My previous post showed four mesquite beams cut and ready to be debarked. Removing the bark off a fresh log is tedious work. I thought of just leaving the bark and raise the beams-up as they were: However, a few considerations changed my mind...
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My first thought was for a more practical reason. The softer outer bark on the mesquite wood is attractive to 'powder-post' beatles. By removing the outer bark the inner hardwood becomes a less practical habitat for the beatle.
My other consideration was more philosophical.......I know Mesquite wood has a beautiful finished grain texture - thus an impressive visual appeal. Despite the daunting-task of debarking four logs, I figured I would be 'short-changing' the aesthetics of the building by keeping the bark intact. In order to bring this hardwood to its full artistic potential, I made the decision to remove the bark.
Using a draw-knife as shown in the photo above, I worked off the soft layer which was in some places 3/8"-thick. At first I thought I would need to only strip about 180-degrees of bark (halfway around the log) - since the top half would have cob piled on it and thus not seen anyway. However, I had to drop that idea, because I wasn't sure how the logs would have to be rotated once lying next to each other in order to achieve a tight fit above the span. Each log has a unique curve to it. If I couldn't get them to fit-tight, then the gaps between each beam lying side-by-side each other would be almost too large.
As I continued peeling, I started realizing that I was doing the right thing. The debarked log looked spectacular. I coated it with 'Tongue Oil' to help preserve the wood and protect it from the elements.
The log shown took me about a day to accomplish by hand. Presently - one down - three to go. Tedious for sure. But now at least I'm assured at what to look forward to, artistically, once the building is complete.
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