notbob wrote:
>
>
> > Cedar splits easily. The west coast Indians made large homes with
> > weed planks. They used stone or hard wood wedges to split wooden
> > planks from logs. Early pioneers were able to square lumber to
> > build their cabins and out buildings. They used a tool called an
> > adz, an ax-like tool with an offset blade.
>
> Good points all, Dave. I did a little more research and tend to agree
> with you. I wasn't thinking cedar so much as redwood, not realizing red
> Western cedar is native to the Northwest. You also bring up a good
> point on the use of stone wedges. I should have known this, having
> taken WA history the year I spent as a senior in a WA HS. I fall on
> the geezer/alhzee sword as an excuse knowing the benevolent regulars
> will let me off with a couple tsk tsks, even if only to thumb their
> nose at the aggregate new wave.


As I pointed out in an earlier response, this was a popular
method for cooking fish on canoe trips. We split logs, usually
cedar because they can be soaked and retain enough water that
they don't burn. Split the fish open and nail it to the plank
and then stand it up by the fire. When the fish is cooked the
plank can be tossed in the fire to burn..... no cleanup. BTW...
the fish was very tasty cooked like that.