee, my wife is a super beast physical specimen of hard work. She's definitely helping and would be the one on the other side of the two-"man" crosscut saw. You are right. I need to get her an axe as well. I'm pretty sure she can use anything I use. She's 5'9" and is a figure competitor so she's got some muscles on her.

Steve, I'm definitely checking out that thread!

Bo, there is a whole host of other tools I have either already acquired or will need. I plan on a draw knife along with the wedges and sledge. I don't really want to get a hewing axe for that reason. I can do it without and don't need to spend another $200. I like the idea of the carpentry axe because of it's smaller size and I imagine it would be more like a hatchet or tomahawk, both of which I am much more familiar with. I'm probably going to have to buy the sand and straw for the cobb. Can I substitute something else for the clay because if not, I'll have to buy that too. I've got dirt, trees, and rocks galore along with game and water. Other than that, I'm going to have to get it from somewhere else. Also, can you suggest a reasonably priced and good quality draw knife?
 
Applaud your efforts sir. the most important thing I can think of if you want to cut, hew, chop etc all by hand, is skill. prerequisite to skill is good tools and a bit of failure (that maybe entailing some bad tools).

I would definitely recommend vintage axes over anything manufactured today. I've been hewing pine for the past several months and my favorite axe for that had been almost exclusive maine made wedge patterns and maine patterns. These dont have the superfluos curves of a typical axe. They look like a cheese wedge, hence the name. Maine patterns are a little different but still have a similar cheek shape. These allow you to find the bevel of the axe and get a good clean hewed plane. If you want to be fancy, finish it with an adze. (for all intents and purposes, you only need a good axe to hew a nice square beam though)

Also, the axes I used self selected into a very narrow range of weight and length. they were all between 2 3/4 and 3 1/4 pounds, and the handles didnt exceed 32". You are going to be swinging this a lot so its important to choose it right. I would look for something in that range, and get a handle accordingly. a quarter pound in either direction of 3 pound would be ok, if you choose the right handle. Just today picked up a 3 1/4 pound axe with a 27 1/2" handle my neighbor had and it just fit together beautiful. all in the skillful mating of the axe head and the handle. If you have a lighter head, you might well put it on a longer handle to bring them into the same realm of efficiency. Peter Vido touched upon this briefly, and its pretty complex with each axe being a little different. Matching different traits to match the users preferences and the tasks at hand is the general point.

Do you have any experience sharpening crosscut saws? if you dont, you might be better off with a plain tooth pattern. They are much easier to sharpen, and although they run a little bit slower they are worth it in the simplicity department. you will have other things to get frustrated about, and its not worth worrying about all the intricate facets of filing just yet. what kind of saw do you have or are thinking of getting?
 
eBay for a hewing axe and felling axe I get both of them from eBay since I am in Colorado where trees are small and the state is young a good Michigan axe would work great for hewing but a jersey would work better but it seems everyone wants one so they can cost more I hate them personally don't buy new buy old save some money and use better tools
 
Survivormind said:
...Also, can you suggest a reasonably priced and good quality draw knife?
Click to expand...

The best value is to buy a good quality used one. I know of a good deal on a vintage drawknife currently for sale online. If you click on my user name in the title of this post, you will have the option to send me an email if you want the link to the seller.
 
You know, for the size trees you'll be cutting you could probably make do with a 1 man crosscut (plus the helper handle for your wife). Four foot Disstons seem to be $50 to $75 around here and then you have the option to run it solo for bucking later on if you want.
Good luck with your endeavor, I'm jealous.
 
Survivormind,

Have you considered cordwood or slipform construction? Both would provide you with loadbearing walls and might allow you to make use of the materials you have on site. Both would provide greater strength. You could make the cordwood walls so they would rival the insulative value of the cob.
 
I'll second the suggestion of a 4 foot one man crosscut saw with an auxiliary handle.

G-Pig is giving you some great advice on hewing axes. I use a broad axe to finish a timber but it's not a necessity. Most hewing work is done with a regular single bit axe. The exact length and weight will depend on the man (or woman). I like a 3-1/2 pounder on a 30"-34" handle. Whatever size suits you the bit should have very little curve to it. A straight bit hews to a uniform depth and the chunks come off with less effort.

And if you're starting in April then you need to start refining your axe skills now. Read everything you can. Practice every day you can.
 
My cabin is off-grid and I have been working on the place for years, although I only live there half the time now. I do have a couple chain saws and work would be much harder without one.Vintage hand tools are the way to go in my experience. Broad axes seem cheap on ebay to me, especially compared to what a new one would cost. I also get a lot of use out of a hewing hatchet. They come in all blade widths. Again these are cheap on ebay if you spend some time looking. A few good drawkives as mentioned are useful. For removing bark, I like the beefy ones that were made by L.&I.J White or D.R. barton for coopers. Also even with a Dewalt, you may find a hand brace with augers useful, especially for larger holes. Look for an old Disston saw for lumber, one with a beech or apple handle and brass nuts. Good luck with your homestead,I think you'll find it very satisfying.
 
Square bits are generally better for all around use. For hewing, a rounder bit does offer the advantage of not tearing out as much. Mike Beaudry talked about the old new england pattern hewing axes, which had fairly curved bits and beveled on both sides. These left sort of a scalloped surface. Most of this is prefernce and the only way to find yours is use some axes of each type.

If you can get a used broadax in good shape, its probably worth doing so just for the futures sake. the more we can save from scrapyards and women hanging them on a barn wall in the rain, the gooder.
 
If you want to cut firewood and lumber by hand, it requires a radical shift in mindset and system. I think its beneficial on virtually every point, but not everyone can do without a chainsaw. Even a fairly hardcore luddite like Peter Vido uses a truck and a chainsaw these days. the allure of saving time is strong.

Nothing should be safe from a good stern examination. cutting back on firewood consumption, which would only be trivial with a chainsaw and hydraulic splitter, makes a huge difference. cutting all your wood green makes it vastly easier, but also requires you to cut it all in advance to season it. you are much more in tune with it all, which to me is wonderful. To others its a bother. Breaking up the workload so its more manageable is another necessary point. Cut it to 4 foot lengths (or even longer), and its convenient to cut a little at a time. A good saw horse is also extremely important-- it differs a lot from one for a chainsaw. It has to be at a comfortable height and cant allow the log to roll around or tip back and forth. A bad sawbuck will make it frustrating.
 
G-pig said:
Applaud your efforts sir. the most important thing I can think of if you want to cut, hew, chop etc all by hand, is skill. prerequisite to skill is good tools and a bit of failure (that maybe entailing some bad tools).

I would definitely recommend vintage axes over anything manufactured today. I've been hewing pine for the past several months and my favorite axe for that had been almost exclusive maine made wedge patterns and maine patterns. These dont have the superfluos curves of a typical axe. They look like a cheese wedge, hence the name. Maine patterns are a little different but still have a similar cheek shape. These allow you to find the bevel of the axe and get a good clean hewed plane. If you want to be fancy, finish it with an adze. (for all intents and purposes, you only need a good axe to hew a nice square beam though)

Also, the axes I used self selected into a very narrow range of weight and length. they were all between 2 3/4 and 3 1/4 pounds, and the handles didnt exceed 32". You are going to be swinging this a lot so its important to choose it right. I would look for something in that range, and get a handle accordingly. a quarter pound in either direction of 3 pound would be ok, if you choose the right handle. Just today picked up a 3 1/4 pound axe with a 27 1/2" handle my neighbor had and it just fit together beautiful. all in the skillful mating of the axe head and the handle. If you have a lighter head, you might well put it on a longer handle to bring them into the same realm of efficiency. Peter Vido touched upon this briefly, and its pretty complex with each axe being a little different. Matching different traits to match the users preferences and the tasks at hand is the general point.

Do you have any experience sharpening crosscut saws? if you dont, you might be better off with a plain tooth pattern. They are much easier to sharpen, and although they run a little bit slower they are worth it in the simplicity department. you will have other things to get frustrated about, and its not worth worrying about all the intricate facets of filing just yet. what kind of saw do you have or are thinking of getting?
Click to expand...

G-Pig, thanks for taking the time. This looks like great advice and elaborates of a few things I hadn't considered at all.

Thanks to your advice and that of others on this post, I am now looking at vintage axe heads. I have found what looks to me like a nice single bit "Plumb" head that weighs 3.5 pounds for a reasonable price. I looked for Maine patterns for a bit and didn't see anything.

I do not have experience in sharpening saws. I've been looking into it and yeah, the easier the better. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible to kick this off. There are so many things I have to do and so many things to consider...do you have suggestions on a specific saw?
 
VintageAxe said:
You know, for the size trees you'll be cutting you could probably make do with a 1 man crosscut (plus the helper handle for your wife). Four foot Disstons seem to be $50 to $75 around here and then you have the option to run it solo for bucking later on if you want.
Good luck with your endeavor, I'm jealous.
Click to expand...

I like that idea! She is going to be busy at times with other projects and if I could work on this alone and not have to depend on her help, that would be ideal.
 
Square_peg said:
I'll second the suggestion of a 4 foot one man crosscut saw with an auxiliary handle.

G-Pig is giving you some great advice on hewing axes. I use a broad axe to finish a timber but it's not a necessity. Most hewing work is done with a regular single bit axe. The exact length and weight will depend on the man (or woman). I like a 3-1/2 pounder on a 30"-34" handle. Whatever size suits you the bit should have very little curve to it. A straight bit hews to a uniform depth and the chunks come off with less effort.

And if you're starting in April then you need to start refining your axe skills now. Read everything you can. Practice every day you can.
Click to expand...

Do you have a suggestion for a saw?
 
G-pig said:
If you want to cut firewood and lumber by hand, it requires a radical shift in mindset and system. I think its beneficial on virtually every point, but not everyone can do without a chainsaw. Even a fairly hardcore luddite like Peter Vido uses a truck and a chainsaw these days. the allure of saving time is strong.

Nothing should be safe from a good stern examination. cutting back on firewood consumption, which would only be trivial with a chainsaw and hydraulic splitter, makes a huge difference. cutting all your wood green makes it vastly easier, but also requires you to cut it all in advance to season it. you are much more in tune with it all, which to me is wonderful. To others its a bother. Breaking up the workload so its more manageable is another necessary point. Cut it to 4 foot lengths (or even longer), and its convenient to cut a little at a time. A good saw horse is also extremely important-- it differs a lot from one for a chainsaw. It has to be at a comfortable height and cant allow the log to roll around or tip back and forth. A bad sawbuck will make it frustrating.
Click to expand...

Yes, this goal of ours has already changed everything. There are so many things to think about.

On the bright side, I will not be working for anyone else anymore so I will be going into this endeavor with 24/7 availability, which makes me less apprehensive about relying on an old school hand saw over a chainsaw. The wife and I were talking about it last night and we think we'll start off with the handsaw and if we get out there and find out the hand saw is just not going to cut it (pun intended), we'll pick up a decent chainsaw. Also, I am in very good physical shape (can do 42 chin-ups in one set, run a mile in under 6 minutes, etc.) and can do hard work all day, all week, as long as I eat well and get 6 hours of rack time. Well, I should say that I used to work all day like that but recently, I've spent more time behind a desk. My wife and I figure it will take us both a good 6 weeks to adjust to the increase in physical labor.

I'm not going to say that we aren't considering a chainsaw for off-the-property firewood gathering...
 
Survivormind said:
Do you have a suggestion for a saw?
Click to expand...

We talk about vintage axes a lot, and with saws its pretty much the only option. The crosscut saw company in new york makes them new, but they run 200 dollars and pretty much require a complete overhaul of straightening, jointing and then usual filing. Ebay is probably the best place to find old vintage saws for under 50 or 60 bucks. I just did a quick once over and didnt see any plain tooths on there, but i will shoot you a message if anything pops up.


could give a quick list of the kinds of woods you want to use this one? Doesnt need to be super specific, but just what you have a lot of on this property.

3.5 is heavy for an axe. A good general weight but for lots of cutting and hewing you might want something lighter. Old heads can be had for 10 or 20 bucks so its not as if you cant add more later (you probably will :))
 
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