hello everyone tonight

Thanks Don for the explanation, I am sure you did the right thing, giving these tools another lease on life--they are lucky tools to have fell into your care

Richard
NH

Thanks Richard. Sometimes I think there are to many and it starts to look like a collection around here.
Walnut is a very responsive wood and should make an interesting handle. So far I know of ash, elm, beech, dogwood, birch, hawthorn, um, what's that white one now, Holly, that's it, and now walnut side-axe handles.

This is the latest axe for carpentry work I've got my hands go, called bandhacke. I know these are unknown to North American carpenters but maybe in a way it makes it all the more interesting to see what other carpenters from places beyond use.
With this axe I will hew till the line with no margin in front of that point but still keeping to the safe side. This with the intention of saving the edge on the broadaxe for only the minimal finishing/flattening work. If I have made a misstrike with the bandhacke sometimes this will even remain there on the finished surface but that is a rare occurrence.




A fine example with all the classic features and having never been used till I got hold of it out of Austria.

hello everyone tonight

Well winter is fast approaching, expecting our first main fall of snow--that makes me wonder what kind of weather is falling in other regions--

years ago we would be readying the sleighs by getting them out of storage and drawing them on the bare gravel road to brighten up their bottom surfaces

at the same time we would get out our axes and crosscut saws, removing the rust if any had accumulated, and applying a light coat of oil

the next step was to walk to the bush lot and survey where we were going to cut our wood supply and obtain a few logs for lumber and timber

any way have to go now

NH

We have about six inches of heavy wet snow this morning in western Mass, and it's still coming down, but slowly. No power at the house, and a lot of damage to the trees, especially those too stubborn to drop their leaves in a timely fashion.

hello everyone

Hi Dave
thanks for coming on board--sounds like pretty bad weather you are having--but then probably you live in that zone that can expect just about anything from the weather man.

We are closing in on December, and as I remember times from years gone bye, -20f was usually with us by the 15th, one thing for certain ploughing the fields in mid november was just a thought

We would have been busy battening down the hatches, so to speak--
making sure that anything that could bust from the frost was either emptied or moved to a safe location

Life was quite simple then, no bills, or very few, no luxuries at all, the only thing that we really looked forward to was Saturday night in town, a visit to the library for a book, and hopefully going to the movie theatre

In 42 my dad had just left for employment on the construction of the Alaska highway--I was just 4 years old but remember him leaving--anyone out there that knows what I am talking about?
He was up there for 2 years, in weather down to -50f living in a tent--when he came home he brought army clothing with him--parkas lined with bear fur--felt shoes that reached to the knees that had a rubber boot, man were they ever warm--and those army sleeping bags--down filled, I swear you could sleep right in a snow bank and be warm as toast

While at home mother and us kids continued to keep body and soul together, receiving the odd letter and picture from up there--father standing on the gravel highway with friends

By the way we had no running water, no electricity, and I might add no hospital within 50 miles, might just as well have been 200 because getting there was impossible--the roads all blocked solid with snow, even the main highways were impassible--they tried to keep them open but the machinery could not cope--one good blow would close things right down--they would have to bring out the large snow blower to cut the snow banks back

When things got really bad one person from the neighbourhood would travel with a team and sleighs and pick up supplies for everyone--those were the days when you really needed good neighbours!!--and by the way doctors did house calls especially if you were quarantined with measles or the scarlet fever--one person sick in the family no one could not leave the house until it was lifted

Well great to remininse with everyone

NH

hello to everyone

Just reviewing my stock of video footage for an inquiry about my post on "tools for sale", it is a great site you should visit it

I have helped many who required help using historic tools safely, namely the hewing axe, and adze, but I think that what amazes many is the thought and skill necessary to take their rough hewn timbers and join them together in a fashion that is strong, accurate, and following practices that were available to the tradesmen, skillful handymen, and just plain farmers at that time.

Remember this point farmers were never just farmers, but possessed skills on many fronts, skills handed down over generations, they could not only handle cattle, but could handle horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, plant crops, manage agriculture practices, preparing proper firewood, manage forests, many were pretty good blacksmiths, acted as vets, could hew timber, prepare timber frames, move whole buildings as required, build roads, served in the regimental forces protecting the homeland when called on, cleared land continuously, in many cases could use dynamite or other explosives safely,

They were mechanics, could become and stay as a strong head of the household, they knew the importance of being and needing good neighbours, how to dig a well for drinking water, butcher animals of all types, as needed,

I guess what I am trying to say to the young men and women of today is to look a little beyond the modern things around, they are ok but a good knowledge of old practices might just serve them well in times of need, I think a wake up call came during the ice storm a while ago that swept through here knocking out power, that in turn brought their world to a stand still

I thoroughly believe everyone should be taught some aspect of survival, it is a life saver in times of need

Here I am rambling on again

Well the new year is once again arriving, lets hope that things move favourably ahead

NH

Hello everyone tonight

I just had a look back on my last entry on the water powered Mulay saw mill, its barrel wheel, and realized I need to continue working my way up to the cutting blade, its attachments, the log carriage, the upper saw guides, and many of its sensitive intricacies, and settings that will ensure a straight, square edged and useful piece of rough sawn lumber, acceptable for use in the early building trades, and I must say all that was available in many rural areas

What really got me thinking about the mill was a conversation I had recently with my son in regards to the mill and the operation of the mill in regards to the successful sawing of lumber and how it was accomplished on what at first glance appears to be a very rough and crude mechanism by today's standards

let us just look at the business end of the mill, we will deal with the framework that supports the log as it is being sawn, how it is constructed, how it moves accurately in both directions by the stationary vertical blade, as it smoothly moves up and down--imagine this--the saw miller gently opens the penstock admitting water into the barrel wheel, the blade comes to life and begins to move slowly up and then down probably at 25 rpm, idling speed, no sound just the rush of the water in the lower part of the mill, at this point the sliding gate is just cracked open and when needed can be opened to bring the blade up to an operating speed of 125 rpm

Well nice to get back to the mill, hope you enjoy

Richard

hello everyone tonight

well we have the mill running but for now we will stop the blade and talk a bit about the moving framework that supports the log

this framework is approx. 25 feet long and can accommodate logs 20 feet long and a maximum of 36" in diameter.

on the end of this frame that will be called the tail end is attached a permanent bunk--it never moves out of its position--it measures about 24" wide 10" thick and 48" long

In the centre of this block is placed a slot about 1.5" wide the full depth of the bunk and will penetrate the bunk about 7"

sorry have to go

richard

hello everyone tonight

just to continue on with the cutting framework,

"On the opposite end of the framework sits a moveable bunk, quite large I must say and strongly built, it is about 26" wide, 48" long and 12" thick, and is set down between the inside of the saw frame about 2", the reason for this is to keep the moveable bunk centred at all times and in all positions as it is moved to accommodate many different lengths of logs"

"There is a slot cut back into this bunk about 1.5" wide and 16" long, this will accommodate the blade as it moves into this position just clear of the end of the log prior to making a cut"

"We have to cover many aspects of this moveable bunk, so that you understand and can visualize it appearance before we move along"

"try and follow me--looking down at the bunk now you see a large rectangular bunk, with a slot cutting it by 2/3rds of its width, thus removing much of its strength, so to counteract this, on each side of the slot it placed a large wrought iron bolt (1") diameter, well and snuggly set, being drew up with 24" pipe wrenches or equivalent--this will ensure that the remaining section of the bunk that is not cut, will carry the weight of the log as it is loaded or rolled on board"

well have to go

enjoy
Richard--the northern hewer--