Making a pole

[Ethan Tapper]

Hey all,
My boss wants me to make her up a pole (or two), and I’m wondering how to go about it. The easiest way I can think of is with a bandsaw mill, the tip of the pole propped up to get the right taper. I have to find someone with a bandsaw mill then, though. Is there a way with smaller equipment (chainsaw with a jig, skill saw, table saw, etc.)?

Also, how much attention do I have to pay to the grain. I have some dry, straight, small-diameter ash that could make a pole, but maybe it’s better to use quarter-sawn stock from bigger trees?

What sort of dimensions do you all use for your poles? My boys are big as hell, but I don’t know if that should matter when it comes to the dimensions of the pole? Any rules of thumb?

My boss has pioneer forecarts, if that makes any difference.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!
Ethan

[Lanny Collins]

If you have ash that is probably the best. It is also better if you can just get a pole and peel the bark. A pole that just has the bark peeled is stronger than a sawn out one. Here is a video show how to make the end fit the forecart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZCh4DEUgSA

[Does’ Leap]

Ethan:

I have started to use saplings for all my poles. Center grain is much stronger and more dimensionally stable than sawed lumber. I look for a nice straight sapling, cut it to length, rough out the base with a chainsaw , and then use a circular saw on edge to shave it down (not OSHA approved) to fit the implement . Any good hardwood will do.

If you want a finished look, you could start with a 4×4 piece of ash or other hard wood, snap a chalk line for your taper on both sides (maybe down to 2 3/4″), and cut it on a band saw (I would not use a table saw for this). Flip it and repeat the process. When your done, chamfer the edges with a block plane or a circular saw set at 45 degrees. I don’t have a pioneer, but you might need to cut down the base of the pole so it fits in the receiver of the forecart. You usually start your taper maybe a foot from the forecart.

Good luck.

George

[Ethan Tapper]

Thanks for the advice, Lanny and George (and for that video, Lanny… Day’s not over when you break your pole, at least not when there’s a stick of hop hornbeam around!). I’d just as soon shave a sapling pole for myself, but my boss wants it really nice (which is good, because it’ll make me have to figure out how to do it really nice). I don’t want to make you all run out and measure the pole on your forecarts, but if you’re in the woods with your logging tape, run a tape on it and let me know how long they are… I’m interested in not seeing pole length as an absolute but really understanding how it can vary, what that means, and what people are trying with regards to poles.

I’ve always seen ash poles, but I’m wondering why that is… Is there any reason besides the fact that it’s a light wood that tends to grow straight and is pretty easy to work? Maybe because it can bend a little? Any one have any experience using other woods?

[Lanny Collins]

for my team of qtr horses my tongue/pole is 9 ft 6 inches from the evener to the neck yoke. You will want the neckyoke right at the end of the pole. If you are using this on a pioneer forecart you can measure the distance from the evener hitch back to where the end of the pole goes and add this to the 9’6″ dimension.

[mitchmaine]

hi ethan, two advantages of having a tree for a pole is, one, you can find a good crotch and start there for the yoke and do your math and work back to the implement (see pic), and two, you don’t compromise the strength by cutting or milling thru the grain. they do look kinda rough tho.

[brigle]

Why the orange flages on the horses ? Is it deer season and you want to be seen by the hunters ?

[mitchmaine]

remnants from hunting season. i hang bells too. this area is hunted pretty hard. its my ounce of prevention. i expected them to be gone by now but they have held on pretty hard. looks like i better pull them off.

[Jim Ostergard]

Mitch, you using line with the buckles spliced into it? If so what do you use. All the lobster catchers around here are using such hard lay stuff it is impossible to splice. I have some soft braided line I use but of course cannot splice it. Looks like with this mess we will be out of the woods. Too bad as I just landed a contract for 40 cords of firewood offen a wood-lot nearby.
Jim

[mitchmaine]

hi jim,

how is your new horse doing? show us some photos.
i think this is a length of some crowe rope i’ve had laying around. twelve thread. never was overboard, so not too hard, but still was hard to splice. remember rockport rope? soft. made from rags? loved that line. i spliced rings into the line and then fastened some bit straps to the rings and bridles. works ok. like the feel of line but i truly think 1″leather shows more surface and makes for a better grip. i wouldn’t recommend rope lines to anyone except that i just like the feel.

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