Forestry/Logging Blacksmithing Projects

[OlympicYJ]

So looking at the thread of Gologit's spring board shoes that Metals made gave me an idea to start a thread for members or friends forestry related metal projects. Doesn't have to be forged but I was thinking it could be of tools we've made or friends have made for use in the forestry/logging field. Might be a good way to share ideas and so on. I would think pictures of old forged logging tools for idea purposes would be fair game as well. Not really a thread for antique logging pics since Mr. Bow saw is doing an excellent job with that

So I'll start off. I made this last summer for spinning plots while I was doing Pre-PCT audits. The company was using hoe handles with a bolt screwed in and ground off for a point. They also used wire covered in electrical tape for a tape ring on the old spencer. I didn't like this as it didn't slide very well and their staffs were on the short side if you were on an uphill. My dad and I dabble in blacksmithing a but. Not real artsy but more of fixing and making tools. So I fired up the forge and made a ring that was one piece but had a split so I could take it off the end of my spencer if or when needed. I then made a staff out of WRC coated in lindseed oil. The point was some pipe with a slug welded in the end of it. Forged it down to a taper and flared the end for fitment of the staff and then had the old man weld a tool steel point on the end. Carved a taper and burned the point on but had to go back and fine tune it to get a tight non wobble fit after a week of use. We also put epoxy in it to achieve this. Also pinned it with a copper pin peened on both sides. We used stainless wire tightened with a special tool on both ends to prevent splitting of the cedar. DF might be a better choice but the cedar is nice and soft to the touch especially with the lindseed oil on it and wont deteriorate with use ver the years. Overall lenght is 5' 2"

View attachment 285443
View attachment 285444
View attachment 285445
View attachment 285446

 

[twochains]

View attachment 285451View attachment 285454

I found this hewing ax on my property while cutting trail for cross country moto training. I checked with some old timers and narrowed it down to a fella who's Grandfather was the blacksmith in my area back in 1900. He hand hewn log ties right up till he passed. So this little treasure has been sitting in the woods right beside a hole which used to house a stump for well over 100 years! I was so amped to find it. I have shown it off quite a bit and it always gets alot of props. It was hand forged from one piece. Evidently blacksmith's all had their own style/signature when making these axes and they were either right or left left handed.

(my 10 year old son is holding it)

 

[northmanlogging]

got a pile of these projects littering the premises... have to find the camera and wait till daylight...

My Favorites where a couple of peaveys with tube steel handles, very light and strong, plus they had a little bit smaller jaws then most factory peaveys, worked real good on lots of stuff... left em behind on a job somewhere... haven't had time to build new ones.

 

[Gologit]

This could be a good thread. There's a lot of old time skills here that a lot of people, including me, don't have.

Go to a metal shop some time and ask for springboard shoes. Unless you're on the coast and the shop guys are all old enough to have moss on their north sides, nobody will even know what you're talking about.

Good on you guys.

 

[OlympicYJ]

I know what ya mean Bob. Those spring board shoes got me kind of excited. Me and my dad used to belong to the Northwest Blacksmith Association. Mostly artsy stuff but there were some really talented guys there. Everyone of em could whip out spring board shoes in nothin flat. Allot of knife/sword/axe makers too. I'm planin on making some splitting wedges this summer taboot. May even attempt to make old school steel falling wedges like they used with crosscuts!

 

[northmanlogging]

here's a couple of projects, a set of marlin spikes, and a converted chipper to run off a pto.

 

[northmanlogging]

And this one is what paid for my crummy, the tractor, a few saws...

Its an arch for a 3pt. originally hung a set of tongs off it, but went to a choker with a cable pincher instead, much more secure.View attachment 287442

I know there have been more, like the peaveys and a few other crazy stuff, my set of gaffs for instance but most of them are either long lost, gave away, or grew legs

 

[northmanlogging]

I poked around in the pile looking for something to build a quickie spring board shoe out of, but I must have used up all my 3/16 1/4 plate... and don't feel up to swinging the sledge today... got lots of ugly maple to kill and pack out tomorrow (back yard tree...).

 

[OlympicYJ]

I like the Marlin spikes! Been thinking of attempting a small one myself!

 

[northmanlogging]

So here's my spring board shoes, and my contribution to carbon offsets... Coal is so much more fun to work with than propane...

 

[northmanlogging]

Remember I try not to measure anything in the forge...

Here's my home made pritchel, lost 2 others... and yes it was a railroad spike.

 

[jrcat]

Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?

 

[treeslayer2003]

View attachment 285451View attachment 285454

I found this hewing ax on my property while cutting trail for cross country moto training. I checked with some old timers and narrowed it down to a fella who's Grandfather was the blacksmith in my area back in 1900. He hand hewn log ties right up till he passed. So this little treasure has been sitting in the woods right beside a hole which used to house a stump for well over 100 years! I was so amped to find it. I have shown it off quite a bit and it always gets alot of props. It was hand forged from one piece. Evidently blacksmith's all had their own style/signature when making these axes and they were either right or left left handed.

(my 10 year old son is holding it)

hey that's a neat find, never seen one of those, I have an axe collection some I found in woods along with a steel wedge and a 48" saw blade they used to put up the mill in woods 100 years ago here always see old mill holes :msp_thumbup:

 

[bert0168]

Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?

The pritchel is what he used to punch the square holes in the springboard foot

 

[Rounder]

Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?

Mspike makes splicing go a lot easier

 

[Metals406]

I was gonna ask if you drifted them holes square!

Looks good, get them on some nice tight grained DF.

You going with a tapered board?

 

[northmanlogging]

I'll probably cop out and go with a 2x6, I could taper it down (I have the technology...) But i prefer function over form.

Marlin spike is a long tapered pin with a flatish tip used to separate strands of cable, so you can stuff another strand of cable though, making a splice...

A pritchel is used for poking holes in hot metal, basically the same as a marlin spike only square and sometimes with a handle. used in conjunction with the pritchel hole on most anvils (the little round one next to the big square one...) once you get good with one it only take 3-5 wacks with a 3 pound hammer to pop a 1/2" square hole in 1/4" plate... hand drilling... takes a bit of time.

 

[Metals406]

Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?

There's so many smithing tools to know about, ya best get the lappy and go sit on the crapper and get to reading.

Punches, drifts, cut tools (hot and cold), pritchel tools, hardy tools, swages (top and bottom), spring swages, swage blocks, hold downs, dogs, etc.

There are purists out there for smithing, and stick to the old school.

There are also more modern smiths, that combine the old and new. Most smiths recognise that if you gave a MIG welder to a smith 100 years ago, he'd wear that sumbeech out before he did another forge weld in his life. :msp_wink:

 

[northmanlogging]

The cutting torch and mig are my friends, many project would have been unsuccessful without those two.

Plasma would be killer but out of my price range, ditto for tig

I don't like the propane forges though, coal is cheaper burns hotter, and contains carbon so you have less carbon loss for making knifes and whatnot, as long as you take care to coke it up first.

Speaking of coke I have whats left of a 20 kilo bag of coke in my shed...

now lets wait and see when the drug dogs show up:msp_biggrin:

But then half the fun of black smith work is beating on hot metal... so the welding and stuff I leave for building stuff, the forge is for making stuff, there is a difference...

 

[OlympicYJ]

We haven't had much luck with forge welding with the propane. Still have some coal but hardly use it. Think when I get home in two weeks I'm gonna disappear into the shop or the woods with the saw for half a day then the next it's to Forks and money makin time.

Good lookin shoes there! Do my eyes decieve or is that a homemade forge I see? What kinda anvil you have there?

Nate, tons and tons of tools but cool how ya can make most you need from just a few!