Hewing timber

I am going to start hewing two 8x8x33' timbers nights and weekends. If I hew one face and don't get the next face finished for a week or two, will this have any efect on the end result like warpage or twisting.When hewing in cold weather 32 degrees and lower does temperature have any effect on the ease or difficulty of hewing.

hello John:
In my opinion a few weeks between finishing the timber faces should not create too much of a problem providing that you take some remedial action. What might happen is that the sun will have a tendency to dry out the upper surface and this will in turn curve the timber concavely on the upper side, especially a timber that is already squared. If the timber is round and the bark is yet on it, this will be sufficient to protect the timber from this twisting. As you hew though and you come down to the final side you may find that when you snap the line from end to end on a timber this length some warpage may show up. What I suggest is that on the final side you stretch the line full length and snap only from the centre to the ends keeping the centre width to the 8"+ (in this case) Note: I usually hew slightly over the finished measurement between 1\4 and 1\2", this allows for shrinkage and error in the hand work. Wood always works better slightly cold, but the main feature is to hew it when the wood is green. Hosing it down will keep it in the proper state especially if the weather is extremely hot, and you are only working intermittenty. Don't forget to protect the finished timber from direct suns rays I usually cover the upper surface with 1" rough boards, this let the timber continue to dry slowly underneath.
Hope this helps
The Nothern Hewer

I would advise against hewing one face , then walking away from your log for any extended period, (even hours) wood reacts to milling even in log form in that you are relieving and creating stresses as you remove material. These internal forces are amazingly powerful and hewing is the best window I know of though which to gain an understanding of how to anticipate how working a piece of wood effects it's "balance" for lack of a better word. To some extent you can accentuate or minimize curve by delaying action.

This doesn't mean to hew is to race it just means it's best to always at least score the side oppisite from the one completed.