What Is Timber Hewing?

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Author: Albert
Published: 8 Aug 2022

Hewing: Construction of Log Cabins, Barn and Other Building Structure

Hewing is the process of making a log. The term refers to the process using only hand tools. Power tools can be used to give a hand hewn log look.

The construction of log cabins, barns, and other buildings is one of the most well-known examples of hewing. Hewing was a common method for creating one or more flat sides on logs in the United States frontier and other places where planing board lumber from logs was not readily available. Flat surfaces on logs made them a tighter fit for construction.

The rustic appearance of hewn timber is what it is valued for in modern times. Hewn lumber is created from a felled tree. The first step is debarking the log, but a log may also be hewn with the bark still on.

The log is placed on a stand. The hewing is usually performed with a broad ax, an ax with a slightly curved blade, and a felling ax. Sometimes hew timber is used with felling axes or adzes.

The blade of the tool should be sharp for both accuracy and efficiency. A person holding a log with one hand another holding the ax head down the handle. The ax is used to remove wood at a time along the marked lines.

What is a broad AXE?

What is a broad AXE used for? The use of broad axes in Europe and North America ended in the 19th century. The manufacture of square timbers for wooden shipbuilding, log building, timber framing, and railroad ties used axe ties.

Hand-hewn logs

A log that is hewn is transformed into a timber with flat sides. Two or four-sided hand-hewn timber can be found. Old-world craftsmen used adzes, broad axes, and skill to turn felled logs into timbers.

Only a few craftsmen still hand-hew lumber. The hand-hewing process is lengthy and difficult, and can be done much quicker by a sawmill. Sometimes hand-hewn timbers used in structures need to be re-hewn to fit against other wood pieces.

Marking the bottom of a log

Measure and mark from the center line to the bottom of the timber. The top and bottom lines are drawn. The four lines should be drawn to the edge of the log.

You can remove jogs while standing. Place your right foot forward and about two feet from the log. The left leg should be braced on the log so that your left foot is behind you.

The process is repeated on the other three sides of the log. To remove one log dog and put it on the other side of the log, you have to cut the log. The log may be shifted out of plumb if both dogs are removed at once.

Using Reclaimed Hand Hewn Beams to Create Modern Interior Designs

Stephen Donaldson wrote a book about how reference marks can help to date a beam. The Scribe Rule method of building was almost completely replaced by newer building methods by the late 1820s. The Square Rule was the most popular building method after the late 1820s, but it was not until the mid-twenties that lumber and nails became more affordable.

Craftsmen created live edge beams when time was not important. Live edge beams have two sides that are squared and two sides that are largely untouched. It is possible to integrate reclaimed hand hewn beams into a home, office or business.

The elements endure and lives are witnessed by hand hewn timbers. Each reclaimed beam has a story. They are full of personality.

Some are clean and some are rotten. Skills and patience are required to dismantle old barns. It requires careful attention to detail to identify, protect and preserve the best hand-hewn beams.

The wood that is exposed to the elements can look dull. The beams can be washed to remove the decades of dirt and build-up, which often reveals an underlying rich brown patina. It is used for siding, flooring, and ceilings.

Hand-hewn logs are those that have been flattened or squared using only handheld tools. It is a very difficult task, but still favored by many carpenters for its traditional appearance. You need to score your tree every 1 to 2 feet across with a felling ax.

You want to make them as deep as the guidelines you have created. To leave a flat surface, remove the sections with a broadax. The broadax has a flat side and a convex side, the latter pointing away.

Flattening the log by removing wood

You are trying to flatten the log by removing wood. Adz, broad axe, buck saw, cross cut saw, and other tools are often cleaned up with a spud or drawknife.

Axes with rubber handles

An axe has a rich history of uses, including felling trees, hunting animals, and weaponry. The axe is used in the yard and outdoor activities, but the type of axe you need will depend on the purpose you intend for it. The best axes have wooden handles, but big box stores are selling axes with rubber handles.

A wooden handle is more comfortable. The best quality is found in ash or hickory handle. The double head makes them very heavy and cumbersome to carry.

Hewing after log selection

After log selection, felling, scoring and jousting, hewing occurs. Hewing is done on the logs. The tendency of the broken fibers to migrate inwards towards the beam is reduced when hewing occurs from the bottom of the stem upwards.

AltruWod: A Distributor of FSC Certified Lumber, Shakes and Flooring

The two most common hewing tools are a broadaxe and an adz, and there are many axes that could be used for the job. The broadaxe is used for scoring and hewing. An adz is used for smaller detail work and smoothing out the work of the broadaxe.

The broadaxe is often replaced by scoring axes. AltruWood is a manufacturer and distributor of FSC Certified lumber, shakes, shingles, and flooring. AltruWood also offers reclaimed products, including reclaimed Doug Fir beams, reclaimed hand hewn beams, reclaimed flooring and innovative dead standing timbers.

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