I have an old wooden "Mell" used for driving in fencing posts. I got it
from a farmer in North Northumberland about 20 years ago. He said it
belonged to his dad but he didn't use it any more and gave it to me when I
showed interest.
The head is 12" long and 9" in diameter and made of English Elm. The grain
of elm is very twisted - it runs in all directions so it is hard to split
it. This piece is heavy and tightly grained and was obviously selected
from a heavy fork in the tree where the timber is really convoluted. The
only "addition" are two brass bands around each end which look to be
original. It has a long ash handle and in use the method is to swing it in
full circles, windmill-fashion, bringing it down onto the post top with full
force. Imagine the stresses on that with perhaps 100 years of heavy farm
use and there is still no evidence of splitting.
If anyone has ever looked at the timbers and design of a cartwheel it is
interesting to see the different timbers used for each part. In the UK, hubs
are usually of elm because it dosn't split, the rims are of oak because it
is hard and strong whilst the spokes are of ash which is resilient and has
some "spring in it. Wheels are then dished to reduce the shocks transmitted
from rim to hub.
Sorry, no LBC content, but I like wood!
Guy
----- Original Message -----
From "Geoff Branch" <gjbranch at comcast.net>
To: <RBHouston@aol.com>; <PilotRob@webtv.net>; <cfchrist@earthlink.net>
Cc: <MAIL4CARPENTERS@peoplepc.com>; <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 8:42 PM
Subject: Re: Thor Hammer / eared knock off spinners!
> I think you are going to split the oak. Wood splits very easily
longitudinally.
> Think about using a product called "baltic birch" plywood (there are
several
> other names too). It's many layers, like 13 or so as I remember, in 3/4"
> thickness. It's tough as nails, and won't have the tendency to split like
the
> oak will.
>
> I have seen such a thing in the usual suspects catalogs.
>
> Geoff Branch
|