Buying a Chainsaw

I read a recent article in Countryside magazine about purchasing a chainsaw.  While I don't need one now, I suspect I will need one after I buy land in order to clean the property, drop dead trees, and cut up fire wood.  I wanted to make a note of some of the suggestions from the article for later reference.

Engine Size: Since there is a considerable amount of Oak in the area, the author suggests going with a 52cc engine or larger.

Bar Length: The general rule is that you can cut a tree with a diameter 2.2 times the length of the bar.  The author cautions against going with too large of a bar as there is a greater risk of injury.  He suggests a 14 to 16 inch bar.

Brands:  The author suggest going with a brand like Stihl or Husqvarna.  A YouTube channel I follow, WranglerStar, recommends going with a Stihl MS260 (now MS261).  The MS260 Pro has the following specifications:

Weight -10.6 lbs

Engine HP -3.2 bhp

Engine Displacment -50.2 cc

Bar Lengths -16" to 20"

Chain Width -325" or 3/8"

Snow an Nealley Axe on Collins Handle

I purchased the following axe at an estate sale in last October 2014.  When purchased the axe head was hung on a 23" long Oregon handle.  The handle was not very comfortable as it was too thin so it was ultimately replaced. 

The head of this axe has a cutting edge which measures 3.5" long.  The head is 6.25" from the sharpened edge to the pole. The pole is 1 5/8" high.  The head is ground with a slight convex 35 degree angle.  The pole has some damaged from being used as a hammer in the past.  

I'm not 100% positive of the maker of this particular axe head.  Under the pole is a "1 3/4" stamp which indicates the weight of the head.  This is a common marking on Snow and Nealley axes.  Aside from that, there are no other identifying marks.  

The eye of the axe head is large so most of the standard size handles were as long or longer than the one I removed.  Luckily, I found an original Collins axe handle on eBay which was exactly the correct size and 17 3/16" long which seemed to be just right.  The fawns foot shape at the end of the handle is a bit extreme for my liking but it is the right length and just the right thickness for a good grip.

The following pictures are of the axe in its current state.  It is exceptionally sharp but needs a sheath make sure it is safe to carry around.  My first attempt as a sheath did not end up as nice as I hoped but I might attempt to make another.

History of Dugout Houses

I've gone camping in Texas during the Summer months and it is not a very enjoyable experience.  The heat is incredible and I've a very difficult time sleeping while hot.  As I think about owning property with a cabin, I wonder how I'll manage during the Summer as I'd like to be comfortable year round.  While looking for details on how people in the past managed the Summer months without air conditioning, I stumbled upon dugout houses.

A dug out house is one in which a part or all of a level is underground.  Some of the early examples were quite crude with dirt floors and walls.  However, they certainly have benefit as placing a portion of the home underground reduces interior temperatures.  

The following image is of a dugout house from 1909 in Oklahoma.

This next example is of a house in Pie Town, New Mexico.

Pictures courtesy of Tiny House Blog

More pictures:
1933 Wyoming Dugout
WWII Dugout in Finland (YouTube video)

Norlund Camper Axe

My axe fascination led to the purchase of a Norlund Camper axe.

I broke my rule of only buying the best items possible with this particular axe as Norlund's sell for an incredible amount when in perfect condition.  If you look closely at the following picture, you can see an eye screw in the end of the handle and it appears someone chipped the head and filed just that part of the bit sharp. Since I felt I could fix these items, I purchased it.

The picture above is of the axe as it arrived.  What was not listed in the eBay listing is that the handle was warpped.  It looked as if it had leaned against the wall for many years.  The handle was warpped by about a 1/2"  Otherwise, it arrived as expected.

I straightened the handle which I'll detail in another post.  I sanded the handle smooth with some 220 grit sand paper, and then put on several coats of boiled linseed oil.  I also sharpened the axe some.  The chip in the head is almost completely gone.  I could get it all the way out but right now I'm thinking I'll just use it some before getting it perfect.  This will allow me to use it and ensure the edge retention is as good as expected before just sanding away at the head.

Kelly Flint Edge Cruiser Axe

Before Christmas, I purchased a exceptionally good condition Kelly True Temper cruiser axe head on eBay. While it seems very unlikely, the bits of the axe do not look as if they have ever been sharpened.  As you can tell in the image below, the axe was soaked in vinegar but there must have just been some light surface rust which required it as there are no pits in the metal.

I purchased a 28" white hickory handle from Beaver Tooth Handle Co.  The handle is produced rather well but with pretty good grain orientation.  The cut in the top for the wedge is just a little off center but it should not be an issue with the functionality of the axe.

There was a considerable amount of wood removal required to fit the handle to the head.  I spent a little time over two evenings working on it to get it perfect.  I trimmed it just enough to seat the head and have about 3/16" of the handle stick above the top of the head.  This should leave plenty of handle to drop the head down and refit it if I ever have issues with the head getting loose.

The image below is of the head after seating it on the handle.  There were small curls of handle rolling up around all sides which points to a very tight fit which it great.

I soaked the wedge in boiled linseed oil and then worked it into place.  I made marks on it to see how far I was able to seat it and so that I would know when it was no longer moving.  I was able to put it about 1 1/8" into the head which is quite good.  You can see it was even starting to curl which is another sight of a very tight fit.   

I cut off the excess wedge and left about 3/16" of the handle out the top.  I think the swell of the wood out the top of the head helps a little with head retention.  I'm undecided on the use of a metal wedge.  At this point, I'm going to leave it out.  If it begins to get loose, I'll add one.

This is the final product after several coats of boiled linseed oil.  Additionally, I worked on the head with some fine steel wood and WD-40 to get the carbon residue off from the previous owner's vinegar bath.  The axe is now complete and ready for use!

Put the axe to use shortly thereafter by downing a dead tree which is about 9" in diameter.