Anyone have any tips on how to set up the log to be hewn so that it does not shift or turn. I have been quick notching 2 of the cutoffs of the same tree and laying them perp. to the log to be hewn and rolling the log into the notches, then hammering a dog at each support end, laying out and then trying to hew two parallel sides before rolling the log to hew the other two sides. Most of the work has gone well, except that I am having trouble keeping the log from shfting out of plumb and even sometimes the whole assembly(log and supports and dogs)is shifting. Its been difficult to keep sides parallel and timber square. Am I missing some important detail to setup that would avoid this shifting, rolling of the setup? With the amount of force and frequency of axe strikes that this setup takes there has to be a way of keeping it stable. All of my experience has come out on the forest floor where the conditions are less than ideal but I would think this is most common scenario for a hewer of fresh timber. tb

I don't have your answer, but am interested. I haven't done it before and have been thinking about it. Where did you get your dogs? If you can post a pic, that would be great. Hopefully Gabel or someone else will chime in with some tips.

Is the wood frozen? What species? Are you dogging both sides, totaling 4 dogs?

I haven't tried this, but if it is a real bugger and won't say still, a chain over the top and anchored securely to the cross bunk with a small bottle jack under it pressing it into the chain. Again, I have not tried this and can't fully describe it in detail, you will have to play with it. I've seen it done a while ago, just poor memory.

Tim

Been a while since I've set up a hewing yard, but my trestles always have heads hewn flat, no notches. They typically have inclined planes on the pile side to roll the log up to the desired height, (for me waist high) then a flat several feet wide, both so you can occasionally double dog and so you can clip off the chewed up end, as preferably the face being hewn is just hanging over the ends, this to minimize the chewing and max head life, and avoid the potential that the head will deflect the ax in some unanticipated direction.

That first face does require you dog off well. (I usually double dog in both directions) I have a nice set of “Danger dogs” the chisel point being at right angles to the spike point, they are desirable because they don't chew up the heads on a long term set-up, but hold a little danger in that there is no way to put them down without a point sticking up, but this is almost a non-issue because they stay pinned to the head unless the weather turns foul. When I need more hold some 2X2's and a few 20d's work fine. (some say better) I trig off that first round side with a few juggles driven under like chocks, and just check the plumb & horizon lines with a whiskey stick with some regularity or if I think I see movement, and just tweak it back with a peavy if need be. But in my experience it's not all that much of an issue.

And once you roll the first side hewn down it is pretty much dealt with.

However, I don't tend to hew sides opposite unless I'm working a really long and elastic stick and I see snapping two parallel lines at once as advantageous because some effort has been spent to condition a stem to strait. The reason for this is twofold, I see greater advantage in rolling that first flat side down to the heads and ending the dance, and I like to keep the juggles and the chips on the one side where I can easily scoop them away with the bobcat bucket. They tend to build up quick, and I find it both healthy (helping to avoid both accidents and backaches) and efficient to maintain that optimal waist high altitude.

that sounds like a dandy set=up with trestles.

with a bunk setup it helps if the bunks are heavy. and the log too. the chain and jack combo sounds interesting. my sawyer guy uses jacks all the time as his lifter. nice if you're working alone with heavy things.

some woods hold a dog better than others. maybe the shape/angle of the teeth makes a difference too.

for adzing small light pieces i use a stand-on clamp - a 2X6 across the scantling, with two 2X6 arms attached on each side to stand on and pull the timber down into the chips and from jumping around.

also dig down the bunk logs if they're smaller and/or drive stakes, or wedge with rocks, or notch two more bunks each under the ones perpendicular to the timber. make the foundation really steady.

it's handy too to have aflat hewn part to the bunk and a notched part- one for round faces, the other for flat.

To make a variance on Will's method, you could flatten a couple of spots on the bottom of the log which then sits on the flat bunks, adding a chunk/shim where needed for stability. Then you can do both sides from that position. This would take out the wobble.

The possibilities are many.

Tim

I tend to leave a little notch in my setup for the log to sit in and then put a dog in the top of it. I can only hew one side at a time this way and so far seems to work for me. Actually met a fellow at my local pub who wants some hewing lessons so I told him he may have to wait till spring and we would have to post it on utube

I like what Will wrote, dogs are key, and finding the right dogs for the job helps a lot. I had some dogs from Lee Valley years ago, but they disapeared on me.
The link below has a log dog, but I prefer the tips that Will is talking about, other than I like both ends to have chisel tips, at right angles to each other

lee valley dog

well hello everyone

I have been following this thread with keen interest and I must say The variations on this log set up is really interesting.

Historic Hewing is one topic that I love to put forth my views for what they are worth.

In all my years of research the main method of setting up a round log to begin the squaring process is actually quite simple.

Justchoose a site with a faily flat surface area, and lay down 2 preferrably 6 by 6 sleepers. Now these small timbers need to be let into the ground surface about 4 " and should be parallel to one another this is important! and they should be level . Pack the dirt around them and tamp in tight. Another note is that these sleepers should be about10 feet long and towards the rear roll on the next heavy timber, this will hold everything in place

Next on the opposite end roll on the log to be hewn and dog it down with 2-- 36" square iron dogs that are sharpened to long tapered points on 6" turned down ends.

Drive them stoutly into the bed sleepers and into the side opposite of the side to be hewn.

This log will not move and as you finish the side roll it up not down and continue to work on a flat surface for the duration of the hewing process

I have hewn timbers over 45 feet in length in these cases just add more bed sleepers and use additional dogs.

Remember logs of that length will be approaching 40" on the butt ends so be prepared to do alot of work on the first side, it lightens up as the sides roll along.

NH