Making a split rail cedar fence with hand tools 

Your quiet, patient craftsmanship is a joy to watch.

My Dad and I used to do this some 60 years ago....about the same tools and techniques. Brings back memories.....wish Pop was still with me and we were walking thru the woods looking for the correct trees. Cedar posts were nearly forever in terms of rot.....and, you didn't have to mess with that stinking creosote.

The old-timers (my Grandparents) used to collect the cedar chips and put them in a little cloth bag. The bags were kept where winter clothing was stored to keep them smelling good all summer. Love your impressive skills and knowledge of hand tools. BIG thumbs UP!

The old ways were so practical and simplistic and I love the old rustic appearance of it all. Not only that cedar fence can last up to thirty years.

That cedar must have smelled great and sure did make a nice fence

Those purple shavings almost look like rose petals as you drill holes on the cedar log!!! So beautiful!!!

When I was a boy scout (50 years ago!) we cut down Cedars like these, cut them into 18 inch lengths and hand split shingles out of the logs. Lots of fun. We built hiking shelters on Northern MN trails out of them. The aroma was spectacular.

I love cedar...! I can almost smell that as you skin the bark, bore it, cut it... wonderful video, thank you!

Subtitles are available for new videos

The sound that mallot makes is so satisfying

I can smell that cedar just watching! Hands down my favorite smell on earth and I love making stuff with aromatic cedar. Makes the shop smell good for weeks lol

That does not look easy but the aesthetic is undeniable. Beautiful work and the sounds are meditative.

Definitely love cedar, the colors, smell, insect and rot resistant. Makes great looking furniture as well. A very versatile wood in the forest.

So very peaceful to watch you work and see how you do things the old way. Thank you so much for teaching us.

The sound when splitting it is amazing

I could just smell the wet forest.... that with the relaxing forest sounds... so many good memories :)

I understand why you used the cedar for this fence but I can't help thinking how lovely all that red, wonderful smelling, wood would have been as a lining to a closet or a trunk. I really enjoy your videos.

It is such a pleasure watching tools that have been well cared for and kept sharp. I can see them working the way they were designed to without being forced or otherwise abused. I still remember my father teaching me to keep the saw sharp and then let it do the work.

I've never seen that joint before. Wedged from both sides solves a great problem into the posts. Thanks and I KNOW it smelled wonderful!

I've got wedge envy. Those are a thing of beauty.

When you were felling, it made me think of one of my favorite movies of all time. The Man From Snowy River.

My Dad was a very brave man. Even though he claimed he was a confirmed coward, which is why (he said) he survived WWll. He never really grasped the concept of the "hinge" when cutting down trees (with a chainsaw). We fell a lot of trees and the fact that he died 50 years later and I'm still alive is testament of a gracious God. He had SO many stump jumps, hung up trees (that fell the wrong direction), and even trying to drop another tree on a hung up tree resulting in 2 hung up trees (that wind and gravity eventually brought down). But that never seemed to slowed him down. The firewood was in the air, and he had to get it on the ground so we wouldn't freeze to death during the winter. RU-vid would have really helped back then.

Watching you work is like meditating. So deliberate and calming. Wish you could make more videos but I know you have a full schedule...

I've been watching your channel for years and have recently gone through the breakup of a 9yr relationship. Watching you create is cathartic beyond measure for me right now so thank you.

I Bet that Was one of the Best-Smelling Projects ever done! I wish that I could smell those shavings through this phone. I love it!

In the 1970's I made a living hand splitting redwood fence posts and rails using a splitting maul and wedges. And making cedar shake bolts using a froe. I would take the bolts to a mill and they would bandsaw them in half to make shake shingles, which lay much flatter than hand split shingles.

for a young 20-something farmer like me, you're really inspirational. Like the philosophy of wendell berry is actually possible to accomplish on the ground. thanks!

Even knotty cedar splits pretty darn good! I keep one wedge as sharp as an axe and use it to re-start the split in the center ahead of the original split if it begins to run off at a knot.

your craft is so honest and muscular its pure poetry. Always a fan, Todd.

When you were felling the cedar it was nice to see you let the tool do the work. Beautiful fence!

The bark comes off so nice when the logs are green. I've done it both ways, and taking it off a seasoned log is not fun, but you can avoid mold on some wood species by waiting till the wood is seasoned.

Watching you work is great therapy Mr. Chickadee. Thanks for not babbling.

Great job Josh, loved the splitting tools you made for all their uses around there. Sure enjoyed watching your fence building!!👍👍 Thanks for sharing with us and keeping HISTORY ALIVE, it needs preserved just as you are doing! Fred.

I've been following Mr Chickadee's work for a long time, I love manual services, and he surprises me with each one. hug

Great job sir! I made a split rail fence about 10 years ago. I did use a chain saw to cut the cedar down and a drill to make the posts but then I used wedges to split the rails and a bow saw for any more cutting. And hand digger to set the posts. It was a very satisfying project.

13:25 I was thinking God what horrible soil. Reminds me of parts of Tennessee where I grew up. Then at 13:35 you more or less agreed. Beautiful work as always.

I just started experimenting with split rail building myself-but with Sierra Incense Cedar (it grows all around my cabin). Splitting the logs is indeed fun-and much easier than I thought it would be. Keep up the projects-very entertaining and informative!

With apologies to "The Magnificent Seven" when Chris is explaining the real purpose of the wall to the bandit leader. The deer: "that fence won't keep us out..." You: "It isn't meant to keep you out- it's meant to keep you in..." Next video, salting and storing deer meat.☺

What a beautiful tree! My mum and I were just talking about split rail fences yesterday, lovely stuff!

Man that cedar is nice when you split it open ,splits nice too. Cheers

I think we all agree that watching your videos makes us all wish we lived somewhere like that, and could do so much craftwork with our hands etc, so what about the stuff we don't see? What is not so great about living your lifestyle and doing what you do?

Nice work. I really enjoy your work and the peacefulness of it. Thank you very much!

Beautiful colour & grain of the heartwood, I bet it smells great too. Always so calming watching the way you work, you make it look so easy

Soothing, as always

Sharp tools are a joy, and the ring of good steel is like music.

I love watching your videos on woodworking. Really makes me appreciate the few power tools I own 😆

Thank you, I always learn a few things when I watch your videos. Go Well,

"In all labor; there is profit." (Proverbs) You have a lot a good "native" skills and an excellent work ethic...inherited, learned, passed along, or just a blessed combination? Best wishes and stay healthy.

That is a good idea using cedar. It won't decay as fast as other woods and it's insect repellent. I enjoyed watching this video. Thanks for teaching us.

Always enjoy your videos thanks love the old ways of doing things and the old tools that they used.

Finally someone who knows how to set a fence post in screened gravel. Well done !

I already know where this is going, some place very interesting. Ah, not dressing up like Abe Lincoln? Because, as I understand, he was famous for his rail splitting skills. The fragrant wood must be amazing.

Split rail cedar fence taken to another level with the mortises, thanks for sharing

Really nice!! Had a feller give me a bunch of cedar rails from his fence he took out and hope to do some of this to add too them! Awesome video as usual

The color of that wood fresh is gorgeous! Well done.

I could watch this dude all day. So relaxing!!!!!!!!

Lovely! Thanks for posting this.

Looks great, good job. I bet the smell of cedar was great too.

Beautiful video, I can imagine the scents coming off of the cedar as you work it; sacred.

Nice Job....always enjoy your videos. Enjoy your Small Cabin Living

I like the idea of the hollow wedges

A beautiful fence well done , my thanks to you for sharing.

Nice work! Maybe next time when you are digging fence holes, I’ve found it easier to just plop the dirt on the ground when using the post hole diggers. Then I use a shovel to get the dirt in the wheelbarrow. Easier on the shoulders and a bit faster. Great video bro!

I can’t get over the beautiful colour of the timber

Very good Mr. C looks great! Thank you.

WOW...BEAUTIFUL!! :) I can't begin to tell you how mesmerizing and relaxing your videos are!! I just had a post replaced on my fence and they charged me $100....next time I make it and replace it MYSELF! :) THANK YOU! :)

Thanks again for the great video. Your the hardest working channel on RU-vid!

So it's always a good day when I learn about a new tool. A mortise axe! That was amazing but I think I'll stick to my mallet and chisels for now. I am sometimes jealous of the wood variety in Kentucky, but digging post holes in my Florida sand is SO much easier. Great content as always.

The pace of your videos is excellent. Very meditative

Good work! I hated doing fencing when I worked for a landscaping company. It's difficult and nothing is as easy as you think it's going to be

The sound that big mallet makes is so satisfying. Btw, that move to lift soil with that hole digging thing into the wheelbarrow doesn't look all that comfortable

Those are some pretty interesting wedges. Would like to see more about those

Ahhhh post hole digging, how I know it well. We like to coat the bottom 3 feet or so in tar paint to reduce water damage.

Dang that axe has a nice ring

Now that is a beauty of a fence...great work as always

Beautiful work!

I love the wood. Didn’t look like cedar in the first part

Doesn't the chamfering of the post tops also serve the practical purpose of leaving very little level surface for rainwater to linger on to facilitate early rot?

Bird songs set the tune, steel ringing against the pull of the blade over stubborn bark, mesmerizing as you gently, firmly...elegantly make a beautiful and fine fence. The only longing is for that amazing scent of cedar dancing through the nostrils with satisfying delight!!!! Thank you for yet another lovely experience!!! I imagine you are quite tall judging from the size of your axe, but watching your even handed patience invokes both calm and balance of mind at the same time...perhaps that’s why I find your videos not only pleasing, but intriguing at the same time. I wonder if the doing brings about the same effect for you? I am sure it means Much more than that to you. Thank you for sharing. 💕

I'd love to see how you make the wedges! Great video!

You split that ERC like a champ. Looks great. Have to get me a draw knife.

The subtitles are great!

Amazing work as always sir!

Whoa, look at that rose colored heart wood.

That ERC as straight as it is would make beautiful bow staves.

My day is complete thanks Mr Chickadee

Love this, look great

Grand Master! Bravo!

Thanks for another great video.

nice job, hard work. greeting from Mongolia.

Vraiment intéressante cette construction d'enclos, sans doute pour y parquer un petit animal. Merci Mr. Chickadee.

Nice video, mrchickadee. The fence looks great. Such an ax as for the mortises, I have never seen. :-)

I love the red colour in that wood

now that is a good days work sir.

Jeez, I wasn't expecting that to be so strikingly colored inside.

I would have collected the shavings for potpourri in closets in the house! Beautiful shavings.ty for the video.

Beautiful

So many good sounds..

As always - nice work...

Would appear for those that gave the thumbs down, have no clue as what our ancestors did even just to survive. Awesome build and as always, great video. Cheers :)