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Author Topic: Piggy back stave.  (Read 9331 times)

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Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Piggy back stave.
« on: September 06, 2007, 09:51:00 pm »
I gave one of em a go today after work. Haven't had time to fetch a froe for the job, so did it with what I had on hand. Don't know that a froe would work with the grain being on a radius like it is anyway ???, seems like it would cut through a lot of rings on the edges.
  Had some railroad spikes laying around, thought they might work - but have come to the conclusion that you need a wedge with a more gradual slope to it. The stave did come off fairly easily, but I think I went through about six rings in the process. The stave looks like c%$$^%, but I went ahead and sealed it (if thiers a need?) I think so, and will prolly have a nice bow in it. Anyway, if any advice - lemme have it ;D ;D.




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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2007, 10:22:25 pm »
You did a great job splitting it out.  I did a whole bunch of mulberry like that last year.  I took the wood chisle and scored the growth ring that I wanted it to seperate on all the way from one end to the other.  It worked great.  Justin
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Offline mullet

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2007, 10:31:52 pm »
  I've never split one out of a stave that wide.But when splitting one out of a thinner stave I start in the middle with my wedges and work the same ring to both ends.
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2007, 06:30:32 am »
I do it just like that just with a wedge.Most of the time it will bust right down the ring.
Clean it up a little and there is the back.I love belly splits. Good job. :)
   Pappy
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2007, 07:47:23 am »
WHat I do when working with dry wood is I clean up both sides so I can clearly see the growth rings. Then I drive a 1" wide chisel into a single earlywood ring all the way around about 1/4" deep. By the time I get to where I started the staves just come apart
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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2007, 09:07:33 am »
I do like Marc, although I'm not as particular about kerfing all the way around with a chisel, I do try to lead the split a good bit.  I think the secret is the dry wood.  Seems to part in a ring much easier that way.  Obviously any snake, whoop-d-dos or big knots make it harder.  If you hopped a bunch of rings you can always make billets, one end having more complete rings than the other. 
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Offline DanaM

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2007, 09:10:50 am »
Looks pretty good for a first try Paul.
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Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2007, 09:49:27 am »
OK, Thanks guys! Think I'll give it a try like that - running a ring all the way around with the chisel and see what happens, surely I wouldn't go through as many rings that way. Think I'm gonna take the bark off and seal a few of em, throw em in the top of the barn and forget about em for a few years.
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Offline tom sawyer

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2007, 11:43:54 am »
I usually start with a hatchet, and then shove the froe in so its not pulling multiple rings off the sides.  More of a pry bar type action.  By the way, I had a froe made from a leaf spring so its not real thick or deep.

I'd caution you to first pull the bark off and see what your good outer stuff looks like, there've been times when I had to go down a few rings to get under some imperfectoin and you might wind up needing more depth than you think.  The piggyback stave isn't worth coming up short on the main staves.

But good job!  Looks like it'll be an intersting character stave with the knots and all.
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Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2007, 10:09:28 pm »
Thanks Lennie!! I think if I was to split the quarters in half the grain would be straighter across the end - not so much radius, and I'm still going to try the froe after I do that. You were absolutely right about the piggy back having some knots and pins in it, cause it did ;D. That one will have to be cut down about 18" and have a little character to it, but at least their was that one more stave that didn't get wasted. Will post when I try it again.
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Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2007, 06:34:04 pm »
Cowboy:

One more hint.  As green as your Osage is it would be wise to seal the belly side of the main log after a belly split is removed.
Green Osage will crack from the belly side as well.

David
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Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2007, 11:08:51 am »
Glad you said that Ridge! I did not know that. I'm working them all down to small (or regular sized)stave's one at a time after work. Thanks.
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Offline GregB

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2007, 02:34:54 pm »

Cowboy, did you take your chicken with you on your tree cutting venture...I didn't see him in the back of the truck? ;D
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Greg

A rich person can be poor monetarily, the best things in life are free...

Offline cowboy

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  • Paul Wolfe. Springtown, TX
Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2007, 03:18:11 pm »
Greg, ha ;D. Nope, tha chicken herd is getting thin - been warring with dogs and hawks whenever I'm home. Know where I could get a good hound?
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Offline GregB

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Re: Piggy back stave.
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2007, 08:28:55 am »
Come on over to Tn. some time, I'm sure you could find yourself a hound here abouts. Pappy has owned several over the years... ;)
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Greg

A rich person can be poor monetarily, the best things in life are free...
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