Hi Tim, Im interested in how you (and others if you are out there) use your axe for joinery. If you were shaping a tenon, would you handsaw shoulder and then turn stick 90 to then axe cheek, then slick? Just wondering. Could you tell us what you use your axe for specifically? Does efficient axe work beat powertool adjustment and use?

mo,

My experience is that hand tools used with skill are significantly more efficient than power tools in irregular material -- hewn, twisted, etc. and can be more efficeint for some operations in regular, green material.

Rolling timbers hurts that efficiency (hand tools or not). For a tenon, you would saw the shoulder, then chop and/or split off the waste with the shoulder cut still up. finish off with slick, chisel, or plane and you're done with that side.

As for handsawing the shoulder, the beauty is that you don't ever have to fix a sloppy shoulder cut by paring end grain. not ever

If your material is nice and flat and you are good with your circular saw, cut the line and you're good. But make a bad cut and your'e spending more time fixing it than it would have taken to make the cut with the handsaw in the first place. This happens a lot if the material is squirrelly at all or if or you scribed the shoulder so the cut isn't exactly 90 degrees. I have personally spent 5 minutes fixing a shoulder cut that was good at the surface but left 1/16 or so at the bottom of the cut more times than I want to admit. Do that on both sides and you've spent 10 minutes (plus the time to make the cuts with the circ saw).

For comparison -- you can cut completely through a southern pine 8x8 with a good sharp handsaw in 3 minutes. Paring end grain is for the birds -- it's a huge time sucker.

As for chopping with an axe vs drop cutting or other tenon cutting methods -- it may not be faster, but it's more fun and safer.

As for housings -- We've had router vs. axe races and it was about even. I'm better now with the hand tools than I was then, so I'd say I am faster with an axe, chisel and slick than I am with a jig and router. I would say that it is safer and healthier to use the hand tools. I would also say that a stray axe mark is more forgivable than a stray router mark.

Hand tools are not faster than a jigged router on blind or closed housings, but I hate them anyway and try to design them away when I can.

THE primer on the use of hand tools for joinery is Sobon's Build a Classic Timber Frame Home.

I'm looking forward to other peoples comments...

Gabel-

I'm with you on the hand tools...being more efficient than they appear. And they're a whole lot more fun (and healthy given dust and noise concerns).

As a side note, I remember reading a piece a few years back on the long-term effect from the vibrations of power tools on woodworkers. Seems they can have quite an effect on bones and joints. It wasn't the obvious vibration, like a jackhammer, it was the higer, almost ultrasonic vibrations routers and circular saws emit that's an issue.

I think the inefficientcy of power tools is a hidden one: the necessary set-up required...you know, getting out the cords at the begining (and returning them at the end) of the day; hauling out several individual power tools (then putting them away); the orginization of all the bits and blades, etc...

To me, power tools excel for repeat operations over many pieces of (identical) stock. Or heavy-duty chores, like large diameter drilling.

There's a certain zen practice about hauling out a simple box of tools, each of which can perform any number of tasks.

You need a big trailer for alot of power tools (inefficient), but a toolbox fits in the back of the truck quite eaisily. I think the framers of old would be a bit perplexed by ALL the tools a "carpenter" hauls w/ him today.

In my case, my early carpentry training found me on a steady diet of power tools. I discovered hand tools on my own after a few years. I guess it was their beauty, and somehow knowing they were the roots of it all that got my attention. Plus every "master" of the trade I ever read about or saw a photo of had hand tools all around them.

I'm not a purist, however. I'm putting up cedar shingles on my houseboat project (long story) and am using a pneumatic gun to attach them. But nothing beats the simplicity of slicing one of those shingles to width w/ a knife and then running my Lie-Nielsen over it for a smooth edge. Which happens so quiet and easy.

...but the axe work you spoke of is interesting: cutting the cheeks of tenons, etc.

For a cheek cut on a tenon, do you think it matters to have an axe w/ a blade that's wide enough to bridge the timber? (8" axe for an 8" beam), or can you get good results w/ a typical 4-5" axe? Given both axes, which would you choose?

The fact a stray axe mark is more "forgivable" than a stray router mark probably says more for the hand tool arguement than anything.

You really can screw up in a hurry w/ power tools.

so many tools, so little time!
but, the first frame i cut 'on my own' was with:

1 1/2" framing chisel
2" framing chisel
slick
stanley rabbet or carriage plane (open sides)
block plane
assorted eastern and western handsaws
sharpening stones

for power i used a circular saw and a makita drill.
when time got crunched i started using a router for housings... hated it, and would set up my noisy work for first thing after lunch, then finish the day working by hand.

Don,

When I'm chopping the waste on a tenon or housing, I use either my 2 1/2 lb axe with a 25" handle or sometimes a 4 lb regular felling axe. Just a few strokes and you're down to within 1/4-1/2 of the line and then you clean up with a chisel/slick/plane whatever your preference. Even faster than that on shorter (4" or so) tenons is to split the waste wood off (as long as you have straight grain). Sometimes I use my axe as a wedge to split the tenon waste off, driving it with my mallet while holding the handle with my left hand.

My most used axe has a 3-1/2" blade and I use it on most everthing, I am not sure of it's weight-around 2-1/2 pounds.

Depending on the stick and its needs my approach varies. I saw the shoulder, chop a V next to the the shoulder and swing into the butt splitting the bulk off. I don't use my mallet, it's another tool I would have to pick up. I score the face to the line, and at times into the line, then the slick is used. I even use the axe as the slick grabing the head and pushing the blade. Other times I will turn the timber so the tenon is vertical, stand on the top and chop/split as if hewing the tenon.

Clear wood in a big advantage, but not always present. I use the French Snap when able with fun results.

Power must be faster but at what cost? A recient newbie just placed a 1" slice in his leg with a fresh chisel, through the pants, probably 3/8 deep, a nice slice. What would a power tool do? I have to run a genny as well, talk about noise.

Working alone I will favor my time and peace. With a group the atmosphere is full of something else and I am apt to use power.

My axe is my router, as well.

Tim

Yeah, I do that too -- works great.

Your point about not picking up the mallet is well taken. It's the little things that add up to efficiency.

Thanks guys, I might want to give this a try on some wasted length. What kind of axe do you like for this work (maker)?

Tim, that is one seriously sharp axe! how often do you need to sharpen for those results?

mo,

I use a gransfors forest axe. they are pricey now, though. I bought mine for around 70 bucks, but they're 115 now.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1093

any decent axe with a 2 1/2lb head and 24-25" handle will work as a joinery axe.

These are pretty good axes ... http://www.snowandnealley.com/products/axes/obsb22528.htm

here it is for 44 bucks
http://www.benmeadows.com/store/Forestry/Logging_and_Clearing/Saws_and_Axes/1409/97263/