# Debarking?



## chass (Sep 19, 2007)

Debarking

I’m making a cherry mantle. I want to keep the round part of the log out and sand it smooth keeping the curves and bumps. As for debarking, is there a better way to do it other then just going at it with a claw hammer?

Chass


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## roy clarke (Sep 19, 2007)

I have a couple of long handled de-barking tools, but they are good for green wood, or very old (but then the bark would probably fall off).


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## camojeep (Sep 19, 2007)

never tried cherry but a pressure warsher will peel a cedar nicely


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## BobL (Sep 19, 2007)

I don't know if this applies to your trees, but here in Australia I use wire brush wheels on an angle grinder to remove bark. I start with a relatively stiff brush to get the bulk of the bark off and then change to a finer smaller one to finish and generally leaves the knot holes, and other features intact, Depending on how hard the wood is the fine brush can often leave the wood smooth enough or you can sand it from there onwards.

It would be way too slow to do a whole log this way but it's fine for the edges of a couple of boards.


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## Sprig (Sep 19, 2007)

Buy yourself a nice sharp drawknife and use it on the slabs after you've cut them, they are not cheap (for a decent one, there are cheap ones too, might be the way ta go) but will last you a long time, the one I use regularly is over 100 years old and though I don't often strip bark with it it gets used quite a bit for shaping handles etc.. Generally though I think if you let the wood cure a while the bark will pretty much fall off anyway, all I can see of using a clawhammer is chewed up wood. Small hand-adzes work well for this too and I'd recc. hunting around auctions and junk stores, ya never knows mon! Good luck and let us know how yer doing eh!



Serge


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## Wismer (Sep 19, 2007)

for debarking i usually have at 'er with a flat bottom spade


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## aquan8tor (Sep 19, 2007)

I bought one of these: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200333235_200333235


I like it, but I'll say that it didn't come very sharp; fixed it in about a minute with a bench grinder. All in all, a good tool for $20.


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## redprospector (Sep 20, 2007)

Sprig said:


> Buy yourself a nice sharp drawknife and use it on the slabs after you've cut them, they are not cheap (for a decent one, there are cheap ones too, might be the way ta go) but will last you a long time, the one I use regularly is over 100 years old and though I don't often strip bark with it it gets used quite a bit for shaping handles etc.. Generally though I think if you let the wood cure a while the bark will pretty much fall off anyway, all I can see of using a clawhammer is chewed up wood. Small hand-adzes work well for this too and I'd recc. hunting around auctions and junk stores, ya never knows mon! Good luck and let us know how yer doing eh!
> 
> 
> 
> Serge



+1

Andy


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## Sprig (Sep 20, 2007)

aquan8tor said:


> I bought one of these: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200333235_200333235
> I like it, but I'll say that it didn't come very sharp; fixed it in about a minute with a bench grinder. All in all, a good tool for $20.




Me like!  So give us a critique?

(bets ya halfta wears gloves eh)


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## aquan8tor (Sep 20, 2007)

I'd definitely wear gloves. You'll probably work yourself up a couple blisters without, and maybe still with the gloves. Not to mention some sore forearms if you have some larger logs to do. From what I've heard, and experienced, its a lot easier to remove bark from trees that are felled in spring or summer, instead of fall/winter. Something to do with the sap flowing, bark is a little looser on the trunk. I can definitely attest that big cherry cut in the winter is a PITA to remove the bark. I emded up waiting until I cut lumber to debark some logs, as I couldn't peel the bark into anything less than small pieces. I find also that if I'm doing a big log, it saves LOTS of time to sharpen whilst in the middle of debarking, as it works MUCH better when very sharp. Otherwise, it just kinda chisels away pieces instead of slicing all the way under the ???percambium??? not sure of the term-the tight layer directly in contact with the wood-usually quite sappy. 


Here's some pics to illustrate;


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## woodshop (Sep 20, 2007)

BobL said:


> I don't know if this applies to your trees, but here in Australia I use wire brush wheels on an angle grinder to remove bark. I start with a relatively stiff brush to get the bulk of the bark off and then change to a finer smaller one to finish and generally leaves the knot holes, and other features intact, Depending on how hard the wood is the fine brush can often leave the wood smooth enough or you can sand it from there onwards.
> 
> It would be way too slow to do a whole log this way but it's fine for the edges of a couple of boards.



Boy that debarking tool in those pics looks like a LOT of work  BUT, seems to do the job. For what chass wanted to do in his post though, I immediately thought of a wire wheel also. The way I read his post, he wanted to maintain the original contour of the cherry without tearing up his wood much in taking off the outer bark. With various stiffnesses of wire wheels, you could take off that bark as little at a time as you wanted with a little more finesse than that debarking tool. At any rate, that is how I would handle that job.


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## chass (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for the input; I think I will look into a grinder with a wire brush.

Chass


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## Rusty (Sep 22, 2007)

*Log Wizzard*

When I can I use a power washer. If the bark is loose I use a round tip shovel or an ice chopper. I also use a log wizzard. Goes on your chain saw. Works better at half Throttle. Takes time but makes nice chips for around the plants.


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