Hi everyone tonight:

Well great pics Tom, and no mistake Dave is doing a great job on that lovely red oak working in the style that you describe.

This shot reminds me of the 45 foot white oak that we did as a replacement under the 1846 Muley Mill at UCV, and I can vouch that it was after the hewing was completed that I continued to build my respect for those who originaly hewed out all the timber for that structure including the 2--20 inch square by 30 foot white ash timbers that span over and under the muley blade guides.

You know as we chat about hewing styles it is a fact thatnot many people really know if they chop right or left. Many students that I taught over the years would present themselves and one of the first questions I would throw at them is "Are you right or left handed" They might reply right handed and then as I hand them an ordinary chopping axe I would ask them to grasp it like they were going to cut down a tree. A few of the righties would lead with teir left hand and a few of the lefties lefties would lead with their right hand.

They would be surprised to find out that eventho they maybe write right or left in fact they chop left and right or reverse.

I was just wondering in many of you guys are in this category?

NH