Of Timber Jacks and Tool Handles

[British Red]

For the ageing people amongst us (like me) the time comes when you simply cant lift and move the weights you once could

Have a look at the tree trunks behind the shave horse

Shave Horse by British Red, on Flickr

You can work out the size because each of those tanks is just over a metre wide - so say 4m+ long and about 6" across. Whatever that equates to, its damned heavy to lift. If you imagine them on the ground after felling, they would be very, very heavy to lift - and cutting them up on the ground risks "grounding" your saw (running the blade in the dirt and ruining it).

Well, as I age I try to work smart, so for handling long baulks of wood, I now use a timber jack - its like a peavy hook or cant hook with an attached pivoting T piece. Just close the jaw on the trunk and gently pull on the long handle (leverage at work) and the hole tree lifts into the air. I literally lifted this tree with one finger

Timber Jack by British Red, on Flickr

As you can see - the jaws are intended for much larger trees than this 150lbs or so of wood

Timber Jack1 by British Red, on Flickr

I have lifted a 3' diameter tree easily with this tool - I highly recommend them if you have to deal with large tree trunks on the ground

So using the jack I cut up those ash trunks. A lot of it was beautifully straight so I decided to save it

I kept straight, relatively knot free pieces between 18" and 5' long

Straight Ash for seasoning by British Red, on Flickr

I have heard that if you plan to season wood you need to seal the end grain (certainly when I tried once before without sealing it the wood split)

I had half a tin of green gloss paint left over, so I painted that on - the grain sucked it up fast enough!

Sealed End Grain by British Red, on Flickr

I've laid the pieces on a pallet for the paint to dry. Once it has I'll lay it flat in the corner of a barn somewhere for a few years to dry out slowly.

Stacked for seasoning by British Red, on Flickr

Be interesting to see how well it seasons. I really need to develop the skill of making my own tool handles so most of these pieces are destined to be my stumbling attempts to learn that, The largest one I may rip into planks and make a tool box - I fancy having a tool box made from planks from my own trees

 

[sandbender]

I'd never seen a timber jack in action till now, thanks for that, another tool for the wish list.

That is a good looking shave horse.

 

[British Red]

Timber Jacks are superb mate - get one! It grips like a Peavey hook and then just rolls the log up in the air with leverage. Simple and brilliant as the best tools are. I can take better pictures of the business end if you need them.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

On a similar note, a pair of Lifting Tongs really make things a lot easier when moving logs about. With a pair of these you can lift up large logs and move them about without risking your back. Very useful tool.

J

 

[British Red]

On a similar note, a pair of Lifting Tongs really make things a lot easier when moving logs about.

One pair are good - but two pairs are great with longer pieces!

 

[Quixoticgeek]

One pair are good - but two pairs are great with longer pieces!

I don't know about you, but I only have 1 pair of hands...

J

 

[British Red]

Indeed - but I have a friend

I just find even a 20' length a bear to shift - but with someone on the other end its a breeze!

 

[sandbender]

"..I can take better pictures of the business end if you need them..."

Thanks, but I have found some pics elsewhere, however some pics of your toolbox a few years from now I will be looking out for.

 

[British Red]

Well now, chatting with a member here, the idea was proposed that the Ash would season better if cut to size (bark off) rather than left to season "in the round".

Certainly the last time I left a piece to season in the round without sealing the end grain it developed "radial cracks" (like a sunburst pattern looking at the end of the log)

So I decided to rip a piece down and do a comparison - I mean how hard can it be right?

I have a table saw



and a lump of Ash to rip



Should only take a second or two right?

WRONG!

Lesson 1: You cannot rip trunks on a table saw with a guard - it fouls the trunk

Lesson 2: You need to sned all the branches off right to the trunk before ripping - little nubs mess the whole job up.

Okay, sorted that.

So then its four quick cuts and I'll have a bit of wood nearly as big as the round right?

WRONG!



Lesson 3: Look how wiggly the edges are of the piece I have cut off - that's because I need to cut more off or have bark on the corners.

Still once you get it square it'll be good right?



WRONG

Still got bark on the corners



Lesson 4 The waste involved in ripping small diameter wood is amazing



Lesson 5 - As is the mess!



Still, we have two pieces of wood to compare which one seasons without cracking - place your bets!



Red

 

[grip]

I have a reprint of an old book Handy Farm Devices and how to make them by Rolf Cobleigh. Among its many and varied devices there are timber jacks that use a lever and series of pins to lift felled timber its amazing what can be done with these simple machines.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

That Ash is looking beautiful. I am on the look out for a fallen Ash tree so that I can harvest a small amount to make knife scales among other things. I await with interest how your seasoning experiment progresses.

On a related note, any idea if the same is true of Sweet Chestnut, Holly or Hazel wood?

J

 

[British Red]

If you just need some plain seasoned ash for the knife scales lass, just tell me when you need it and the dimensions and I'll sort you a piece out - the far bin is all ash been seasoning in the bar for a few years - don't leave it too long though or I will be warm and the ash gone

Barn Logs by British Red, on Flickr

 

[bb07]

Well now, chatting with a member here, the idea was proposed that the Ash would season better if cut to size (bark off) rather than left to season "in the round".

Certainly the last time I left a piece to season in the round without sealing the end grain it developed "radial cracks" (like a sunburst pattern looking at the end of the log)

Although the end grain cracks, does the cracking extend much further inside the log? I'm not familiar with ash but I would have thought that leaving the bark on would help slow the drying process, while removing the bark would speed it up, resulting in more splitting. And cutting pieces from a seasoned log should be more stable, and therefore less likely to split or twist, while smaller green pieces would be more susceptible to warpage I would think?
I don't know for sure but I'll be watching with interest to see which method of drying works best.

Lesson 1: You cannot rip trunks on a table saw with a guard - it fouls the trunk

Lesson 2: You need to sned all the branches off right to the trunk before ripping - little nubs mess the whole job up.

Okay, sorted that.

So then its four quick cuts and I'll have a bit of wood nearly as big as the round right?

WRONG!



Lesson 3: Look how wiggly the edges are of the piece I have cut off - that's because I need to cut more off or have bark on the corners.

To rip a log straight I will nail a length of 2x4 onto the log (using nails just long enough to hold but not too deep so that the blade doesn't hit them). Once the log has been ripped full length the first time, the 2x4 can be removed and the straight portion of the log will allow subsequent pieces to be ripped nice and straight.
Once all the pieces have been ripped that the log will allow, a board can then be nailed on the top or bottom to enable them to be ripped straight as well.
And yes, there is a lot of waste. It takes quite a large log to get pieces without bark on the corners, depending on the finished size needed of course.

 

[British Red]

Thats a great idea with the 2x4 thank you

Its just a skill I simply do not have As in so many things - it appears deceptively simple and it isn't!

 

[Dreadhead]

fantastic bit of kit that! i get tired having to lever logs off the ground into a good position every 5 minutes just to get a good cut with the chainsaw