Working with Live-Edge Boards
Q:
I want to use some live-edge boards in my work. What’s the best way to strip the bark to reveal the surface below?
Amir Fahzad, Negril, None
A:
There’s an intriguing visual and tactile appeal to live-edge boards, those sawn so that one or both edges are the edge of the log, with the bark removed to reveal a wonderfully undulating surface.
It’s easiest to remove the bark from a tree cut in the spring, when the sap is rising. The bark will come off easily with a drawknife. The moist cambium layer beneath the bark can be scraped away quickly with the dull edge of a putty knife.
Removing bark from dry wood requires a little more effort. Clamp the board bark-side up. Use a sharp drawknife to remove most of the bark (see photo, right). I use a small teardrop-shaped scraper to remove most…
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