# Drying slabs, and preserving the bark.



## bloggins

I just got a saw mill for my stihl saw and am going to be milling some logs into slabs once the snow melts. I was wondering how I can preserve the bark on the slabs for a more rustic look for benches and chairs I plan to make.


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## Alaska_Guy

I've seen guys up here poly them to keep the bark. Birch is pretty common here along with spruce.


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## bloggins

I am more going to be milling maple and oak along with some pine and cedar. I burn most of the ash I find as its my main source of heat during the winter. How do you treat the bark so that it doesn't rot or fall off? Is that a paint? I have no idea what "polly" is, I would appreciate it if you could elaborate of you can.


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## djg

I'm not 100% positive, but I think he means to use polyurethane over the bark after it's dry. The only thing I know that is supposedly thought to help is winter cut logs (milled too). The bark wants to remain on when the sap is down. That's what 'they' say. Do yourself a favor and mill some of the ash you are burning if you run across a straight tree. It might surprise you. I love the grain. The only problem with ash and air drying is powder post beetles attacking the bark and sapwood. You could cut and stack this winter, but by spring, I would get it in a kiln. There's a good kiln setup in the Classified section that a lot of people use. Might be just what you need.
Any way, let us see your mill set up - pics. Which one did you buy?


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## bloggins

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=20127&cat=1,41131
Theres so little ash around that I only cut the dead standing or fallen stuff. I will be cutting around April or May as that's when I have the property owners permission to go poke around in his wood lot. The link is the set-up I ordered along with a mortise and tenon set. I am going to learn by doing and hopefully make some furniture and money in my spare time.


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## bloggins

Can you pose a link to the kiln you mentioned?


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## djg

I've been looking for a while. I can't seem to find it. It's usually on the front page of the classified ads.

Can any one else link *Daren's DH Plans*

Thanks


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## ETWW

bloggins said:


> I will be cutting around April or May as that's when I have the property owners permission to go poke around in his wood lot.


I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that's absolutely the worst time to be cutting timber if you want to retain the bark. Late fall/early winter would be the optimum time.

The moisture content (sap) of trees changes very little with the seasons and in some species, the MC is actually a bit higher in winter. However, as the trees come out of dormancy and start leafing out, the moisture in the cambium becomes active in transporting nutrients to the leaves. Bark will come off much more readily when that occurs.


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## bloggins

In April where I am in Ontario its still consistently in the negatives all day and night. Should I just de bark the slabs then?


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## Alaska_Guy

Hmm, not familiar enough with those specific woods to give accurate advice.

Bark is lost by the shrinking and expanding of the wood. Basically the wood drys up and shrinks, the bark then has nothing to adhere to and falls off.

I have seen the following methods. 2 Part epoxy, cut the bark off using a band saw, then adhere it back in place. It's a time consuming method but will work. Make sure to use wood clamps to secure the bark back in place. Again, make sure you do this while the wood is fairly dry.

Epoxy the whole piece. This basically preserves the whole piece and should be less resistant to moisture changes. However, you need to make sure you do the whole piece, and you have a good coat.

Oops I lied... Its Epoxy over the whole thing not polyurethane.

Epoxy is used a lot to make a glass type look.

Here is an example.

http://www.pkendall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Kit6.jpg


Good luck! I would do a test piece with the two part epoxy if you have access to a band saw.


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