Algonquin-Foohey Broad Axe Scanning

This project was made possible by the late Dr. Joseph Foohey of Pembroke and his love for local logging history. He started saving a collection of old logging tools after he noticed that they were being bought up and exported at auctions by American antique pickers. After Dr. Foohey passed away in 2016, his family graciously donated a large amount of the collection to the Algonquin College Heritage Institute. Some of the most common tools in the collection were broad axes – a specific type of axe used to hew logs into timber. The Ottawa Valley is known for having the largest and heaviest broad axes from the 19th century timber trade.

CIMS had the opportunity to digitize 40 of the donated broad axes by using photogrammetry to create 3D models of their existing conditions. This project, while documenting a number of artefacts, allowed CIMS to develop its techniques and knowledge in artefact/collection photogrammetry. The collections of broad axe scans can be found and viewed here:

https://sketchfab.com/thecimslab/collections/algonquin-college-broad-axes-173e0bade3474edf8f3120a39531ddd1