Hello to all! This summer I went on a 5 week trek in the Alps with a few friends. The time spent left a lot of positive impressions. But during this trip, I discovered that I forgot one very important tool - an ax. After long day spent in the mountains, it's nice to sit by the fire and drink beer. But in order to make a fire without an ax, we had to spend a lot of time looking for small branches that can be broken by hand.
Therefore, as soon as I arrived home, I had the idea to make a tourist hatchet, in which, like a knife, a saw is hidden and there is a beer opener.
In this master class, I will tell you how you can make such an ax yourself.
Ax design
The design of this ax consists of three parts.
ax blade
The shape of the blade was borrowed from the tomahawk, an ax used by Native Americans and European colonists. But you can change its shape by adding some spikes or a mallet on the butt. The ax blade will be glued to the handle and fastened with rivets.opener
At first, as an opener, I wanted to make a suitable hole in the blade. As a result of test drilling, it was found that conventional drill it's impossible to make a hole, so I changed the look of the opener. You can see both options in the image. The new type will be made in the form of a specially shaped hook.Saw
I wanted the ax to come with a saw, and I thought it would be nice if it hid like a jackknife. From the handle and it can be expanded using the finger recess. The saw will hide between the two pads. The shape of the metal part of the handle will allow the saw to be fixed in both the open and folded positions.Once the design was chosen, I tried it on a circular saw blade to get the dimensions right.
Materials and tools
This ax is made from a used saw blade and hardwood that I had. I had to purchase only a folding saw blade. It was already hardened, so it did not need heat treatment.
Materials:
- Old circular saw blade.
- Hardwood timber (approximately 50 x 40 x 300 mm).
- Epoxy resin.
- Large nails for use as rivets.
- Folding saw blade (I used 200mm).
- Bolt, nut and washer.
Tools:
- Angle grinder (don't forget your protective equipment!).
- Rasp.
- File.
- Sandpaper.
- Drill.
Let's make sparks!
I transferred the outlines of the ax and the metal part of the handle to circular saw and cut them out using an angle grinder with a fine cut-off wheel. Then with the help grinding wheel, angular grinder and files I completed the formation of the elements. The final shape of the metal part of the handle can be given later.
Handle making
You can glue the template to a wooden blank and cut out two overlays. I used my milling machine with CNC.
Drilling in hardened steel
I didn't have a carbide drill, so I wasn't sure how the hardened ax would work. I came across a video where it was told that a sharpened drill bit for concrete can be used to drill hardened metal. So I did, and it worked out pretty well.
Adding an opener
This is probably the most indispensable part of the ax! Whenever I go camping, my friends and I usually have a couple of beers around the campfire in the evening. Opening them with stones and tree branches is very inconvenient. So I thought this detail would come in handy. I transferred the outline of an ordinary opener to the blade of an ax and cut a recess along it. Works great :)
Handle drilling
Next, I drilled holes in the handle and checked if everything fits. The metal part of the handle should act as a spring that will fix the saw blade. If it is too elastic, it can be made thinner. First, I used the metal part of the handle as a template for making holes. Then I fastened the two linings with clamps and then drilled through hole. Thus, all the corresponding holes were in one line.
To connect the parts of the ax without gluing, I used bolts. This way you can check whether all the parts of the ax fit and whether the saw folds correctly.
Blade sharpening
After the contour of the descent of the blade was drawn out, I used an angle grinder with a grinding disc for rough processing. Then, for finer work, a file was used and grinding machine(use water to cool the blade). The final sharpening was done using the grinding wheel of the sharpening machine.
I am not an expert in sharpening an ax blade, so you can do this in another way.
The ax will mainly be used to split the tree into smaller pieces, so I did a little test of its functionality.
Bonding and riveting
An ax is one of the tools that you need to have on the farm. Of course, it can be purchased at the store, but if you want to have a reliable and convenient thing, it is better to make a tool yourself. The article will discuss how to make an ax handle at home with your skillful hands and properly plant a metal sheet.
How to select and prepare wood
The hatchet is the handle of a working tool. The productivity of labor depends entirely on how easy it is to work with him. Therefore, the usual straight stick in this case will not work. A real ax handle is a curved beam with an oval section and straight sections. The tail part should be expanded and bent down. Only with this option, the hand of the person performing the work will be able to securely hold the tool, while not feeling tired for a long time.
For the manufacture of an ax handle, the following types of wood are best suited:
- maple;
- Birch;
- acacia;
- ash.
Wood should be harvested in the fall. Birch is perfect for carpentry tools, and maple is more often used for the camping option. His impact strength less than birch. The ideal option ash is considered very durable and rarely changes shape. It is better to make an ax handle from a section of a tree located near the root, and the workpiece should be 15 cm wider and longer than the future product.
Attention! Before the prepared bars go to the manufacture of an ax handle, they must dry for at least a year in a dry, dark place, for example, in the attic. This is necessary so that when finished, the handle does not dry out and begin to hang out in the eye.
You can use fresh wood only in case of breakage of the ax handle as a temporary option to be replaced soon.
How to make an ax
In order to make an ax handle you will need:
- wooden blank;
- hacksaw;
- chisel;
- pencil;
- file;
- hammer.
The manufacturing process itself takes place in the following order:
Attention! You need to make an ax so that the cross section is oval. In this case, it will be possible to hold it without particularly straining the hand and produce very accurate strikes.
Impregnation of an ax handle and an ax nozzle
The upper part of the finished handle must be impregnated with a water-repellent compound. There will be two options:
- drying oil;
- linseed oil;
- ski resin.
Lubricate the tree with the selected agent and leave to dry. The treatment is repeated several more times until the fat is absorbed. Ski resin is able to penetrate into the deeper layers of the workpiece, but it is difficult to find in stores. Therefore, the first two options are more often used.
Advice. A bright dye can be added to the impregnation agent. So the finished tool will be difficult to lose.
Attaching an ax to a handle is done as follows:
Watching videos and photographs will help you better understand the manufacturing technique. Making an ax handle with your own hands is more difficult than buying it ready-made. However, if you have the desire and some skills, it is quite possible to get a quality tool.
How to make an ax handle: video
An ax is a tool necessary for any country farm. It is useful when chopping firewood, and when building a house, and when cutting game. Unfortunately, not all axes on the market are reliable and convenient. Some of them are even dangerous! Therefore, if you have a need for "clumsy" work, you can try to make quality tool with your own hands. We will now tell you how to make an ax.
Components of an ax: metal sheet, ax handle and wedge
An ax handle is a tool handle, the convenience of the work performed depends on its length and shape. Straight stick with a round section - not the most the best way. The hand, holding such a tool, experiences increased stress and quickly gets tired. Much more practical is a curved ax with a section in the form of an oval with straight sections. The tail section is desirable to expand and bend down. Then, with strong blows, a reliable holding of the ax handle in the hands will be ensured.
Ax scheme: 1 - butt, 2.9 - wedges, 3 - blade, 4 - toe, 5 - chamfer, 6 - heel, 7 - beard, 8 - ax handle, 10 - sharpening
The process of making an ax looks like this:
1. Material preparation
Durable ax handles are obtained from oak, birch, maple, ash.
Wood for ax handles is traditionally harvested in autumn, before frost. Barked logs are laid in the attic, in a dry and dark place to dry. The blanks must lie in storage for less than a year. Some experts recommend even longer drying - 5-7 years.
However, if your ax handle is broken, but you urgently need to chop logs, then fresh wood can also be used. This is a temporary option, since after drying the wood will in any case decrease in volume and the handle will begin to “dangle” in the eye.
2. Cutting the template
A cardboard template is necessary for transferring the contours of the projected ax handle to the wood surface and manufacturing a tool with the desired dimensions. As a sample, you can use a ready-made ax with which it is convenient for you to work. The handle of the "standard" is circled with a pencil on a sheet of cardboard, cut out and a template is obtained.
3. Making a blank bar
From the dried chock, strictly along the fibers, a bar is squeezed out - a blank for the ax handle. The length of the bar should be approximately 100 mm longer than the intended size. finished product. The width of the blank in the front (which is mounted on the ax blade) should exceed the width of the metal eye by 2-3 mm.
A template is applied to the bar on both sides, its contours are transferred to the wood. In this case, the template is positioned so that an allowance of 10 mm remains from the front of the bar, and 90 mm at the end (in the tail section). The allowance in the shank serves to prevent splitting of the handle when fitting the metal sheet. It cuts off after final assembly.
4. Extrusion of an ax handle
In order to finally bring the ax handle to the desired size, cross cuts are made at the top and bottom of the bar. Their depth should not reach the intended contours of the ax handle by 2 mm. Excess wood, along the cuts, is chipped off with a chisel. Finally, up to the contour lines, the material is cut with a rasp. A file (bastard or rasp) rounds bends, corners, transitions. The final polishing is carried out with sandpaper.
5. Impregnation with a waterproof composition
The best means for wood impregnation - drying oil and linseed oil. The hatchet is coated with any of these oils. After it dries, apply next layer. This is done several times until the oil stops being absorbed.
The hatchet should not be slippery, so cover it with varnishes and oil paints Not recommended. You can mix a small amount of dye into the drying oil, for example, orange, red or yellow. An ax with a bright handle will be clearly visible in the grass and will not get lost.
About how to make a high-quality ax handle for an ax in field conditions, but with all the rules, see below:
Choice of metal sheet and ax head
metal sheet it is almost impossible to make it at home with an eyelet, so you will have to buy it ready-made. When buying, pay attention to:
- steel quality - ideally, the product is marked with the GOST badge, and not TU or OST;
- blade - should be smooth, without dents, cracks, bends;
- eye shape - in the form of a cone;
- butt ends - should be perpendicular to the blade.
At the end of the ax handle, two axial lines are drawn - longitudinal and perpendicular to it. A groove is cut along the contour of the longitudinal line to the depth of the eyelet - this cut will be necessary for wedging the ax handle. Then a butt is attached to the end and the contours of the eye are outlined, focusing on the center lines. With a knife, an ax or a planer, the landing part of the ax handle is cut off, giving it the shape of an eye. Moreover, this is done in such a way that the ax protrudes beyond the eye by about 1 cm.
With the help of hammer blows, an ax is planted on an ax handle. Do this carefully so that the wood does not crack. After the butt goes beyond the boundaries of the butt, check the strength of the fit of the blade - it should sit tight, not slip off.
Attaching an ax to an ax handle: a - fitting, b - attachment, c - wedging; 1 - ax, 2 - ax handle, 3 - wedge
Wedging the ax - a guarantee of a firm fit
Wedging serves to enhance the reliability of fastening the metal part of the ax to the ax handle. The safety of working with this tool depends on this. Wedging is carried out by driving a wedge made of hardwood (oak, walnut, yew, etc.) into the end part of the ax handle. Accordingly, the volume of the landing part of the ax handle increases and “tightly” sits down in the eye.
For the manufacture of a wedge, a wooden, well-dried plank about 5-10 mm thick is used. The working part of the wedge is equal to the depth of cut. Using a rasp, the wedge is cut so that its sides are parallel to each other. Only the very end is machined with a double-sided chamfer. The thickness of the wedge near the chamfer should exceed the width of the cut by 1 mm, at the end of the working part - by 2 mm.
Scheme of the wedge used for wedging an ax handle
To drive a wedge, the ax is placed vertically on a hard surface (table, anvil, etc.). With a chisel, the groove of the cut is expanded, a wedge is installed and hammered into it. Before driving, you can lubricate the wedge with glue (without a rubber component) - to prevent it from being pushed out of the cut and a more secure fit.
Groove extensions for easier wedge driving
Wedging an ax with one wedge is a popular and reliable option
Wedging with one wedge is not the only possible variant. Some masters prefer to use large quantity wedges, for example, two or five. In the latter case, the first wedge is driven into the longitudinal groove at the end of the ax handle (as when wedging with one wedge), and then the remaining four are driven in perpendicular to the first. How to put an ax on an ax handle, and then wedging in detail shown in the video:
Proper technology for sharpening an ax blade
A do-it-yourself ax blade will perform its function only if the sharpening angle and bevel width are maintained correctly.
The sharpening angle affects the convenience of the ax and the degree of its functionality. If you plan to cut wet, freshly cut wood, then the sharpening angle should be approximately 20 °. If dry trees, then 25-30 °.
The width of the bevel is also very important, but in ready-made blades, change it to the usual home master not under power. However, there is a way out: grind off the ax blade with a double “descent”. The first corner is turned at 15°, the second at 25° (average value).
Ax sharpening: a - sharpening angle, b - chamfer width (should exceed the thickness of the blade by 2.5-3 times)
The ax is sharpened on an electric grinder. At the same time, they make sure that the blade does not overheat much - this leads to a deterioration in hardness near the cutting edge. Therefore, taking up the sharpening process, you should put a container of water next to the grinder to cool the metal. It is advisable to immerse the blade in water after each pass along the circle.
It is necessary to reduce the runout of the grinding wheel to a minimum by regularly dressing with special cutters. When sharpening, hold the ax so that the blade is directed towards the rotation of the electric grinder. The butt is held at 45 °. The blade is sharpened by smoothly moving the ax along the circle. The sharpening angle is carefully sharpened, the chamfer is polished.
Sharpening an ax on an electric grinder allows you to quickly get a sharp blade
The final sharpening of the ax (grinding) is carried out using whetstone regularly wetted with water. Instead of a bar, you can use a piece of plywood glued with sandpaper. Remember that working with a sharp ax is a pleasure, while a blunt tool will force you to put in more effort, leading to quick fatigue.
The ax is actually a very important tool. Of course, if you are a real carpenter, then you must definitely know how to make an ax that is perfect for certain jobs. Professional master carpenters usually use several axes at once. However, this species the tool is also necessary for people living outside the city, or just city residents who occasionally travel to their summer cottages. After all, you need to heat the bath with firewood, and you can chop them only with the help of an ax. And so that no misunderstandings arise in the process, and the tool does not let you down, you should know about all the subtleties of how to make an ax with your own hands, as well as how to prepare it for work. The ax itself can be completely different in shape. But you should properly mount the ax, wedged, and it is also necessary to sharpen at a certain angle.
The choice of the piercing part of the ax
When you are faced with a choice, in the process of acquiring a stabbing part, be sure to pay attention to the metal from which it is made. There must be an inscription GOST, confirming the implementation in accordance with the norms and requirements. You should be alert if you see a sign like: OST, MRTU, TU. In this case, the metal production technology could be changed by the manufacturer. If we talk about choosing a good Soviet ax, then it is better to buy it on the regular market.
One can check the quality of an ax in the old way by striking the blade of one against the blade of another. If one of the products is made of poor quality, then it is on it that the impact marks will remain. Also, if you hang the ax, you can knock on it and listen to the sound. It will be characteristic.
Pay attention to the fact that if the blade is good, there should be no dents or flaws; the eye must be cone-shaped; also, the eye and the blade must be coaxial; and also there must be at least a small thickness of the butt, and its ends must be perpendicular to the blade.
If you could not find a product that would meet all standards. Do good ax you can on your own. Even if some misunderstandings are found in the purchased product over time, they can be eliminated by sharpening the burrs, boring the eyes, and giving the butt a symmetrical shape.
Select a workpiece. Make an ax handle
Based on your height and strength, you should choose the length of the ax handle. The quality of the wood is also very important. For example, for lightweight products, up to one kg in weight, the length of the handles is 40-60 cm. If we talk about a heavy ax - up to one and a half kilograms in weight, the length of the handle will be 55-65 cm.
Approach the question of how to do wooden ax, should be correct. For example, not every tree is suitable for its handle. Most suitable options- the root part of the birch, as well as its outgrowths; maple or oak, ash and other types of wood. It is very important to dry the preparations well, and always in natural conditions and for a considerable time.
You select the tool template in advance, and your template should be outlined on the workpiece. The end part of the handle should be thickened so that the master can slow down with his hand if the ax slips out. Excess wood (outside the outline) should be removed with a knife, an ax with a perfectly sharpened blade, or other similar tools. After that, you need to make sure that the actions are correct. Put the ax on the ax handle for fitting, using a mallet. Make sure these parts fit very snugly together. After that, you can proceed to further cleaning. To scrape, you should use glass, and to grind - fine-grained sandpaper. Knowing how to make an ax out of wood is half the battle. But that's not all.
"Landing" an ax on the handle
This process can be done, for example, in this way:
- The top of the ax handle is adjusted in accordance with the eyelet. Unnecessary wood should be removed with a knife.
- The hatchet should be placed horizontally on a flat hard surface, and the ax should be placed on top. On the handle, you need to mark with a pencil the place to which it needs to be planted. Dividing the segment in two, you should put a second mark.
- Use a vise to clamp the ax so that the wider end is up. A hacksaw for metal should be cut to the 2nd mark directly under the wedge.
- The wedge can be from the store, and also made from wood by hand. Its thickness can be 5-10 mm, the length is the same as the depth of cut, the width is equal to the eye of an ax.
- You need to put a board on the table, and put an ax on it, upside down. The ax should be put on the handle, tapping it on the board. Next, turn over and knock with the handle, in the process of planting. So turn over and tap should be several times in a row. As a result, the ax should go into the eye.
- After that, the ax handle must be placed vertically, and a wedge should be inserted into the cut and hammered with a mallet.
- Oil should be applied to the ax handle, the excess will drain, and the tool will remain to dry. After all, with the help of a rag, it is necessary to wipe the ax and the handle.
In addition, you can watch a video on how to make an ax, with which you will be more clear about the essence of making a tool.
Ax blade sharpening
This issue is very important so that the work of the tool does not cause inconvenience and trouble. In accordance with GOST, the sharpening angle should be from twenty to thirty degrees. If you are a professional carpenter, then sharpening should be done at an angle of thirty-five degrees.
Upon completion of the work done with an ax, it is recommended to put a cover on the blade. Be careful!
An ax made with your own hands will satisfy all the wishes of the master. Without such an important tool as an ax, a carpenter and a lumberjack cannot do without, and indeed any owner who has own house. The ax will help in the construction or repair of buildings, cutting trees, preparing firewood.
An ax is an important assistant in the construction or repair of buildings, cutting trees, preparing firewood.
What ax to make?
By purpose, form and degree of versatility, there are many types of axes that differ markedly from each other. It is possible to single out the main types of this important tool.
For woodworking, joinery and carpentry work, a carpenter's ax is used. It is characterized by low weight (so that it can be held in one hand) and the convenience of an ax handle. Its blade has a straight cut, and the sharpening angle is 35º. The most convenient length of the ax handle is considered to be 44-45 cm. The weight usually does not exceed 1.5 kg, and for lightweight options - 0.9 kg.
For cutting trees or chopping firewood, other axes are used - logging axes. They have a rounded blade and a longer handle. Particularly distinguished are the cleavers designed to work with large logs. They have wedge-shaped thickened narrow blades and long powerful ax handles.
There is quite a lot of demand taiga ax. Such an ax can be used for rough work with wood (chopping trees, chopping firewood, chopping branches), primary processing of wood (winter cabins, splitting logs), making hunting gear and devices, building temporary dwellings (huts, decking) and many other works.
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Preparing the ax head
The question of how to make an ax is decided primarily at the stage of preparing the tool head. The head is a metal chopping part of the ax and consists of such sections as the blade (pointed part), blade (wedge-shaped part), butt (rear part of the head) and eye (attachment to the ax handle). The shape of the blade and blade determines what the ax does next.
In the process of creating a head, the blade is first given the desired shape and sharpened. The carpentry tool has a straight cut blade and a 35° sharpening angle.
The taiga ax should have a rounded blade, so its convex shape is selected or the corners are grinded and the cut is rounded. The blade is sharpened with an emery bar with grains. medium size. The final finishing is carried out with a grinding bar.
The blade of a carpenter's ax (like most others) has a fairly regular trapezoidal shape. To make a taiga ax with your own hands, you need to align the upper cut of the blade with the cut of the eye and the butt along one line. Usually, the upper edge of the blade is simply cut off to the level of the lug.
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Making an ax handle
The second most important step in solving the problem of how to make an ax is the manufacture of an ax handle. This element is made of wood. The most commonly used birch. The taiga ax is characterized by operation at high humidity. In this regard, it is recommended to use wood with less rotting due to moisture. Maple proved to be quite good in these conditions. Ash is the best.
The first step is to pick up or make a wooden chock with a diameter of about 15 cm and a length exceeding the length of the ax handle by 15 cm. Such a chock is split exactly in half and cleaned from the bark. Then it must be dried well at a temperature of 20-25ºC and with a humidity of not more than 10%. A diagram is applied on the flat part of the workpiece. The longitudinal axis of the element must coincide with the direction of the wood fibers.
The primary processing of the chock is done with a small hatchet. Further formation of the workpiece body is carried out with the help of a chisel and a knife.
In cross section, the workpiece should have an oval shape (correct round form tires the hand). The lower end of the element must be bent and expanded to avoid slipping of the hand when cutting. The upper end should be folded in to fit into the hole in the eyelet of the head.
After the head is fully seated on the ax handle, the wooden part overhang should be about 10 mm.
The surface of the workpiece is carefully polished with an emery cloth.