Cutting white wood in winter?

[IdahoMatt]

I have been wondering about when to cut some more staves.  I have a spot for mt. Maple and for some juniper.  Just wondering if I should wait till summer or should I go for it.  I currently have some BL and ash but that's about it.  I have a couple of shorter pieces of mt. Maple but don't have the balls to try a shorty yet .

[TacticalFate]

It's quite a bit easier to get the bark off in the summer, but its really not that much work to get it off in the winter right after you cut it. I've debarked winter cut ash and hophornbeam, and it's really not that bad. I think it really depends when you can get to it and whether you want the wood now or later.

[IdahoMatt]

Good point.  Thanks.

[Gordon]

I've cut vine maple and hazelnut in the winter. I've had no problems making bows from the wood, but it is a pain to remove the bark when you harvest the wood in winter.

[IdahoMatt]

Do you think juniper would be as tough?

[Joec123able]

If you have patience unlike me then you could wait til summer but then it will be even longer waiting for it to season so I'd just cut it now to get ahead on seasoning the bark isn't that difficult to get off

[Del the cat]

I always cut in the winter...
I think it's kinder on the tree, which is surely a prime concern.
Del

[PatM]

I only cut in the non-growing season. Less chance of fungus or mildew damaging the wood. You can still get the bark off pretty easily in the winter if you don't let it dry in place.

[PrimitiveTim]

I cut in late spring and summer and the bark peels right off and you don't have to fool with tools or anything like that.  It's worth the wait. 

You can still get the bark off pretty easily in the winter if you don't let it dry in place.

  I have not had that experience.  Are you talking about  getting it off with a draw knife or something? 

[Scallorn]

Sorry, but I'm going to hijack this thread for a second.
What is the best way to debark a stave if you don't have a drawknife?

[Don Case]

Short answer, do both. Get a few staves now. They will tell you how tough they are to peel. They will also be seasoning from now and will be ready to work by the time spring comes around. Then get some more that are easier to peel.

[mwosborn]

I was always told to get wood whenever you had the chance!   But like many others have said once the sap is up the bark sure does come off easier.  The species I have done - ash - hackberry -  elm the bark peels off like an orange - sometimes in one big piece.   You can start it with a screw driver.  I have also cut some in the winter and it takes a little more effort but still not too bad - maybe 15-30 minutes for a stave.

As far as juniper - I have only done erc and it really made no difference on how the bark came off.  For me it did not peel off like the others.  Both winter and growing season harvest took a little work to get the bark and cambium layer off down to sap wood.  Freshly exposed erc sapwood is a yellow color.

[TacticalFate]

I use the back of my folding saw to debark, it's sharp enough to take the bark off, but not sharp enough to damage the wood. A debarking drawknife doesn't have to be very sharp, so you could probably find/make one out of some mild scrap steel. All you need is a piece of metal with a kinda sharp edge, really. Check out construction dumpsters in your area, I'm sure you'll find something

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Sorry, but I'm going to hijack this thread for a second.
What is the best way to debark a stave if you don't have a drawknife?

a good knife.
use it like a drawknife
I have always found with Locust and Ceder that the bark peels as easy and quickly in winter and summer.

[dmenzies1950]

Matt, I've built lots of mountain maple bows. Thats about the only bow wood we had when I lived in Libby Montana and as Gordan said," If it's cut in the winter the bark is hard to get off." I have had a terrible time getting the bark off if you let it season with the bark on too. If you cut it in the summer the bark almost falls off. that being said, I cut it when when I find it regardless of the time of year. I just peel the bark carefully with a draw shave so as not to compromise the back when I harvest it in the winter.  Dale