Railroad axe build

[motolife313]

building this from railroad that a customer at work gave me. Milled the top about about 1 1/4 so far and I’ll add some steel behined it in c channel form so the wood will come out of the back a inch also. Making my own handle aswell out of some tuff elm that didn’t wanna split. Handle is 19” total length and axe head is about 3 lbs now or so. It was 3.8 before I cut off the bottom and milled the groove. I’ve got a question, right now the groove is straight. Does it need to be tapered 2-3 degree?thanks a lot

 

[motolife313]

Building the handle. Cut it out with my 064 now I’m waiting to put it on a table saw

 

[muddstopper]

Interesting ideal, but I have my doubts as to how well it will swing. Looks to me it will be to heavy at the handle and will want to spin when swung. Will be interesting seeing it finished and put to use.

 

[rarefish383]

Cool project. It's hard to get it ito perspective. It looks big, but if you have it down to 3 pounds, that's good. My favorite weight for a splitting axe is 3.5-4 pounds on a long handle. Nice to have a mill. I never thought about it, looks like you might be able to make a nice wedge for a splitter from a piece of track too?

 

[muddstopper]

I wouldnt suggest making a wedge from a piece of rail. Rail is brittle and will break. Welds will appear nice and pretty and will break at the edges.

 

[rarefish383]

Oh well, just a thought. I have a piece of track that was ground into a pretty little anvil. Should I be warry of it chipping? It's small enough I'd only be using a ball peen on it.

 

[muddstopper]

I have a piece made into a anvil also.I beat the heck out of it with no problems. Rail will harden and eventually chip. I got a scar on my arm where a chip the size of a 22 shell flew off and went to the bone. Had to have it cut out. So yea it will chip. Keep any flanges as a result of striking, ground down and it should work well for years.

 

[JeffHK454]

I’ve never machined a hunk of rail but I always envisioned it being tough as hell...judging by how easily you put that big slot in it with a HSS end mill it must not be too tough. Is the area that contacts the wheels surface hardened and the rest soft ?

 

[JeffHK454]

I’ve never machined a hunk of rail but I always envisioned it being tough as hell...judging by how easily you put that big slot in it with a HSS end mill it must not be too tough. Is the area that contacts the wheels surface hardened and the rest soft ?

 

[JeffHK454]

I’ve never machined a hunk of rail but I always envisioned it being tough as hell...judging by how easily you put that big slot in it with a HSS end mill it must not be too tough. Is the area that contacts the wheels surface hardened and the rest soft ?

 

[JeffHK454]

I’ve never machined a hunk of rail but I always envisioned it being tough as hell...judging by how easily you put that big slot in it with a HSS end mill it must not be too tough. Is the area that contacts the wheels surface hardened and the rest soft ?

 

[muddstopper]

Lots of diffeerent types of rail. You can dent it with a hammer. The more you hit it the harder it gets. They use a lot of head hardened rail in hump yards, but usually on just the hump itself. Might see some head harden rail on high tonnage rail lines, but most isnt.

 

[motolife313]

Got the handle almost done. I’m going to thin it out little more. Tapered the axe head today. Hopefully I didn’t taper it too much but looks ok. Tapered it 7 degree. I’m going to get some 2000 grit sand paper tomorrow and polish it more.

 

[motolife313]

Here’s one more. I sanded it down more from this

 

[motolife313]

Got the back 1/4” stainless pieces welded on and polished 1 side up real nice. Need to put oil on it and couple other things, the finish in the pic is 2000 grit, still going to to more polishing