The best point is not only the economy and the fun, but the wood of non-commercial species, and it is the only way to get it. The complete experience from the trunk to the finished project and everything made by hand is something inexplicable, that every woodworker should live, at least once in life. I consider myself lucky just like you, for having lived it :) Very nice video !
Thank you! I got myself a froe, and then realized the wood was far too hard to split with it, since I want woodworking materials rather than cedar shingles. This is a big help. :)
This was awesome. One of the first Roy Underhill books I read went through the process, but seeing you do it in your driveway just makes it feel that much more accessible.
Quick suggestion that has always helped me get the best split: use your hatchet to score a line for your split by gently hammering into the end of the log. It creates a ine of weakness in the log when the piece is to big to use a froe on. Then go back with wedges. I swear it makes a difference- much cleaner initial split. Great Vid!
It's a good way to make use of a few local woods that you 'll never find for sale, I have a stack of plum wood drying now, and a little pear just sitting drying...
I just came back up from my basement workshop and I planed a small plank of ash wood from some split fire wood. Once I get the hang of it, it'll get easier and better! 😁😁😁
Bear in mind that such an act is theft, unless you miraclulous get permission from the company to traverse the tracks. I don't know if they would care much though. Alternatively, just take some hardwood and make gluts.
@@josephpostma1787 Yeah, thanks for pointing this out. I have a lot of spare spikes that were given to me, and I also have a bit of decommissioned rail line near my house, so it seems a lot less risky to collect them there.
Having split n quartered many a log myself I understand. I made a few "X" braces to hold the wood in place. A couple of short 2x4's screwed together will do the trick. For the standing split you can surround the one being split with shorter log cut-offs to hold it up OR a stack of used tires. Another option is a dedicated post. A friend of mine had a 6x6 piece of pressure treated lumber, he dug a hole and posted it in place. The standing log is chained to the post for splitting.
Make your own quartersawn! Great idea! 4/4 quartersawn white oak is at least 5$ board foot most places. So,if you did 60 ft, thats quite a good savings for half day work!!
Do you have a video showing what project this wood was used on? I think it would be very interesting to see how the wood dried and how it affected the color since its been at least five years by now! Keep up the great videos!
I know I used it but I can't remember which project it was in. And that's sad. I should know. But after almost 2,000 videos it's kind of hard to keep track.
I've found using a heavy cracking hammer is much easier to wield when setting wedges. I know it's just another thing, but it can save wear and tear on the shoulders and back. You're still young, so it probably doesn't matter as much.
An old school trick for wedges is to tap small burr into the sharper end. Not too much just a bit. This will help keep the wedge from bouncing out as you drive it in
Great video, now I know how I am NOT going to get free wood! WAY too much work, but I am glad that you are able to crack those logs open. I worked up a sweat just watching you............... Steve
LOL out of these logs I got about 60BF at about 6 hours of work. so it is not that bad when you look at it, and it is a lot of fun! but if you have a frame saw you can just slice up flat sawn lumber.
Hi James, could I respectfully make a suggestion, if you set some concrete blocks at the edge (or in the concrete) of your concrete work area there, you could then set the logs against them to save chasing the logs around when splitting the quarters out. :)
It seemed like you were able to split that first little wedge of wood off without trouble, but in my experience, if I try to split a section of wood any way other than 50-50 the split tends to run out through the smaller section instead of running straight. I know if the wood on both sides of the split is thin enough a froe can be used to bend the wood on one side to direct the split toward that side, but with larger sections of wood I've never had success splitting the wood except pretty evenly in half (not necessarily wedge-shaped but with a roughly equal amount of wood on either side of the split.)
A lot of it depends on the type of wood. If it is a ring porous wood like oak it tends to split more straight. However if it's diffuse pores like maple or poplar off in the splits tend to run wherever they want. Usually the answer is to cut it 50/50. And then cut it 50/50 again.
One hell of a workout. Some of those swings reminded me of the terrible scenes from the movie Misery....so glad you didn't slam that hammer into your ankle.
James, maybe consider grinding or filing those mushroomed wedges. I'd hate to hear that you've had a nasty injury. Most of my windsor chairs come from logs given to me by tree service guys. Enjoy!
A friend owes me some money so I am taking a couple of western red cedar logs that are about 40in diameter. I am using a chainsaw to cut some more manageable pieces off but there is a lot of lost wood. I think wedges and a froe will probably work better.
G'day mate, wow that's some patience & energy exertion but really interesting, I've seen Swedish Viking boat replications done similarly, great video 👍👍👍
thanks Stephan. with riven wood, there is little if any warping as it is cut radially there is very little expansion or contraction. that being said I still sticker and weight the lumber for drying just to be on the safe side.
I have developed a good relationship with a local tree service, they will save me good pieces of hard wood and I can come out and pick what I want, then I clean up what I don’t want nicely for them. Just picked up $800 to $1000 worth of walnut for about $25.
James, I love your videos. For me, I would have to purchase a sledge hammer and some wedges. If I can find a couple at a flea market or yard sale then this would not be a problem. I think I have to make a scrub plane first. That is the next video I will watch. (Please watch your feet when you swing the axe. Oy!)
oh yes. for hand tools air dried is far easier to work with. air dried also is a bit more open to expansion and contraction, but in the hand tool world, it is what you want.
Does this work only for green wood? I have ash logs that have been under the lean to behind my barn for years. We don't use the fireplace much these days, trying to find another use for them. Very dry, not rotten at all.
New subscriber here! I have a water oak? that I cut down last year with the logs cut for firewood but not split yet.. I am going to try this to see what it looks like.. Have a couple of other trees in my yard I want to take down later this year. I have read it is better to take trees down in the winter when the sap is not running. couldn't you just saw the boards lengthwise?
yup if you have a saw that is faster but riven gives stronger and more stable wood, but it takes a ton of time. I have never played with Water oak. but I have heard it to be a fun wood.
I have been doing this on a much larger scale. I have several large oak boards cut with my hand saw to about 5 or 6 feet long. 3 to 4 inches thick and ranging 5 to 10 inches wide. I have them stacked in my garage drying. I intend on building a workbench. How long do the need to dry? Do you think this is a waste of time?
+fightingamaish101 right on. I only split them when I want riven lumber. There is no way to tell other then testing the moisture. There is a link in the description to the moisture meatier. The rule of thumb is 1 year per inch of thickness, but that verrys wildly.
A friend said that free software is like a free puppy -- there is a lot of cost that goes into it after the free "purchase". I think that applies to free lumber. 😊
Just had to say hi! Just discovered your channel and love your hand tool only way of working and this is the way I want to go!! Just converted an old wooden plane I had to a scrub plane, just the tool I needed after splitting down my Ash wood. Do you have any recommendations of your vidios I should watch as a beginner? Just watched this 1, how to make a scrub plane and your basic woodwork tool collection.
Thanks. As a beginner, I usually tell people to start where their interests are at rather than starting on any particular project. It's more important that it is fun and intriguing. But as of right now I have over 2,000 videos between the two channels. So there's usually two or three videos on most any topic.
@@WoodByWright Thank you for your reply, the wood I aquire depicts the projects I have so far I've been Wand making, mallet carving, spoon carving and making chopping boards. Nothing too taxing but it's helping with my sharpening and learning various processes. Next I think I'll be working on hammer handles as I have just over half dozen that need refurbishing. I already have a fee of your vids queued up and looking forward to trying to make my own tools. Thanks again.
I picked up about 200 b/f of almost impossible to get red mahogany (a type of Eucalyptus) from remnants of stabilizers in a shipping container. You just have to keep your eyes open. A lot of people call it firewood.
What size piece of firewood would you suggest as a start for a mallet head? I would love to do a pure maple chunk, but figure my only option around here is to get a chunk of firewood and mill it down myself. Also, could of swore I've seen old pictures of roubo style frame saws used to make long boards. There anything to that?
You just have to find out how large a board you want that will tell you how big to get the log. and yes a pit saw was the traditional way to mill up lumber. If the log is small enough I take it down staris and use my frame saw for that too.
I understand the concept and the satisfaction of making stuff by hand and hand tools only. But, with this, I would use a chainsaw to mill the wood that size to planks.
question: if you're only working with smaller logs, say just a little over 1 foot, would you still shape it down with a hatchet or would you saw through it? and if you saw through it, say a rip cut, what kind of saw would you use? thank you :)
if I were to saw it I would use my roubo frame saw. but it would depend on the use. splitting is not only quick it also follows the fibers of the log so you will get stronger lumber. so if I were making a ladder or something structural or something I do not want to twist in the future then splitting is the way to go. but if it is for most woodworking projects then cutting would give you far less waste.
Nice Idea! You are using the full board including sapwood and heartwood for your projects. I heard, that the sapwood of oaks should be removed. Otherwise you will get problems with different wood infesting insects. How do you deal with that Problem? Thanks!
the sap wood is fine. I use it quite often. If you are drying outside in warmer climates insects might get in. But the chance of it getting into the sap wood is only slightly higher then it getting into main trunk wood. I often use sap wood in projects as I like the contrast in color.
Thank you very much! The contrast of sapwood and heartwood in oaks is highly interesting! I will try it in my project. What is your recommendation for the treatment of the surface of oakwood? I would like to try a mix kg beewax and peanut oil.
I'm assuming you split this instead of sawing it because of your stability comment? You'll get less yield from the log but the lumber you get won't move as much? When the video first started, I was wondering why you didn't use your new saw bench to just slice it up.
yup it is a bit slower then the frame saw but much faster than a hand saw. but the quality of the wood is so much greater. also I wanted to keep this to tools that most people had easy access to. hammer, wedge, scrub plane
That depends completely on the type of wood the tool you use to measure the moisture, and the shop you keep it in. For most of my lumber 9% is about the bottom in but in some places 15 to 20% is the bottom end.
Great video. How do you keep the logs upright when hammering in the wedge? Are they simply cut flat and resting on a flat surface or are they anchored somehow?
that was the orange tool I used near then end after scrubbing the first side. Moisture meter - amzn.to/2r7TMjh also out of experience you know what the moisture of fresh wood that time of year is.
PLEASE grind off the overhand on the wedges, chamfer the top. Even wood splitting wedges can spall, sending chips off at the velocity of a pistol round. A angle grinder or a grinding wheel will work well. (OLD Safety guy, seen too many spalls, less with wood splits than metal such as cold chisels, but still painful or worse. Thanks of the video, as there seems to be a lot of "firewood" around after the spring wind storms, and I have been wondering how to start.
Help! Can you riven/ split dried lumber? I have never worked with non-milled lumber. My dads friend gifted me 50 year old apple tree. I can even get a wedge in it with a mallet. Probably need to send it to a mill. Ugh. Or its firewood.
With this thick of oak the froe did not provide enough force to split it. also with it being this large, there was not enough material on the either side to impact. for the smaller things, it works perfectly.
Great video, James. I want to build hope chests for my girls from lumber off of the old family farm (white and red oak). Since those pieces were of a relatively small diameter, what do you do about sap wood and pith for your pieces? Obvious color difference. I think there's a strength difference too. What are your thoughts?
I use sapwood all the time. for oak, it is not much different at all and once dried they do not have much color difference. sometimes the pitch will naturally break off when splitting, but then you know not to use it.
![NLE Choppa - Or What ft. 41 (Orchestra Mix) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/biOFASEgSOM/mqdefault.jpg)
The best point is not only the economy and the fun, but the wood of non-commercial species, and it is the only way to get it. The complete experience from the trunk to the finished project and everything made by hand is something inexplicable, that every woodworker should live, at least once in life. I consider myself lucky just like you, for having lived it :) Very nice video !
+Daniel Solowiej so true. On top of that with splitting you can get a quality of wood you can not buy.
Thank you! I got myself a froe, and then realized the wood was far too hard to split with it, since I want woodworking materials rather than cedar shingles. This is a big help. :)
This was awesome. One of the first Roy Underhill books I read went through the process, but seeing you do it in your driveway just makes it feel that much more accessible.
it is an east simple thing to do and to be honest it is a lot of fun!
Quick suggestion that has always helped me get the best split: use your hatchet to score a line for your split by gently hammering into the end of the log. It creates a ine of weakness in the log when the piece is to big to use a froe on. Then go back with wedges. I swear it makes a difference- much cleaner initial split. Great Vid!
that is a great idea. I have used the wide wedge to do that in the past but the big hatchet I have would work even better for it. thanks
You're welcome!
That’s exactly what I do. I score with a froe. Makes a huge difference.
Hi James sir im just getting into woodworking could you do a video showing how to identify different types wood like oak,pine etc great video sir
Here you go.ruclips.net/video/dV4kehSgO4c/видео.html
Great tutorial. Nice demonstration of using hand tools and that you don't need expensive machines.
there is always a cheaper more difficult way to so something!
You speak the truth!
Just got into woodworking and I’m surrounded by free lumber. This video just saved me $$$$ Thank you!
Great narration concise and articulate
Now you've inspired me to rive the 6 logs I've had in my garage for a year.
Sweet! I would love to see it!
Having done this, I know how much work that was. Hats off to you my friend!
LOL thanks man!
It's a good way to make use of a few local woods that you 'll never find for sale, I have a stack of plum wood drying now, and a little pear just sitting drying...
I just came back up from my basement workshop and I planed a small plank of ash wood from some split fire wood. Once I get the hang of it, it'll get easier and better! 😁😁😁
I see the appeal to this process. I don't really have the space to store lumber to cure for a year, but it's nice to know the process is so accessible
yup that can be the problem. I use the space under the stairs, but even then there is not that much space.
The traditional way of sealing the endgrain is to stick newspaper onto with hide glue. It's realy effective and also budget frendly
Right on.
Great video! Riven lumber is so awesome.
-Caleb Harris
yes it is!
Thanks I was looking for something like this. I need planks for knives and paneling etc so very grateful🙇♂️🙇♂️🙇♂️
I loved this episode and I continue to learn alot. Thanks for all your hard work. You are very inspiring.
thanks James! that means a lot. I will endeavor to do that. if there is ever anything you want to see just ask!
Railroad spikes work for smaller logs if you can't get wedges, and you can pick them up along most tracks
Bear in mind that such an act is theft, unless you miraclulous get permission from the company to traverse the tracks. I don't know if they would care much though. Alternatively, just take some hardwood and make gluts.
@@josephpostma1787 Yeah, thanks for pointing this out. I have a lot of spare spikes that were given to me, and I also have a bit of decommissioned rail line near my house, so it seems a lot less risky to collect them there.
feels good to make something just from a log! really good video :)
SO true. to bring it from tree to project is so rewarding!
just found you channel and only seen a few videos but awesome channel with topics not found easily elsewhere - thanks!
thank you Logan. if there is ever something you want to see just let me know. I would love to help out.
Will do, thank you! I'll spend some time going through your old content first, and let you know if you haven't covered something yet :)
Nice video. I find free lumber on Craig's list all the time. I also list my waste lumber there as well. Thumbs up James.
+OG Timbercraft very true. I will be doing a video on that tomorrow.
A really useful video. Thanks so much!
My pleasure Steve.
great video and method! thanks for the SketchUp detail shots... great explanation!
+Vintage Wood Workshop thanks. Glad I could help.
Yet again another great video!!!
Thanks Patrick!
Great Job... You learned that wedges com first the then he froe. Riven wood ia sooooo stable.
+Dusty Splinters love a good given board you know it is going to last!
Awesome video! I always wondered how to make logs into nice neat boards without having to buy a bunch of powertools.
Awesome information man!
Having split n quartered many a log myself I understand. I made a few "X" braces to hold the wood in place. A couple of short 2x4's screwed together will do the trick. For the standing split you can surround the one being split with shorter log cut-offs to hold it up OR a stack of used tires. Another option is a dedicated post. A friend of mine had a 6x6 piece of pressure treated lumber, he dug a hole and posted it in place. The standing log is chained to the post for splitting.
+Old Man from Scene Twenty Four all great ideas. It is a lot of fun whatever way you split it lol.
Make your own quartersawn! Great idea! 4/4 quartersawn white oak is at least 5$ board foot most places. So,if you did 60 ft, thats quite a good savings for half day work!!
my thought exactly. not to mention it is a lot of fun!
Hey my brother you gave me a great idea... I'm in my neighbor's yard cutting down a tree thank you bro you the man lol :)
Sweet! Love to see what you make with it!
LOL
HEY MY BROTHER DON'T SAY IT TO LOUD MY NEIGHBOR DON'T KNOW LOL :)
Do you have a video showing what project this wood was used on? I think it would be very interesting to see how the wood dried and how it affected the color since its been at least five years by now!
Keep up the great videos!
I know I used it but I can't remember which project it was in. And that's sad. I should know. But after almost 2,000 videos it's kind of hard to keep track.
Thanks for this video. I really learned a lot from this!
Thanks. Glad I could help. this was a fun one!
Thank you. moving soon and need to cut down some trees in the backyard of future house. was just gonna cut it into slabs, might go this route instead.
it is a lot of work but it is a lot of fun!
Cool stuff James! would be interesting to see a fireplace mantle made out of firewood.
LOL yup. holding it's fate over the woods head!
Nice. I'm off to find some firewood.
Thanks for detailing the technique.
my pleasure. have fun.
I watched the video with great pleasure!
thanks man!
I've found using a heavy cracking hammer is much easier to wield when setting wedges. I know it's just another thing, but it can save wear and tear on the shoulders and back.
You're still young, so it probably doesn't matter as much.
An old school trick for wedges is to tap small burr into the sharper end. Not too much just a bit. This will help keep the wedge from bouncing out as you drive it in
yup I had one on these but sometimes you just mess up. that is me. LOL
Good workout. When splitting in the horizontal you might find it easier if you set up a stop, so it won't bounce away from you.
that I would I normally do it on the grass and stand on it but for the video, I was just having too much fun to move it.
Great video, now I know how I am NOT going to get free wood! WAY too much work, but I am glad that you are able to crack those logs open. I worked up a sweat just watching you............... Steve
LOL out of these logs I got about 60BF at about 6 hours of work. so it is not that bad when you look at it, and it is a lot of fun! but if you have a frame saw you can just slice up flat sawn lumber.
OK, I'll just have to take your word for it! I'm off to Home Depot to pick up some wood... :)
Hi James, could I respectfully make a suggestion, if you set some concrete blocks at the edge (or in the concrete) of your concrete work area there, you could then set the logs against them to save chasing the logs around when splitting the quarters out. :)
yup normally with the larger ones I stand on them but for these smaller ones that would be a good idea!
It seemed like you were able to split that first little wedge of wood off without trouble, but in my experience, if I try to split a section of wood any way other than 50-50 the split tends to run out through the smaller section instead of running straight. I know if the wood on both sides of the split is thin enough a froe can be used to bend the wood on one side to direct the split toward that side, but with larger sections of wood I've never had success splitting the wood except pretty evenly in half (not necessarily wedge-shaped but with a roughly equal amount of wood on either side of the split.)
A lot of it depends on the type of wood. If it is a ring porous wood like oak it tends to split more straight. However if it's diffuse pores like maple or poplar off in the splits tend to run wherever they want. Usually the answer is to cut it 50/50. And then cut it 50/50 again.
One hell of a workout. Some of those swings reminded me of the terrible scenes from the movie Misery....so glad you didn't slam that hammer into your ankle.
lol that is why I only use light taps rather than uncontrolled swings.
Even staying under control, I often times slam my thumb or hand or leg...but it's so rewarding working with rough and natural materials....and free!
I know what your saying I smashed my toe once with that sledge it was no fun!
great tip James thanks for sharing brother. I've been doing pretty much the same thing for a while now with the shorter logs.
+Opa's Workshop it is amazing how much you can get done with free firewood.
James, maybe consider grinding or filing those mushroomed wedges. I'd hate to hear that you've had a nasty injury. Most of my windsor chairs come from logs given to me by tree service guys. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot!
Thanks for this video. I really learned a lot from this!
A friend owes me some money so I am taking a couple of western red cedar logs that are about 40in diameter. I am using a chainsaw to cut some more manageable pieces off but there is a lot of lost wood. I think wedges and a froe will probably work better.
G'day mate, wow that's some patience & energy exertion but really interesting, I've seen Swedish Viking boat replications done similarly, great video 👍👍👍
it is a lot of fun. one of these days I want to build a boat like that. sounds like dun to me!
Awesome!
god what a lot of work well done
thanks. but it is a lot of fun!
Nice!
Great video lesson. One question, do you experience very much warping after a year of drying? Thanks for taking the time to post these videos.
thanks Stephan. with riven wood, there is little if any warping as it is cut radially there is very little expansion or contraction. that being said I still sticker and weight the lumber for drying just to be on the safe side.
Still on catch up - that looked like one hell of a work out fella ;)
sorry I keep putting them out!
Wood By Wright LOL You're a machine dude, a machine 😉
Free is a magic number after all.
+WillEyedOney lol yup
I have developed a good relationship with a local tree service, they will save me good pieces of hard wood and I can come out and pick what I want, then I clean up what I don’t want nicely for them. Just picked up $800 to $1000 worth of walnut for about $25.
Nice. that is a great relationship.
Hi, new to your channel, great job keep up the good work! This particular video on how to split the logs reminds me of a red green video, LOL!
I'm a man. But I can change. If I have to. I guess.
James, I love your videos. For me, I would have to purchase a sledge hammer and some wedges. If I can find a couple at a flea market or yard sale then this would not be a problem. I think I have to make a scrub plane first. That is the next video I will watch. (Please watch your feet when you swing the axe. Oy!)
LOL that will make you dance around a good bit. thus the small controlled swings rather than over the top smash.
can yu do this with a wood like maple, that has diffuse pores? or do woods like that have to be sawn?
sure. you can di it with most any strait grain.
Thank you!
have you made any comparison between kiln dried wood and the wood you process as to workability with hand tools
+Tom Moores there are a lot of differences both in the way it is cut and in how it is dried.
Wood By Wright I think it was Roy Underhill that said air dried was easier to work with, just wondered if you had the same experience
oh yes. for hand tools air dried is far easier to work with. air dried also is a bit more open to expansion and contraction, but in the hand tool world, it is what you want.
Any particulars on storing the wood at your house? Optimal drying, termites, etc.
I keep it in my basement. The air conditioning if perfict for air drying.
@@WoodByWright Very good, I'll likely make a space in my (semi air conditioned) garage for lumber. Thanks!
stronnnng hiper strong work. yeaaah
LOL. The best kind
Basically what I do but I don’t paint the ends anymore but I got surplus so just plan on cutting six inches or so off the checked ends
NIce. if you got the space that does help it dry faster.
Does this work only for green wood? I have ash logs that have been under the lean to behind my barn for years. We don't use the fireplace much these days, trying to find another use for them. Very dry, not rotten at all.
It is easiest with greenwood but it can be done with dry wood as well. Just takes a little more work.
New subscriber here! I have a water oak? that I cut down last year with the logs cut for firewood but not split yet.. I am going to try this to see what it looks like.. Have a couple of other trees in my yard I want to take down later this year. I have read it is better to take trees down in the winter when the sap is not running. couldn't you just saw the boards lengthwise?
yup if you have a saw that is faster but riven gives stronger and more stable wood, but it takes a ton of time. I have never played with Water oak. but I have heard it to be a fun wood.
Does the log need to be dried to a certain point before riving?
no it is actually easer to do wet.
I have been doing this on a much larger scale. I have several large oak boards cut with my hand saw to about 5 or 6 feet long. 3 to 4 inches thick and ranging 5 to 10 inches wide. I have them stacked in my garage drying. I intend on building a workbench. How long do the need to dry? Do you think this is a waste of time?
+fightingamaish101 right on. I only split them when I want riven lumber. There is no way to tell other then testing the moisture. There is a link in the description to the moisture meatier. The rule of thumb is 1 year per inch of thickness, but that verrys wildly.
James you need an Alaskan chainsaw mill. Looks like a lot of work but cool.
+LightWorks lol where is the fun in that. And then I don't get riven lumber.
Wood By Wright no it is cool, keep up the interesting videos. Have you finished your workbench? I think I will finish mine tonight.
I have an Alaskan mill, and it's cool . But had I seen this video before I got it, I may have a froe instead.
WHEW! I just worked up a sweat just watching.
+Benjamin DeBellis lol then I guess it was good for both of us. But I am keeping the lumber. Lol
Try a froe instead of the wedges, and drawknife the pieces before you use a plane.
A friend said that free software is like a free puppy -- there is a lot of cost that goes into it after the free "purchase". I think that applies to free lumber. 😊
awesome! although it's not the size of the log that make the froe not work, its that huge knot in the middle of the log.
Just had to say hi! Just discovered your channel and love your hand tool only way of working and this is the way I want to go!! Just converted an old wooden plane I had to a scrub plane, just the tool I needed after splitting down my Ash wood. Do you have any recommendations of your vidios I should watch as a beginner? Just watched this 1, how to make a scrub plane and your basic woodwork tool collection.
Thanks. As a beginner, I usually tell people to start where their interests are at rather than starting on any particular project. It's more important that it is fun and intriguing. But as of right now I have over 2,000 videos between the two channels. So there's usually two or three videos on most any topic.
@@WoodByWright Thank you for your reply, the wood I aquire depicts the projects I have so far I've been Wand making, mallet carving, spoon carving and making chopping boards. Nothing too taxing but it's helping with my sharpening and learning various processes. Next I think I'll be working on hammer handles as I have just over half dozen that need refurbishing. I already have a fee of your vids queued up and looking forward to trying to make my own tools. Thanks again.
Neat process, I got tired just watching it. I think I need a nap now...lol.
LOL I am glad I am good for a sleep aide!
Could you use a cordless planer instead of the scrub?
you can use whatever you want. but wet wood is sometimes not as much fun with a power tool.
I'd have to get a large bandsaw. I'm out of shape and that would about do me in. I'm exhausted just watching you!
LOL yup it is alot of work. I have a friend with a chainsaw mill and he makes it a lot easier!
Hi from Russia!!
good to have you here.
I picked up about 200 b/f of almost impossible to get red mahogany (a type of Eucalyptus) from remnants of stabilizers in a shipping container. You just have to keep your eyes open. A lot of people call it firewood.
LOL great work. firewood is a great search term
What size piece of firewood would you suggest as a start for a mallet head? I would love to do a pure maple chunk, but figure my only option around here is to get a chunk of firewood and mill it down myself.
Also, could of swore I've seen old pictures of roubo style frame saws used to make long boards. There anything to that?
You just have to find out how large a board you want that will tell you how big to get the log. and yes a pit saw was the traditional way to mill up lumber. If the log is small enough I take it down staris and use my frame saw for that too.
Spent half an hour trying to find this video on the how 2 channel!
Sorry. This one was before I created that channel. I might need to remake it. I've got a list of those videos to do for the how to channel.
I understand the concept and the satisfaction of making stuff by hand and hand tools only. But, with this, I would use a chainsaw to mill the wood that size to planks.
question: if you're only working with smaller logs, say just a little over 1 foot, would you still shape it down with a hatchet or would you saw through it? and if you saw through it, say a rip cut, what kind of saw would you use? thank you :)
if I were to saw it I would use my roubo frame saw. but it would depend on the use. splitting is not only quick it also follows the fibers of the log so you will get stronger lumber. so if I were making a ladder or something structural or something I do not want to twist in the future then splitting is the way to go. but if it is for most woodworking projects then cutting would give you far less waste.
perfect James thank you :)
does this work with seasoned fire wood as well
+Nic Bergeron it is harder with dried wood, but I have used firewood for several projects. I find it great for mallet heads.
Nice Idea! You are using the full board including sapwood and heartwood for your projects. I heard, that the sapwood of oaks should be removed. Otherwise you will get problems with different wood infesting insects. How do you deal with that Problem?
Thanks!
the sap wood is fine. I use it quite often. If you are drying outside in warmer climates insects might get in. But the chance of it getting into the sap wood is only slightly higher then it getting into main trunk wood. I often use sap wood in projects as I like the contrast in color.
Thank
Thank you very much! The contrast of sapwood and heartwood in oaks is highly interesting! I will try it in my project. What is your recommendation for the treatment of the surface of oakwood? I would like to try a mix kg beewax and peanut oil.
Oh sorry! I see, you made videos about BLO. Thanks for sharing!!
I'm assuming you split this instead of sawing it because of your stability comment? You'll get less yield from the log but the lumber you get won't move as much? When the video first started, I was wondering why you didn't use your new saw bench to just slice it up.
yup it is a bit slower then the frame saw but much faster than a hand saw. but the quality of the wood is so much greater. also I wanted to keep this to tools that most people had easy access to. hammer, wedge, scrub plane
ah, that makes even more sense, I know I don't have one of those saws.
What moisture level do you want them to get down to before it's safe to use them?
That depends completely on the type of wood the tool you use to measure the moisture, and the shop you keep it in. For most of my lumber 9% is about the bottom in but in some places 15 to 20% is the bottom end.
Great video. How do you keep the logs upright when hammering in the wedge? Are they simply cut flat and resting on a flat surface or are they anchored somehow?
+Collin Bussey they just have a flat side. So they stand up. If they are too big to stand up I just do it with them laying on the ground.
Good shoes for working with those tools🚑
How can you tell the amount of moisture wood has?
great video!
that was the orange tool I used near then end after scrubbing the first side. Moisture meter - amzn.to/2r7TMjh also out of experience you know what the moisture of fresh wood that time of year is.
PLEASE grind off the overhand on the wedges, chamfer the top. Even wood splitting wedges can spall, sending chips off at the velocity of a pistol round. A angle grinder or a grinding wheel will work well. (OLD Safety guy, seen too many spalls, less with wood splits than metal such as cold chisels, but still painful or worse. Thanks of the video, as there seems to be a lot of "firewood" around after the spring wind storms, and I have been wondering how to start.
+Allan McLean yup that is on my list of things to do. Long list.
Thanks useful tips
+John Stanton my pleasure thanks John.
Help! Can you riven/ split dried lumber? I have never worked with non-milled lumber. My dads friend gifted me 50 year old apple tree. I can even get a wedge in it with a mallet. Probably need to send it to a mill. Ugh. Or its firewood.
It can be done but it is very difficult.
I have a 27 ton splitter. Do you think that will work?
+Brian Prusa maybe. You might have to push a bit.
Hey bro, any recommendations on where to get a froe?
Black bear forge will be the next one for me. I just messaged him about getting one. www.blackbearforge.com/tools.htm
Wood By Wright I love his stuff.
I know you posted a couple of years ago, but is your scrub plane the same as a jack plane or an equivalent to a no. 5?
Yes. It is a 5 that I ajusted and turned into a scrub. Here is the video on that. ruclips.net/video/3ZVhadFoq8E/видео.html
Why didn't you use the fro to split it in half in the first place?
With this thick of oak the froe did not provide enough force to split it. also with it being this large, there was not enough material on the either side to impact. for the smaller things, it works perfectly.
What to do if the fresh lumber log has insects eating it?
Great video, James. I want to build hope chests for my girls from lumber off of the old family farm (white and red oak). Since those pieces were of a relatively small diameter, what do you do about sap wood and pith for your pieces? Obvious color difference. I think there's a strength difference too. What are your thoughts?
I use sapwood all the time. for oak, it is not much different at all and once dried they do not have much color difference. sometimes the pitch will naturally break off when splitting, but then you know not to use it.
From firewood WITH hand tools!
Maybe I missed something, but why is that wedge removed before quartering?
+Andy Dolphin It is not. I was just showing how you can take wedge shaped lumber and use that too. That is the most stable lumber you can use.
I see. Thanks.