Peg Blank Size?

[jander3]

Time to make some pegs for my timber frame shed assembly.   I will be shaving square Red Oak blanks that I cut at 1" x 1".

I just plan to shave the four corners so I will end up with an 8-sided peg.  The peg will be drawn down on the tip for draw boring.  If I cut pegs in this manner, what size is the hole?   i.e. 1" or 15/16" or ?  The Red Oak is green.

[Dave Shepard]

You make your peg blanks the same size as the hole. The octagon is slightly larger than the hole so you get a tight fit. I bore a hole in something and test each peg, it should go part way in, and not look like it is much bigger than the hole. Make sure the grain is very straight in the sawn blanks. If you have cross grain, the peg can split in half and jam up in the hole.

[Jim_Rogers]

what he said,,,,,, ;D

[Brad_bb]

Many who make their own pegs, will rive them with a froe, instead of sawing so you don't get cross grain.  You can put a permanent hole in your shaving horse for a given size so that it's convenient to try as you are draw shaving it.  Or you can do it in a piece of scrap.  Keep in mind, if you are framing with soft wood timbers, you'll have more compression in the hole, but with hard wood you won't.  With a draw knife and shaving horse, you can come close to rounding the peg very quickly as well as tapering it. Maybe 60 seconds per peg?  It's also preferred to use green wood.  It will split easier with the froe, and will draw knife MUCH easier.  Common practice I've seen is to rive the green blanks, then put them in a tub of water, like a Rubbermaid tote with a lid.  This will keep them wet until you draw knife them,  They are much easier to draw knife when wet.  Wetting dry wood like oak, doesn't work very well as it can't soak through well.

[jander3]

Brad,

Thanks for the info.  I tried soaking the blanks and that sure made making the pegs much easier.   

[John S]

The Heartwood School has an excellent video (it is also on Youtube) with Brad Morse riving pegs (I believe from ash).