axe for joinery

[Alexis]

Hello,

I read a lot of post where people say they use their axe for cutting joinery. I would like to see a picture or a video of someone using their axe. I saw in the video regarding the dovetail joint that the guy used his axe like a plane, is that what most of you are doing? I know that Jack Sobon has a picture in his book, but it seems that it isn't very accurate and there is only the rough rough of the joint that can be cut with the axe.

thanks

Alexis

[Dave Shepard]

An axe can be used for many operations in joinery, mostly in a roughing out capacity. Any time you need to cut a curve in a timber, an axe is very handy. You chop as close to the line as you dare, and finish with an adze and or a spoke shave. I've roughed out half laps with the axe, and also chopped the waste off of tenons.

[matt eddy]

Axe is great rough out tool!  I have seen some guys who can almost have a finished joint using a Axe.  I'm not that good but i have been convinced it is a great rough out tool and alot of fun to use.  especially if its below 0 out it helps keep you warm.  I use one for most of my housings, and haunches.  I competed with a housing router and was pretty much done at the same time.  I had two done before the other guy was plugged in. 
matt

[moonhill]

Keep at it Matt, and put that big saw away. ;D

The axe can be as accurate as the handler makes it.  I chop to the line, and sometimes a little more .  When that happens I try not to look like this :( but like this ;D.  When using an axe you have to put the pristine, s4s, sanded and oiled timber away.  Be brave, courageous and traditional, don't let the "defects" bother you.

I do on occasion push my axe head mostly to get the slop off, usually finished with a slick. 

Tim

[Jim_Rogers]

and finish with an adze and or a spoke shave.

We usually do as mentioned, rough out with an axe, next shape more with the adze, then remove roughness with a draw knife, and after finish with the spoke shave.

When done you'll never have known an axe was used......

Here are some photos of the process:



Above is Jack showing us how it's done.
Below the same rafter tail:



Next the adze:



And:



Clean up with a chisel:



Yours truly trying it on a floor joist:



And the finished joist:



(for those who love pictures.....)

[frwinks]

here's a great site with lots of pics and vids of various European TF masters using oldschool techniques 8)
enjoy.....
http://www.en.charpentiers.culture.fr/thepeople/portraits/axelwellercarpenterfromsaxony

[Alexis]

are most of you using a double bevel axe or a single (broad axe) one?

From what most of you say, you use the axe to chop wood, not like a chisel by pusing the head like in the video...

alexis

[Dave Shepard]

For roughing out I have used only the double-bevel axe. It doesn't have to be any particular size, but a short handled axe gives me more control than a long handled scoring axe. I have only used the single-bevel for hewing, and I have never used an axe for paring like you have mentioned.

[ARKANSAWYER]

I use a hatchet alot.  It is more like a small axe.  I also have a "broad hatchet" and a broad axe I use.  Some times timbers are to have a hand hewn look.  So I over saw them by 2 or 3 inches on the mill, then score with a skill saw the take my broad axe and chip them off.  I can make some very true timbers.  ;D

[Dave Shepard]

Arky, the technique used around here is to saw about 1/4" over for each hewn face and then score with axe and hew with broad axe. Takes much less effort than hewing from a log, and also yields a very nice timber.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  I found that I could not get a good chip when it was so thin.  When the wood I was chipping off was around an inch thick I could get some good chuncks to fly off.  But most of what  I do is oak and Syp.

[Raphael]

  I picked up the GB hunting axe w/ the flay poll.  It's a nice in between size and I figure the smooth poll will allow me to pare with it w/o working up a blister.
  Haven't played with it yet (need more timbers and temperature) but I'll be sure to let y'all know how it works out.

[Dave Shepard]

I spent the afternoon tuning up some of my TF tools. One of them was a small Snow and Neally "camp" type axe. 1 3/4 pound head, and maybe 2 feet long. When I was done, it was quite sharp, so I thought I'd try paring with it. It would take nice shavings, like a slick, but was not very easy to control because of the double bevel. I guess if it's all I had, I could get the hang of it. It was a pleasure to use in a couple of mock housings I laid out on some scrap timber I had. It will come in handy on the repair work I am doing.