Pressure washed HHB

[clewis]

So I finally got around to removing the cambium from an hhb stave using my local car wash and it worked pretty good. After removing the cambium it was interesting to see all the old bug damage that has healed, I have another stave I'm going to wash tomorrow and planning on making a war bow from and want a clean back. Now the only draw back was it cost $19 cdn to remove it all, but I think I can shave a few bucks off tomorrow. I'm definitely going to invest in a pressure washer this summer as I have lots of winter cut staves. Here's a couple pics.

[FilipT]

How much bar of pressure is needed for cambium to came off? I have this pressure washer (not sure how you guys call it in English) and it has 120 bars.

Did it soak your stave with water?

[Eric Garza]

Anyone ever tried removing the cambium of hickory with a pressure washer?

[bjrogg]

Clewis glad to see it worked for you. Can see you got a few lose strands of cambium left on you'll want to rub off before staining. I'm sure glad this helped so many people. Another possibility if you have a bunch of staves ready all at once. Maybe you could rent a really good one to "clean your deck" and get your staves too. I don't know what minimum pressure that works is, but our shop one is heavy duty and also has burner for heating water which really helps.
Stalker when I did mine it had very little effect on moisture content of wood. If you have a washer I'd suggest trying it on some scrap wood first. If you have a thick bark it works best to remove it with a draw knife but leave the cambium for the washer.
Bjrogg
Eric I haven't but I do have a hickory stave I've been wanting to try it on. I can see a few bug holes in it. I plan on removing the bark with draw knife first.

[bjrogg]

PS Stalker, I didn't soak my staves. I used it on winter harvested HHB and Elm. The Elm I removed Bark first with draw knife. I did a post on this a few months ago.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Clewis I bumped my old post. Not trying to Gip you on this one, just hoping it will help. Thanks for posting your results with the power washer.
Bjrogg

[alcot]

Now for a dumb question: I assume after power washing you have a finished back. I've been in the habit of hours of sanding to get a glass smooth back to prevent splinters etc, but no need for this now?

[bjrogg]

Alcot, the only other prep. I did for my backs was to stain and seal them. Some I just sealed with shellac. Those I cleaned off the Shellac with denatured alcohol and a very light rubbing with steel wool to get the stain to take. I'm not sure I even needed to seal but steaming in tips it probably is necessary and probably a good practice especially if not seasoned a few years. The HHB I did was seasoned almost a year. I believe the back is much better unsanded.
Bjrogg

[clewis]

Bjrogg, no worries on "gip'in" the post, I read yours s few times before trying it out. Next best thing to peeling bark of fresh spring cut hhb. One of these days Ill make it to my stash in the spring.

[bjrogg]

Glad to hear that Clewis, I was planting some trees today and noticed a couple HHB that had the soil around there roots washed away and tipped over. I'll harvest them in about a month.
Bjrogg