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Axe type used for peeling bark

Started by Left Coast Chris, December 30, 2006, 12:48:07 AM

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Left Coast Chris

Worked on a couple of large pines today and since my manual mill does not have a debarker I was removing the mudded up bark with an axe.   I find a small spliting maul effective but it is just too heavy to put in any stretch of time with it.

I would like to buy a better axe for debarking.   Any suggestions on type, size and where to purchase?

Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

Hi-Country Orange

do u have access 2 a pressure washer that may do the trick

Minnesota_boy

Axes are designed for removing limbs or felling the tree.  What you really want is a bark spud.  There are 2 types of these.  One has a short handle and a curved blade for following around the tree, the other has a straight blade with a longer handle and is used when you want to remove the bark lengthwise of a log.

We traditionally used the curved blade to remove the bark from aspen as it would come off better in short sections going around the log.  Pines, spruce, and fir were better peeled lengthwise as you could start a strip with the spud, then grab the loose end and pull it and it would strip the length of the log (provided you were peeling in spring when the bark was slipping)
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

tcsmpsi

In a 'pinch', a straightend hoe works quite well, or even a square shovel.
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

sprucebunny

The long handled 'spud' I got was being sold at a H Depot as an ice chopper !
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

jerry-m

Farmer 77, I use a old timey draw knife... Works well for me on southern pine... Used it yesterday on some red oak logs, was a lot harder than the pine... I have also used the bent hoe, shovel and spud... Depends on where the log lays on the ground or up on the log rack or on the mill..

Been thinking about one of those Lancelot blades (with the chain saw teeth) that go on a 4 1/2 in. hand held grinder...

Jerry
Jerry

thecfarm

We would sometimes run a chain saw the length of the log to get the spud under the bark.Than peel the bark off with the spud.But most of our peeling would take place in the spring when it would come off real easy.I would try the power washer idea.We have tried to peel trees in late June early July.Not a easy job.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

thurlow

I use the pressure washer..............built a rack that'll hold 10 or 12 logs, away from the mill; it's already muddy enough around there.  Set the logs on and off with farm-tractor front end loader/w home-made forks.  'Course you gotta have a source for water and would be problems if you're sawing in freezing weather.
Here's to us and those like us; DanG few of us left!

Larry

Here is a peeler made by a fellow neighbor sawyer.  Truck leaf spring with an osage orange handle.  I made a copy cept my handle is a might longer.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

jpgreen

You have your Marbles Chris..  :D

That is a great looking Peeler Larry.  I gottaa make me onna those..  8)
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

Ed_K

 I use an old broken 1/2"drive ratchet that was fired an pounded down into a chisel then turned or curved to form a 1/2 round like a paint scraper. It works for getting the mud out of cracks but I wouldn't want to peel the whole log with it. I also tried a skillsaw blade on a brush cutter, DON'T.
Ed K

Left Coast Chris

Pat.... the Marbles is certainly strong enough ...... :o


To all:  The bark on these digger pines was (is) so tight that no seperation is happening.  I have to chip at it with an axe to get anywhere.  It won't get started to remove any size piece at one time so each swing of the axe takes only a blade width chunk.  

Thanks for all of the input.  Im thinking that the draw knife might work but a heavy duty hoe shaped chopper is what would work best if the handle will take chipping like an axe.   Havent seen any "ice choppers" in Home Depot here out west.  

The closest thing I can find is in the Baileys cataloge is the Pulaski Axe with a hoe on one end of the head and an axe on the other.   Baileys does have a bark spud but it has a straight handle..... for looser bark.

Any sources for a chopper with a strong handle?

Also, anyone try the log wizard (planer head attachment for the end of a chain saw)?

Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

Tom

If you aren't in too big of a hurry, you can spray pine with an insecticide and wait a couple or three weeks.  The bark will just fall off.  The insecticide is to keep the bugs out.

Submerging pine in water will allow the bark to slip withoug the wood being hurt too.

jpgreen

I bought one of these Chris...

-Wizard-

Mainly to put a rustic chamfer on square logs, but I haven't used it yet.  Much cheaper than the Log Wizard, and far as I can tell it's an identicle knock off.

-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

jpgreen

I've also got the old style WoodMizer debarker head that came off my LT-40, and you can have it if you want to build a debarker for your mill.

-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

Dave Shepard

I use  a log wizard on every opening cut. I feel the extra couple of minutes per log is worth it, blade life goes way up. It doesn't take long to open up an eight inch wide cut on a ten foot log.


Dave
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Left Coast Chris

Tom:   Do you recal what type of insecticide releases the bark?    That would make things
sooooo much easier....... I like a good arm work out with the axe on the stuck bark but the needed breaks are getting longer and longer...... and I not drinking on the breaks either. ;D ;D

Pat and Dave.... the log Wizard sounds really good.  I assume you need at least a 18" chain saw and would have to prety much dedicate it to it.  Sounds like the fastest way though.

Pat..... Thanks for the offer on the LT40 debarker!  Is'nt it ran hydraulically?   Plus I only have 24 HP.   If its 12 volt that would be a great thing but you should be using it yourself?
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

woodhick

farmer, I have tried several things and what works the best for me has been an old wore out double bit axe.  Axe is worn down and is kind of thick behind the cutting edge.  Works good.  I tried the wizard and if you want one I have one I'll sell you for $75.  Only used once for about two minutes.
Woodmizer LT40 Super 42hp Kubota, and more heavy iron woodworking equipment than I have room for.

Fred

I use a block chipping hammer and axe.
                                       Fred :)
Baker 18M
Woodmaster 718 Planer/ molder

limbrat

I need to get a camera, hope i can draw you a good picture. I welded a straight hoe to a 18" piece of .5" pipe. I screwed a union on and added another piece of 18" pipe. over the second pipe i slipped a 6"x2" nipple with a 2"to 1" reducer on each end this piece works as a slide hammer. I put on another union 6more inches of pipe and union and tennies ball on the end. It works real good and i aint got to swing it.
ben

jpgreen

I installed a brand new debarker package.  What I have of the old one is just the debarker housing and blade and it has a drive shaft with a pulley. All these debarkers are 12v electric.  You can make this work.
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

Left Coast Chris

Pat:   yes please ........ hang on to the debarker housing.... I would love to give it a try.  Sounds like I will just need a 12v motor that my Honda twin can energize (might need a bigger battery).  (thanks)

Woodhick:  Thanks for the offer for the wizard.  If I had the dollars on hand I would take it.  I will email you when I get the green stuff.

Limbrat:  your sliding hammer debarker sounds really good.  I will be going through the under bench junk pile to see what is there.


-- I did order the Palaski from Baileys.  That is my starting point.
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

ljmathias

Morning, people- been "lurking" and learning for months now; great forum!

Also been learning how to cut up trees over the last year or so since Katrina gave me a huge supply of logs to practice on.  One thing I tried early on (right after the farm was littered with downed pine trees) was to get the bark off as fast as possible and stack the logs in my pole barn.  Tried axes, draw knives plus a real peeling spud and then on a whim of frustration, started hacking at a trunk with my kaiser blade (swing blade some call it...) and wow it worked pretty well.  Put a good edge on it and started learning how to push it down the trunk in long swings.  Takes some practice but now I can peel a 20 foot log 20 in in diameter in about 15-20 min (sweating like the proverbial pig).  Don't know if others have tried it or not but it works for me- good luck.

LJM
LT40, Long tractor with FEL and backhoe, lots of TF tools, beautiful wife of 50 years plus 4 kids, 5 grandsons AND TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS all healthy plus too many ideas and plans and not enough time and energy

leweee

Welcome to the Forestry Forum ljmathias. ;D
      Never seen a kaiser blade....any pics of that critter. :)
just another beaver with a chainsaw &  it's never so bad that it couldn't get worse.

Sprucegum


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