Here is a homemade froe and maple mallet. Making some spruce shakes for another project. Haven't quite found the right bevel for the froe yet. Anyone have a suggestion?
Welcome Anvil. First time I have ever seen one of those. I'll be curious how this thread goes. homemade shingles sounds cool. Can't say I've ever seen spruce shingles either
Thanks for the welcomes! The froe handle is hickory from a round eye sledge handle. I was experimenting with the spruce since I don't have cedar on my land. It is serviceable but hard to get suitable pieces due to knots. The shakes were just for some birdhouses my father in law was building, so I din't need a bunch.
Her is a pic of the shake in progress. I have some pics of a hay fork made with a knife and brace bit if interested.
I don't make my own knives, I'm heat treat challenged That one is a JK Handmade, superb knives O1 steel at it's finest. Here are a few pics of the hay fork. Raw materials, a maple sapling: A little peeling and trimming: Drilled: Fitting: Done:
Nice Yankee brace in pic 3.I have the 8,10 & 12 in. swing models in excellent condition.After 70+ years the ratchets still sound & work like a Swiss watch. Hope to have the 6 & 14 in. models to complete the set someday,those 2 are quite rare & a bit pricey now.Is that a pure North Brothers one or a post 1946 Stanley buyout one? Best braces ever made,the Cadillac of braces.Almost indestructible,no wonder the Bell System insisted on them for outfitting their lineman's tool kits.
Paul bunion, if you could measure the bevel I would very much appreciate it. Thistle, it is post 1946, it has North Bros a Division of Stanley Tools on it. A very fine tool, it's a shame they don't make em like that anymore.
nice froe, nice hayrake.......talent right there. Man, fishingpol is gonna LOVE you.....lol Glad to have you here, Anvil. I dabble around in blacksmithing.....I'll have to dig up some pics.
I measured it for you today. The Peavey company certainly didn't make a precision tool here. When you sight down the edge you can see that it isn't the same. The bevel on one side of it about 25 degrees and on the other side it is about 27.