Anyone use a pressure washer to debark small logs

[Ax-man]

This question should probably be in the carving and wood working section but I am posting it here because I know some of you guys use a pressure washer to clean dirty logs before milling them.

Anyway, does pressure washing work on trees that have been standing dead and the bark is still firmly attached ???? I am assuming different tree species are easier than others and freshly cut logs are easier than a tree that has been dead awhile

My daughter thought I should try my hand at making some rustic log furniture using some of my milled stuff for the seats and back and then using small diameter logs for the frame .

The thought of using a draw knife these days doesn't exactly thrill me but using a pressure washer looks like it will be much easier if it works that is for doing the debarking and is suppose to leave a nice smooth finish on the log. I already have the pressure washer, basic nozzles and I bought one of those rotary nozzles just to see how it compares to the regular nozzles. Never have done this but would like to try and I am sure someone here has tried and what their experience was with using a pressure washer.

Thanks

 

[ammoaddict]

I would say it would work on some and not others. Just try it and let us know how it works

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[bayard]

it is amazing how long a band saw blade will last ,when the log is very clean.

 

[Mad Professor]

I learned lumber working my butt off at a circle mill.

Everything got debarked. Crap under the bark dulled stuff.

Now I do CSM with a logosol.

I keep logs out of the dirt skidding/transporting.

Pressure washers are good, wash things out not into wood (too much pressure wrong angle).

Small scale a good stiff steel brush helps. You only have to brush on the cut. Do obvious dirt first .

 

[oldfortyfive]

An industrial water blaster (10,000psi and higher) would be awesome. I've used 10,000psi to cut up oak pallets. Faster than a chainsaw. A big rotary nozzle would strip and clean really well.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

For cleaning logs with water, I've found that "high volume" works MUCH better than high pressure,

SR

 

[PheasantHunter]

I just used a pressure washer to take the bark off some burled subalpine fir. Worked well, however, it did leave "tracks" in a few places that I will need to sand out.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

If you have green logs I am not sure how to deal with them. When the logs season a bit I take a saw an make several cuts through the bark lengthwise then with the pressure washer all the bark usually peels off. Thanks

 

[Ax-man]

Thanks for all the input . Appreciate it.

Thanks Ted, I like your reply sounds like a good tip . Most of the small logs I have been dead awhile and the bark is starting to come off . Mostly what I have is Red Cedar, Ash, Apple and an assortment of other odd wood that I just can't throw in the burn pile or saw into fire wood because I know it would make some sharp looking rustic log furniture.

I'm going to give this a try and see how it works. If it works I might get excited about making log furniture again.

 

[Ax-man]

I finally got a chance to try my pressure washer with that rotary nozzle to see how you can remove the bark from a small log . It worked better than the regular standard type nozzles that come when you buy a pressure washer. I tried it on a variety of different woods that were fresh cut ,another that was cut about six weeks ago with the bark still firmly attached, some ash logs that the bark was already falling off and an old flat sawn piece that had no bark but was weathered gray from being outside.

In a nut shell it does work but there is a knack to it but it is much easier and much quicker than a drawknife or trying to grind the bark off with an angle grinder with a course flap wheel sanding disc. I found that it works easiest to work lengthwise down the log using the nozzle to get under the bark on one end of the log and with a slight up and down motion on an angle to lift the bark off in strips working your way down the length of the log. Didn't notice any gouging on the logs but the flat sawn piece there were some gouge marks from the nozzle.

The fresh cut Doug Fir was the hardest to get going so to speak but I quit on that one and just decided to let it get some age on it. The other small logs like the 6 week old River Birch and the Ash logs went much easier than I thought after I finally got a rhythm going using that up and down motion. The finished look of the washed logs is nice for rustic furniture but some sanding would be in order but you can see the knots and different colors in the wood. The gray weathered flat sawn piece cleaned up ok but it didn't look like it did when it was first sawn but it was kind of unique looking in it's own way for an old piece of elm. The pressure washed wet wood kind of gives you preview of how the wood will look if you use a clear finish .

I don't know if any one is interested in pictures . I did take some but I don't know if anyone is interested in debarked washed wood.

 

[Yourmomsmokesgood]

I pressure wash everything before I mill it.

 

[Mjosoba]

Saw this on the old Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7KU7g4HKz0/?igshid=vzqqexwy688q