Tools with ready-made ax handles are always on sale. But what is offered in specialized stores is not always suitable. The length of the ax should be such that it is convenient for the master to work. But each person has his own height and strength. Therefore, it is better to make an ax handle with your own hands.
Do-it-yourself wood harvesting for an ax handle
In order to make an ax handle with your own hands, you must first select suitable material. It is better to do this in late autumn: at this time of year, sap flow practically stops and the wood will be as dense and dry as possible. The following types of wood are suitable for an ax handle:
- hornbeam;
- rowan (old tree);
- ash;
- acacia;
- Apple tree.
Birch wood taken from the root section of the trunk is characterized by the highest density. An ax handle made from it will last a long time.
Tip: to make an ax handle, you need to stock up on enough wood to make several blanks. During operation, some workpieces may be damaged or rejected.
Blanks for ax handles
Drying blanks for ax handles
A do-it-yourself ax handle should be made from dry wood. Drying of workpieces under natural conditions should be carried out for 3-4 years. Drying conditions: dark and dry ventilated area, protected from precipitation.
Important: making an ax with your own hands from insufficiently dry material will not give the desired result. Further drying of the wood will lead to warping and deformation.
Making a template for an ax handle with your own hands
There are strict rules governing the shape of the ax depending on the type of instrument. For light axes (0.8 - 1.0 kg), the handle is made 0.4 - 0.6 m long, and for heavy axes (up to 1.4 kg) - 0.55 - 0.65 m. The axes also differ according to its functional purpose:
- lumberjack;
- carpentry;
- knotty;
- cleaver;
- butcher's ax
Types of axes depending on functional purpose
How to make an ax handle with your own hands: drawings of various models.
When making a template, consider the following.
- To prevent the ax handle from jumping out of the hand when swinging, its tail part is made slightly wider than the gripping part.
- A do-it-yourself ax handle for a cleaver should be made in the range of 0.75-0.95 m in length. Carpenter's axes with a shorter ax handle are about 0.5 m.
- To the length of the ax and the butt, you need to add 8-10 cm as an allowance. It can be trimmed after installing the butt. It is important that the wood does not split.
How much allowance should be left when making an ax handle with your own hands - video for your attention.
Note: the template can be obtained by attaching it to the workpiece and outlining a ready-made ax handle good quality. Don't forget to add an allowance.
Ax manufacturing technology
To understand how to make an ax handle with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with the technology. The whole process consists of three stages:
- marking the workpiece using a template;
- cutting out the workpiece with a jigsaw or other tool;
- turning and polishing.
There are several rules that must be followed during the work process.
- Processing the fastening section of the ax handle should be done carefully so as not to remove excess wood. Otherwise, the butt will not sit tightly in place. The ax handle must be periodically tried on to the eye in order to ultimately leave a margin of about 2 mm.
- It is not recommended to use a file when finishing a part: it loosens the wood and complicates it further processing. The best way It is considered to be the use of fine abrasive sandpaper with grinder. The movement of the tool is along the fibers.
- The final shape of the fastening section of the ax handle should be given taking into account the angle of the butt attachment. For a cleaver this angle is chosen to be 85°, for an ax - 75°.
Wedging the ax
Making an ax with your own hands: a video for those who use ordinary tools in their work.
How to protect an ax handle from rotting
The wood of the ax handle gradually becomes unusable under the influence of moisture. It is necessary to protect the instrument from damage. To treat the handle, you cannot use covering agents, which include paints and varnishes. In this case, the tool may slip out of your palm. For protection, it is recommended to use drying oil or linseed oil. There are other antiseptic agents that are absorbed into the wood.
It is necessary to process the ax handle in several steps. Each new stage of treatment should be carried out after complete absorption of the previously applied product.
Treating the ax handle with a protective agent
Tip: You can add a bright red pigment to the ax handle treatment product. As a result, the tool will be clearly visible in thick grass and can be easily found if lost.
At the end of the article on how to make an ax handle with your own hands, there is a video where the master clearly demonstrates the basic techniques of work.
An ax is so simple, but useful tool, which is in the arsenal of most home craftsmen. It is applicable both in dacha conditions and in many professional work, where you can’t do without good tools. If you treat the ax with care and do not forget to prepare it correctly, the result of the work will certainly please you and will not cause disappointment. Today we will figure out how to make this tool with our own hands.
Features of a homemade ax
An ax is a simple and common tool that is difficult to surprise anyone with. However, thanks to it you can cope with many complex jobs and ultimately get an excellent result. On sale you can find both simple versions of axes, as well as more interesting and original ones, for example, with decorative inclusions. If you don’t want to spend money on already ready-made option or it was not possible to find a suitable one among those, you can make it yourself.
Many home craftsmen, not finding the right tool on sale, decide to make it themselves. Such work cannot be called impossible or extremely difficult, but even here it is very important to act according to all the rules in order to get good result. It should be borne in mind that there are several types of axes that you can build on your own.
For example, there are special cleavers that are very popular today:
- mechanical;
- with electric drive.
Of course, the mechanical option is the simplest and easiest to implement. It is equipped manual drive. Making such a model with your own hands does not constitute special labor. The drawings of mechanical tools are quite simple and understandable, and the principle of their operation lies in simple mechanical manipulations. This device consists of the following basic elements:
- metal wedge;
- spring mechanism.
When working with such a tool, the master spends a minimum of effort and time, especially when you compare this cleaver with a standard one. with a simple ax. As for the even more advanced electric cleaver, it contains one main part, which, after activating the engine, begins its movement - constantly rotating. The master only needs to provide new batch firewood for splitting.
You should also know about other options for axes, which many craftsmen can make on their own.
- Carpentry. This tool is light in weight and size, and has a sharp blade. It is used in cases where the most precise and accurate work with wood is needed.
- Taiga. This ax can also be made with your own hands. It is perfect for cutting down trees, removing knots and bark.
- Tsalda. This tool is made to clear an area of bushes.
- Kitchen. Such tools are made exclusively for chopping bones. Kitchen ax It is a small device with a short handle and a large blade.
- Lumberjack. Suitable for cutting down trees only. Made from a long ax and a sharpened wide blade. It also has other names, for example, felling.
The taiga types of axes are recognized as the most popular and practical. They are distinguished by the following features:
- little weight;
- small area of the stabbing area;
- unusual sharpening of the blade (the edge at the back is several times smaller and thinner than the front).
Certain tree species are ideal for making a home ax. It must be taken into account that materials suitable for such purposes can easily withstand significant vibration loads that occur at the moment of impact of the tool.
Any homemade ax What makes it different is that it is ideal for the master who works with it. By making this instrument with your own hands, you have the opportunity to adjust it to suit yourself, to suit your hand. The result is the most convenient, practical and easy-to-use devices.
Tools and materials
The ease of use of an ax largely depends on the correct manufacturing of its handle. One of the following types of wood is ideal for this part:
- maple;
- ash;
- birch.
You definitely need to know what steel the piercing component of the future tool is made of. Acceptable materials are marked 8ХФ, 9ХФ, 9ХС, ХВГ, У7А and many others. You just need to avoid markings MRTU, OST and TU on these parts.
Tools that may be useful:
- abrasive sharpener;
- file;
- marker for marking;
- chisel;
- magnetic corner;
- clamp;
- sandpaper;
- sharpening disc for sharpening the blade;
- Bulgarian;
- Some jobs may require a welding machine.
DIY making
You can make any type of ax on your own. It can be simple, hunting, Scandinavian, hiking, intended for throwing (throwing) or simply decorative - there are a great many options. It is also possible to update the tool and build a completely new and convenient tool from an old axe. In order to carry out such work yourself at home, you will first need to make an accurate drawing with all the indicators of the planned tool. It is important to indicate the dimensions of all parts, as they can vary greatly. For example, the handle of an ax is not only quite large, but also medium or small, as is the blade.
From a spring
A small hatchet can be made from an old spring. It can be not only working, but also original decorative tool, similar to a Viking axe. You need to do this thing as follows.
- You need to take an old spring from a car with a width of 10 cm and a length of about 40 cm. Using a previously prepared template, draw the contours of the planned device on the springs using a marker.
- Draw the outlines of the ax using a grinder with cutting wheels. Then carefully sand the cut piece, giving it the desired shape.
- For especially complex work For metal, it is permissible to use a drill.
- You can use an old chair leg as a handle. Drill 3 holes in the spring for fastening to the handle.
- Cut a piece of the desired length from the leg. Saw this part into two halves. Drill 3 holes in each of them. After this, you need to assemble the handle, fixing it with bolts and screws. Draw the shape of the part on a grinding machine.
- Finally, sharpen the blade. The result will be a beautiful mini hatchet. It is suitable for outdoor recreation or in a summer cottage.
From reinforcement
You can make a good cleaver from this part. This is how it is done.
- Take two reinforcement parts with a length of 50 cm and 8 blanks to make the lower and upper squares.
- Using fittings, weld a couple of squares. Then weld the posts.
- For the cleaver blade, it is advisable to take steel 8–10 mm thick. Weld the knife to the reinforcement bases.
- Now start sharpening the angle of attack. Place the knife in the middle part of the structure.
After this, a simple homemade cleaver can be considered complete. It can be a good alternative to a mechanical or screw device.
From a circular saw
A good ax can be made from an old disk circular saw. To produce reliable and durable tools in in this case You only need a carved disk from a circular saw. Let's look at how to make an ax from such a part (there is no need to harden the disk, since it is already hardened).
- Make a drawing of the future instrument on cardboard or paper. Cut out the resulting template. Transfer it to disk.
- Cut out the required part using a turbine.
- Heat the resulting part using a burner. Drill 2 holes to attach the wooden handle.
- Trim off any excess residue from the bottom half of the piece.
- Clean the hatchet thoroughly using sandpaper.
- Cut a handle from wood. Lubricate adhesive composition two halves separated from each other of this element, install a couple of screws.
- Clean the handle. Apply varnish. This will complete the work.
From stone
You can make an ax using stones. This material makes good blades. However, it must be borne in mind that their production is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming process. The following types of stones are suitable:
- granite;
- quartzite;
- sandstone.
For such an instrument, it is advisable to make the handle from oak. This material is reliable and sufficiently rigid. Take a pre-made blank. It should be free of knots and other wood defects. Make a cut, moving along the grain under anatomical structure pens. To do this, use a jigsaw with fine teeth. At the tip of the handle, do slight slope, “looking” down. This is necessary so that the planned ax does not slip in your hands as you work.
Next, you can make a hole in the stone specifically for the cone, using a drill or bench machine. After this, you will need to hammer the prepared handle into the wedge. If you are making a classic stone ax, then you should attach the blade to a special Kevlar tape of large width. Such parts are famous for their reliability and durability, so working with homemade instrument it will be safe.
These rules should be followed when making a stone axe.
- Grind the stone so that it fits as closely as possible to the end of the handle. This is the only way to tie him down.
- There is no point in using very expensive specialized devices and machines in the manufacture of this tool. Just take it off the stone upper layer. It would be enough.
- Never make a handle from raw wood. If you do not follow this rule, then over time you may encounter the fact that this part will dry out and noticeably decrease in size. It will be impossible to use the tool.
If you do everything correctly, you will get a reliable, durable and wear-resistant tool that will solve many problems that home craftsmen face in the country.
To those who live in own home, a tool such as a taiga ax is often needed at the dacha and on hikes. Good quality work tools are expensive and hard to find.
An ax from the market is not always of good quality. Therefore, we will make our own ax using improvised means.
Types of axes
Let's look at the variations of axes:
- A cleaver is a heavy cone-shaped axe. Due to its heavy weight, it is well suited for cutting large, hard wood.
- Carpenter's - light in weight and size, has a pointed blade. Used for careful, precise, careful work with wood.
- Taiga - suitable for cutting down trees, harvesting trees, building a hut, removing bark and branches.
- Tsalda – designed for clearing the area of bushes.
- Kitchen (cook's) - intended only for chopping bones. It is a small hatchet with a short handle and a large “blade”.
- Lumberjack - used only for cutting down trees. Consists of a long ax and a wide, sharp blade.
Of all the above types, the taiga ax is the most necessary and useful.
Distinctive features taiga ax:
- Light weight.
- Small piercing surface area (makes it possible to drive it as deep as possible into the wood).
- Specific sharpening of the blade (the back edge is much smaller, thinner than the front.
This feature is made in order to use this type ax like a cleaver (if the blow is delivered correctly. A regular ax has a blade of the same shape for precise work with a tree).
Making a taiga ax
Handle material
The functions of an ax are primarily influenced by its shape and length. The handle should be curved and the cross-section should be oval.
The best types of trees for the handle are maple, oak, ash, and birch. Since these types of wood withstand vibration well upon impact.
Wood harvesting begins in autumn
Dry in a dark place. Before use, wood must be stored for about one year, or better yet, five.
It is not advisable to use felled wood as it will dry out over time and will not stay in the eye.
Making a Cardboard Template
On a large cardboard sheet, outline the shape of the handle and apply it to wooden blank. The template will help us make a more accurate ax handle.
Preparing material for the handle
A block of one-year-old wood is hewn parallel to the grain. The blank for the handle should be longer than the template. We make the place that is inserted into the eyelet wider than the main part.
We outline the attached drawing on both sides, and do not forget to leave allowances. After inserting the upper part into the eyelet, we remove the excess wood.
Steps to carve an ax handle
Before cutting out the ax handle, you need to make transverse cuts, but so that they do not reach the line of the future handle by approximately 4-5 mm. Using a chisel, remove any remaining wood and excess allowances.
Ore transitions and corners are made by turning with a rasp. After the workpiece is made, sand it until smooth.
Buying a piercing part for a taiga hatchet
It is impossible to make a blade in a domestic environment. In this case, here is a list of what you need to focus on when buying it at the market or in a hardware store:
- Availability of GOST marking (indicates the quality of the steel);
- The hole for the handle (eye) should be cone-shaped;
- The blade is smooth, without defects;
Collecting an ax
- We cut the upper part of the handle lengthwise and crosswise.
- We cut five pieces from hard trees.
- We wrap gauze soaked in resin around the top of the handle for better fit into the hole of the blade.
- Using a hammer, hammer in the handle.
- We hammer the prepared pieces into the cuts at the top of the axe.
- After the structure has dried, cut off the protruding parts of the wooden pieces.
Note!
Sharpening the piercing part of the taiga ax
Excellent performance of the hatchet is ensured by a properly sharpened blade. The sharpening angle depends on the activity you will perform with the axe.
The taiga ax is sharpened at an angle of 30-35 ̊. If they will be working with fresh wood, then we sharpen it at an angle of 25 ̊.
If used for sharpening grinding wheel, then the ax handle must be held at an angle of 40-45 ̊. We reproduce the sharpening slowly and carefully.
If you have all the necessary tools in stock, photo step-by-step production ax, then its creation will not take a lot of time, effort and money, and in return you will receive a high-quality ax made by yourself.
But do not forget that with a piercing part made of high-quality metal, the ax will last much longer and if the handle is treated linseed oil, then it will not rot and deteriorate.
Photo of a do-it-yourself ax
Note!
Note!
An ax is one of the tools you need to have on the farm. Of course, you can buy it in a store, but if you want to have a reliable and a convenient thing, it is better to make the tool yourself. The article will talk about how to make an ax handle at home with your own with skillful hands and install the metal blade correctly.
An ax handle is the handle of a working tool. Labor productivity completely depends on how easy it is to work with it. Therefore, a regular straight stick will not work in this case. A real ax handle is a curved beam with an oval cross-section and straight sections. The tail part should be widened and bent downwards. Only with this option the hand of the person performing the work will be able to reliably hold the tool without experiencing fatigue for a long time.
The following types of wood are best suited for making an ax:
- maple;
- birch;
- acacia;
- ash.
Wood should be harvested in the fall. Birch is perfect for carpentry tools, while maple is more often used for camping tools. Its impact strength is less than that of birch. Ideal option Ash is considered to be very durable and rarely changes shape. It is better to make an ax handle from a section of wood located near the root, and the workpiece should be 15 cm wider and longer than the future product.
Attention! Before the prepared beams are used to make an ax handle, they must be dried in a dry place for at least a year, dark place, for example, in the attic. This is necessary in order to finished form the handle did not dry out and did not start to dangle in the eyelet.
Fresh wood can only be used if the ax handle breaks, as a temporary option that needs to be replaced quickly.
How to make an ax handle
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 the ax handle so that the cross-section is oval. In this case, it will be possible to hold it without particularly straining your hand and make very accurate blows.
Impregnation of the ax handle and ax attachment
The upper part of the finished handle must be impregnated with a water-repellent composition. There are two options:
- drying oil;
- linseed oil;
- ski resin.
Lubricate the wood with the chosen product and leave it until it dries. The treatment is repeated several more times until the fat is absorbed. Ski resin can penetrate deeper layers of the workpiece, but it is difficult to find in stores. Therefore, the first two options are often used.
Advice. You can add a bright dye to the impregnation agent. This way it will be difficult to lose the finished tool.
The ax attachment to the 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 high-quality tool.
How to make an ax handle: video
Axes were used with equal effectiveness in carpentry and military crafts, but the main area of application was still in the peaceful field of activity. They were intended for chopping wood and felling trees; without them it was impossible to build a simple hut.
An important part of a steel tool is the ax handle, for which you need to select wood and process it accordingly. As a toy, you can cut a wooden ax out of plywood. Like in popular computer games.
A little about sizes and shapes
Each master made an ax with his own hands, focusing on his height and specific application. It is no secret that a tool designed for chopping wood will be somewhat different from a similar product intended for cutting down trees. In this case, a small carpenter's hatchet for small carpentry work will be the exact opposite of the two categories listed above.
Despite this, a professional ax with a wooden handle always consists of three main parts:
- working part made of metal with a sharpened front part;
- ax handle - a handle made of wood;
- wedge - a spacer element that connects parts of a structure together.
At self-production Special attention paid specifically to the metal part, otherwise the tool simply will not cope with its main function. Here, not only the shape and material are taken into account, but also the aspect ratio and sharpening angle.
Modern axes are usually made from medium-alloy tool steel, which has been heat-treated and hardened.
The blade shape is selected depending on the application. For example, products designed for arborists are often used for cutting down tree trunks and removing large limbs. This kind of work requires a great depth of penetration, so the shape of the ax should be wedge-shaped. Cleavers that are used for chopping wood have a similar shape, but have thicker “cheeks” and a sharper sharpening angle.
The length and size of the ax directly depend on the impact loads. If significant impact force is required, the handle is made longer to provide a larger swing. Here the dimensions are 700-900 mm. The length of the handles of log axes (carpentry tools) usually does not exceed 500 mm; a good cleaver is attached to a shaft of about 800 mm.
The shape of the ax should provide a comfortable grip, so the middle part is always made curved, the seat and shank have thickenings. The blade angle usually varies between 70-90 degrees.
How to choose the right wood for a handle
It’s curious, but not all tree species are suitable for making an axe. It is recommended to use only hardwood that has been previously dried in special chambers or kept in a dry place. Failure to comply with these requirements will lead to the fact that during use the handle will dry out and securely attaching the blade to the ax handle will be very problematic.
Home craftsmen use several types of wood to make wooden handles, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's try to figure out what kind of wood it will be made of. best pen for an axe.
Birch
This is a “come and take” feedstock, but availability of the material does not guarantee High Quality. To make a high-quality birch ax handle, the wood will have to be dried for 10-12 months. Even after this, the material remains sensitive to humid environments.
Maple
It is also an accessible and widespread material with a limited scope of application. In particular, maple handles are not suitable for making quality tools for a carpenter or lumberjack. However, the wood has a beautiful texture, making it ideal for decorative and souvenir wooden products.
Hickory
This unusual name hides an American walnut that grows in Canadian forests. To make an ax handle, this best option, successfully combining strength, elasticity and durability. However, only American and Canadian loggers can truly appreciate these benefits.
Jatoba
This is a type of wood unique in its properties, which is used for the manufacture of sports equipment and furniture. Jatoba is easy to process and has a presentable appearance. At the same time, such solid wood is not inferior in strength to oak, so ax handles made from it are very reliable.
Ash
Among the listed options, ash is considered the optimal balance between availability and quality. At the same time, the wood has an interesting texture, so after appropriate processing, the wooden ax handle will have a presentable appearance. appearance without loss of strength and elasticity.
Important nuances
The strength and durability of the ax is determined by the resistance of the wood to dynamic shock loads. The reasons for premature breakage of the handle look like this:
It should be clarified that a properly made handle can last for several years without requiring repairs.
How to carve a toy ax
A homemade plywood ax can serve as an interesting toy for a child or be an excellent addition to a New Year’s costume. Often young children, teenagers and even adults want to make wooden axes, like in computer games like Minecraft. You can make such a product in 1.5-2 hours with minimal financial costs.
Making an ax from solid wood will take more time because the wood will be more difficult to process than plywood. The parts are cut out with a special cutter or sharp knife, removing the chips layer by layer, ensuring that the dimensions and proportions are maintained.
With plywood everything is simpler. First you need to find a ready-made template or draw it yourself in full size. The drawing is translated into plywood sheet. The blade and handle are cut out separately with a jigsaw.
To wooden toy looked more natural, it was better to glue the blade from two halves, after cutting a groove for the handle.
Then both halves of the plywood ax blade are placed on the handle, secured with pins and glued together with PVA glue for wood. After drying, the wooden blade is given a sharpening angle. This operation can be performed with an ordinary file. At the final stage, all surfaces are processed sandpaper, the blade is coated with several layers of silver paint. You can apply a custom design or stick a sticker. The finished wooden toy looks very beautiful.
