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Hand Hewed Beams

Started by CX3, October 04, 2010, 10:39:52 PM

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CX3

Well I went to our annual Pioneer Days in Ava, MO.  Had a blast.  We always take a good team of mules and give wagon rides to folks.  I always noticed this guy hacking ties and have watched him work at his trade the past few years.  I tied the mules up and went over to watch him work.  After a few minutes of gabbing he handed me the tie axe and I went to work on a fresh 12 inch red oak.  It took me about 2 hours but I hacked a beautiful 7x9 that was surprisingly straight! I had a blast doing it.  So the next phone call I made was to my Dad because he has a pretty good Keen Kutter axe that I told him I wanted.  I plan on hacking out a small cabin to try and sell on craiglist.  If you have never tried this I recommend it.  The satisfaction of doing something my grandpa did for a living was indescribable. I kept the tie and hauled it home.  I am going to make a hitching post for the half donks!

Later
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

fishpharmer

Take some pics of the cabin when your finished, if you get  a chance.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
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The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Brad_bb

Don't plan on making money on that.  Few would be willing to pay the cost of that labor.  I say build something you will use.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Piston

I think that's great that you got the chance to hand hew a log into a usable timber.  I'm sure it felt great to get  back in touch with the way our forefather's hewed logs into timbers.  I say go for it.  After all if it doesn't cost you anything but time, and you enjoy the work anyways, you may as well right! 
You may not average 40 dollars an hour for your labor but if your not doing it for the money, and enjoy doing it, then it doesn't matter how much you would make, if any.  ;D 
I bet by the time you finish a project like that you wouldn't want to sell it anyways.  I know I wouldn't!
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Bro. Noble

Gosh, CX3,  we live about 5 miles down Bryant Creek from where you were.  I thought about going to that,  but decided I'd better patch up some machinery.  If you go next year,  I'll be sure to go ;D   I've got friends that demonstrate crafts there.  My folks always go and really enjoy it.

Do you go to 'Hootin and Hollerin' in Gainesville?  I saw a picture in the county paper of Rene Barnes (Arky's wife) demonstrating the operation of a spinning wheel 8)
milking and logging and sawing and milking

CX3

All be dang.  We didnt go to gainesville this year we had another show up north and we rotate them each year.  I will probably be there thats the only thing my grandpa looks forward to each year.  If you see a team of halflinger mules you found me. 

Does that creek ever get any suckers in it?
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

Bro. Noble

Quote from: CX3 on October 05, 2010, 11:26:06 AM


Does that creek ever get any suckers in it?

Yep-------pretty good gigging when you get a little farther down by us.  Grabbing is better on Brush creek which runs into Bryant on us.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Dave Shepard

Do you have any photos? Did you score and hew with the same axe? I think hewing ties and timbers were done a little bit differently. Was the tie hewn on all four sides, or just the two opposites? Enquiring minds want to know. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

CX3

John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

CX3



This is the red oak tie I hacked out.  I actually made two ties but the first one was not right.  I scored it with a chainsaw and you could see the score marks.  It looked awful.  This tie I scored with a double bit felling axe.  I did not use the broad axe to score with.  It is hewn on all four sides.  This log was only around ten inches, a bit small for a tie.  The actual measurements are approximately 6x8. 
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

CX3

I forgot to mention because of the smaller size log, I ended up with a few waned edges but it still looks cool.  I am really proud of it. I cant wait to get my axe and start my cabin.  I have the mules warmed up and am going to skid each pole out with them and hand hew and fit all logs with an axe.  Yes it will be a project but how neat it will be when finished.  PS dont expect any pics of the cabin real soon :D
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

CX3



This is my wife and I and one of our teams Kate and Jill.  They have been worked extensively in the timber and on farm ground.  In this photo we were dressed as loggers in a costume class at our local mule show.  This is our main team and they are gooduns.
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

Piston

CX3
That is awesome! 8)  I was just looking at mules and draft horses for logging last night.  I think that is so neat how people still use animal power for draft work.  I would love to get into that but don't know the first thing about it.  Do you have any more pics of your mules working? 
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

witterbound

The timber is nice, but man or man are you gonna have some muscles and aches and pains to do enough for a cabin.  I love the mules.  I've got a riding mule, but I have no idea how to drive him. 

CX3


This is my wife working a 4 abreast team to a ground disc.  Note the driver only uses one set of lines to work the team.  "Inside check lines" are connected to the middle team so the same pressure is applied to all 4 bits at same time.


This is two different teams.  The 4 abreast hitch on the left is working a ground disc.  The 3 abreast hitch on the right is working a drag harrow. 

This is my wife and her grandpa Alen Roller.  He is a mule man through and through and has taught me lots of neat stuff about making a mule sweat.  This is his wagon and team showing at the Ozark Mule Days last year.  The wagon is all original minus a little painting on the tongue and wheels.  It was originally used to haul flour, and the box comes off to haul poles or ties. 

And this is me and what I consider the best mule God ever made, "Ben."  He has won many halter classes, races, best riding mule I ever had.  He handles like a cutting horse, and I also have won several mule jumps with him over 65 inches.  His best is 70 inches flat footed. 
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

Dave Shepard

Very nice! Thanks for the pics.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Bryan A

This is all very interesting. Definitely show more work with your mules and cabin progress as you go. I'm sure others will find it just as interesting.

Stephen1

great to see the pics, I didn't realize the mules were so versatile.
I did the 1st 4 rows of my cabin with the axe, full scribe, for the scarf joints and lateral joints, but because I was not doing it every day I wasn't able to get as perfect as I wanted, so I switched to using a grinder with a sanding disk, after the chainsaw, I didn't save much time, but the joints were smoother, You will enjoy the hewing, I know I did, and still use the axe for some other things I am building. Make sure you build that cabin the size you want , so you will enjoy it, when you decide not to sell it..
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