Tool Tuesday; making a round log square

[johan_steele]

It takes a skilled man with an axe, broad axe and adze to turn round logs into square beams. Most who don't know anything of the process fail to understand how much work it takes to make one good beam. First a man notches the log, ideally he will be able to raise it off the ground before he begins his work. He will mark it with a bit of chalk line or a strong score mark. Then he uses a felling axe to cut notches every foot or so ideally ending his notch a quarter or half inch of depth above the chalk line. The builder then moves on to using a broad axe to chop out the area between the notches. Some will use a saw to make the notches and then use an axe to break loose the pieces between the saw cuts. I don't know if that is a faster method or not.

Then the adze comes into its own as the tool used to finish the log flat on one side. The process is then repeated for each side of the log that needs to be flat. Some only need to finish two sides others all four as it depends upon where the beam will be used in the structure. If needed a man can use a plane to do any fine finish he might have missed.

How long does such a process take? A good skilled man can likely do the work in a few hours of hard work and make no mistake it is hard work. A man with soft hands will quickly find blisters on his left hand; a careless man will quickly gain awareness of where his feet and leg are placed in relation to a tool blade.
Over the years I have helped make roads, siege works and more than a few structures. Upon my arrival in Minnesota my hands had become soft from several long months of travel. It took a few weeks of work with an axe and splitting maul to toughen my hands back up again. The war softened my hands again, though to a lesser degree, and I again went to work toughening my hands before I began building my inn and stable. It was hard and exhausting work but in the end I could look at the work myself and a few friends had accomplished with real pride. Any man who works with his hands can look at his accomplishments with the knowledge that with good hard work and a will anything can be accomplished.

 

[JOHN42768]

It is amazing to see the results of countless hours / days creating a habitat fit to live and raise a family in.

 

[The Chattanooga Rebel]

Some things will never change, especially the truth in what you say about foot placement for the careless man..
I have seen a man (tack) his kneecap to a rafter with a nail gun shooting 16's...due to improper foot placement
Another fantastic Tool Tuesday!!

 

[Tom Hughes]

Great post.

 

[Quinton Wise]

There are a few people on the Eastern Shore of Virginia that still make the center transom for Chesapeake Dead rise fishing boats with these tools.

 

[gc45]

When 25 yrs of age I built a small 10x10 cabin with just such tools. My grandpa taught me to use them..Nothing was perfect but "Pa" said I had done a good job..

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Thread. Thanks.

 

[UCVRelics]

One of the most's interesting items I have ever found was an original bridge piling from a small railroad bridge north of Marion Station Miss. years ago while hunting in a camp by the creek, I went to check on where my dog went and of course he was in the creek. We had a heavy rain and flooding and when I walk down I saw a small part of it sticking out of the sand so I dug it out and it was deep. I had to phone a friend to bring me a wheelbarrow and help me get it up the bank into the wheelbarrow and the push it down the track 200 + yards to the road crossing where my truck was. It is heart pine 12 x 12 and about 4 feet long and hand hewn with on one end to a point and no creosote. The top end is burnt. I have always believed that this is what was left when Sherman's troops burned the bridge.

Making a timber like this had to be time consuming with those hand tools even though it didn't have to be perfect like a beam.

 

[johan_steele]

One of the most's interesting items I have ever found was an original bridge piling from a small railroad bridge north of Marion Station Miss. years ago while hunting in a camp by the creek, I went to check on where my dog went and of course he was in the creek. We had a heavy rain and flooding and when I walk down I saw a small part of it sticking out of the sand so I dug it out and it was deep. I had to phone a friend to bring me a wheelbarrow and help me get it up the bank into the wheelbarrow and the push it down the track 200 + yards to the road crossing where my truck was. It is heart pine 12 x 12 and about 4 feet long and hand hewn with on one end to a point and no creosote. The top end is burnt. I have always believed that this is what was left when Sherman's troops burned the bridge.

Making a timber like this had to be time consuming with those hand tools even though it didn't have to be perfect like a beam.

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For a crew that knows what they're doing it isn't bad. I watched a group of 6 men work. Two used felling axes to notch either side of the tree. Two more with broad axes came along next (one a lefty) and worked either side of the log. Then they rolled the log and repeated. Then the two who had been watching backed towards each other further squaring/smoothing as they went. I would guess with the prep work of rolling it into place it took about 45 minutes to turn a 12' log into a square beam and they were explaining what they were doing to any onlookers as they went.

We will absolutely not speak of my usage of a felling axe, broad axe and adz... I know how the tools work, but when I go to work all that comes out is kindling. I have been called an expert kindling maker.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

When you watch skilled workers hewing a round log into a square beam or post, it doesn't look too difficult - but there is some real skill involved in making it look easy.
One of those skills is to choose the right sort of tree, cut it at the right time of year, choosing the right time after cutting to shape it.

 

[Unforgiven]

Quite informative. I don't possess the skill but I'm fascinated by those that do.