What did you *make* today with your axe?

[rjdankert]

A board is maybe a little too bowed

We can ease it with our axe

I may not be interpreting the above two photos correctly, but it looks like you are illustrating using an axe to edge joint a board with a crook?


Bob

 

[Ernest DuBois]

Sorry Bob, yes I can better lay it out. The first picture is of the board laid up on the saw houses next to a straight-edge, (more or less) to show the gap caused by the bow in that board. The second picture is taken by me standing over the board with the side-axe in my hand. Maybe you can see my tapered line just in from the edge of the board, the axe taking a shaving off. You've got it right, basically joining the edge of the board like that as it sits on the horses. Later on I showed the close-up of the board nailed up just to illustrate the surface finish after edging like that.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Ernest, There was a song a long time ago "What's Behind The Green Door" and now I know it is a nice cabinet! Interesting construction of the "green" door and I like the wide floor boards, are they Pine? John

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I don't know a thing about the song John but green doors are a staple here in the whole damn country. The front door of Dutch houses was at a certain time a way to show off status and also a symbol of pride and subject of vigorous cleaning and up-keep by the woman of the house. Rarely overly ornate but always robust and done with particular attention, no corners shaved in either material or construction, joinery all draw bored for example with high quality hardware, really no expenses were spared though this being the home of the village carpenter I guess it's been made right here in the workshop. I think the floor's spruce and the same case as can be said of the door is not so for the floor. I spruced it up but the hard wear shows that it came out of an old dance-hall before I put it in here.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

...and if you can allow such a brutal deviation, by coincidence I've just been at work extending this floor down the rest of the hallway.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Ernest, that floor has some character to it! John

 

[Ernest DuBois]

Thanks, you couldn't be kinder.

 

[Yankee Josh]

Decided to use red oak for my take on this haft for my mast axe.
Mine will end up with more sweep than it appears in these photos. I meant to take more pics but I was racing daylight. I even cheated a little and used my power planer to flatten after I split it in two.

I wanted to try this guy out and it works great.

It's pretty rough still but this is where I ended up before I ran outta steam;

At this rate it might be a month before I have any time to work on it more! I'll be sure to post it when I do though.

 

[Square_peg]

I love the process photos and all the detritus. It's amazing how much mess we make when we carve things. That's why it's so nice to have an outdoor place to work.

 

[rjdankert]

A friend had a Black Walnut taken down and was convinced that I should have some of it. Didn't seem worth it to me to get this sawn, besides I've got plenty of rough sawn lumber. What to do? It was hard to say no.

We split it avoiding the pith.

Then split some more.

Took the pieces home and tried some axe work. Obviously, I am not a hewer of wood, but it was fun to try.

Then planes. Leave it rustic but not so much that somebody will pick up splinters when they sit on it.

Need legs.

More "leg work".

Wood dried and started to split.

Attach the legs.

Oiled and brought the Walnut back where it came from.

Bob

 

[Old Axeman]

Bob, that is the best post I have seen on the forum in a long time! I like the posts that have tools and actual work being done. Not that there is anything wrong with post with questions about makers, dates, styles, etc.
Bernie

 

[Duriensbane]

I actually felt bad these past 2 days, the farmer up the road from me has a bunch of timber from the former owner knocked down and ive been bucking it into firewood over the summer, taking a break during the hunting season and started again this week, and the first project was a blow down dead walnut, i was like cool, ive chopped up a few black walnuts already, well it wasnt a black walnut, it was by estimate a 130-150yr old english walnut. He did save the trunk cut (roughly 7.5ft x 40in round to first crotch) and hes going to see if his mill guy wants it, if not, and i find a seller, he will split the check with me.

 

[flexo]

i fell a tree, cut and split it, made a camp fire and a spatula

 

[Square_peg]

A friend had a Black Walnut taken down and was convinced that I should have some of it. Didn't seem worth it to me to get this sawn, besides I've got plenty of rough sawn lumber. What to do? It was hard to say no.

We split it avoiding the pith.

Then split some more.

Took the pieces home and tried some axe work. Obviously, I am not a hewer of wood, but it was fun to try.

Then planes. Leave it rustic but not so much that somebody will pick up splinters when they sit on it.

Need legs.

More "leg work".

Wood dried and started to split.

Attach the legs.

Oiled and brought the Walnut back where it came from.

Bob

That is fantastic, Bob. And the bow tie just makes it better. Full marks!