Removing bark from a log?

Question

My wife is the artsy fartsy type and she is creating something new. How could I easily remove the bark from a log of about 14" long and 8" diameter? Log is from a willow tree and it was cut down last year. Its just been sitting on the wood pile outside for a little over a year.

I need the log intact and it must retain the circular shape, but without bark. Since the project has an up and down side I was wondering if I made one lengthwise pass on the circular saw, if I could then peel the rest of the bark off. I don't know if a year is enough time for it to peel?

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Jim Elbrecht · Accepted Answer

Willow peels easily when green. Then it locks on pretty well until bugs eat the cambium layer-- and then it falls off. Try a dull chisel and see if you can get it to peel. I'd be inclined to soak it-- though I'm not sure if that will help.

I've got a bark spud in the garage- wanna borrow it?

Looks like this one-

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Jim

CRNG · Answer

On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:41:43 -0500, "Joe J" wrote in Re Removing bark from a log?:

You can try these

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You might as well buy the tool now, since if you will probably be asked to do it again for future projects.

Dan Espen · Answer

Willow would peel best while still green.Just work an edge lose and pull off.I'm guessing she want's the smooth wood under the bark to be leftintact.I which case, try the above with the dried wood.

hrhofmann · Answer

A coarse belt on a belt sander.

Tomsic · Answer

At a basket factory once-upon-a-time, I saw logs come in from the log stacks in the yard and the first thing they did was soak the logs in hot, almost boiling, water. The bark came off easily after that and the logs were ready for shaving into thin strips, bending using steam and shaping into baskets. I think willow was one of the woods that was used.

Tomsic

Removing bark from a log?

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