anyone tried debarking with steam?

[Tim]

I am trying to find a more cost effective ( read idea rich, cash poor ) means for taking the bark off white cedar shingle bolts. I am currious to know if steaming the blocks first would loosen the bark off. When the logs are fresh off the stump, te bark isn't too tough to get off. When the logs have been around for a couple months, the bark has a death grip going on. After a year or so, the bark falls off without any problem. Thing about it is, who can afford to sit on logs for a year before working them?

[Onthesauk]

Can't tell you, but kind of curious.  Out here, with western red cedar, they simply trim the bark off when they cut shingles.  Some reason white cedar is handled different?

[Tim]

I find that when I saw with the bark on, that the saw doesn't keep its edge as well due to the dirt included. Additionally, the cedar here is smaller and tends to have a lot more limb. Therefore, the first cut on the bolt is more critical to saw better grades. It is harder to see those defects with the bark on.

I was thinking of low pressure steam in a box to "prime" the bolts before debarking them mannually. More so for a stop gap fix until I can afford to buy a rosserhead debarker or a ring debarker.