Poplar bark/dogbane belt

[jamie]

dick if you can get your hands on black locust it works just as well.
i soak minein a stream checking it every now and then. usually a couple weeks and the sheets start to peal.

[DBernier]

Jamie, I am new to this bark thing. I can get some black locust. Lets say a 3 or 4 inch dia tree. How about 8 feet long. Do I strip off the outer bark and soak the tree or soak the bark.     Sounds stupid but I never did it before. Cortage yes from some ferns or something Vinson showed me.

Dick

[jamie]

the bark will need to peal . you want all the bark inner and out. though you will only use the inner. ive heard, but never tried, soaking the whole tree and it will allow the bark to come off the tree .

[Pat B]

Dick, Are you thinking about the inner bark lacing for your birch bark canoe  ?   Won't be long now before its too late this year to collect bark.   
Jamie, Once the inner bark is harvested I guess you can just dry the unused pieces and re-hydrate when you need them?   I need to collect lacing for a birch bark quiver. Marc gave me the birch bark...years ago!    Pat

[DanaM]

I believe if you soaked even a winter cut log long enuf the bark would peel rigt off. I remember
the veneer plant that I grew up by had about 10 soaking ponds for their logs, this made the bark slip
right off.

[Hillbilly]

Dick, I'll sure stop by the next time I'm down that way. Rich, you can ret it like Jamie said. The easiest caveman method is to just keep an eye out when I'm walking in the woods. If you check downed poplar logs and limbs (which are usually all over the place), now and then you will find naturally retted bark that's at just the right stage. You can peel off a bunch, dry it, and store it until you need it. Some other trees that have good inner bark bast I have used are basswood, slippery elm, walnut, locust, mulberry, and red maple.

[Calendargirl]

Hillbilly do you have pictures of tulip poplar leaves.  Are they a tree that spreads through a root system like Aspens do?  If so, I am constantly fighting those dadburn things.  When I cut them down, the bark is tough and stringy.  How long do the pieces need to be and the exact process?

[Hillbilly]

Here you go. No, they don't spread from the roots like aspens. Tulip poplar isn't a true poplar, it's actually in the magnolia family. They should be common around Nashvegas. The inner bark is what you want, if you peel the bark off and soak it in water for a couple weeks, the layers of inner bark will usually seperate from the tough outer bark.

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[Calendargirl]

hmmm let me go look in my back yard...

[cowboy]

Nice belt Steve! I'll have to try some of that weaving eventually I reckon . Don't know what kind of bark I'd use around here, prolly Elm. Do have an abundance of horse hair though.

[jamie]

pat if you have conifers near ya use the roots. work great and less work. they are right under the surface . pull out what ya need and run across a branch to debark em. then split if ya want or need to.

[DBernier]

Pat, no on the natural fiber for the canoe. I got a line on some substitute stuff from Vinson. That strap that Steve made is unreal. I am a little more sure about the inner bark. I got a fellow here who said I have some poplar trees and at least one cut down. I have to put the strap on my list soon. I need it for the cane quiver you saw.

Dick

[Hillbilly]

Dick, I'll pretty much guarantee that you have a bunch of tulip poplar. It's one of the commonest trees in your neck of the woods. How soon do you need a strap? If I can get some time I'll weave you one.

[DBernier]

Jezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Steve are you serious.     No, there is no hurry. I just wanted to put something "natural" on the quiver for a strap and couldn't figure out what I wanted. Then you show up with this georgeous strap. God!! I had the quiver over at Pat's that weekend. I will take a measurement for the strap and let you know. I still want you to show me the trees. Maybe I can do something nice for someone else. I am in process of making a cane bread basket. I have to re-cane four canoe seats, one down three to go,  so that is why I am working with the cane right now. Thanks. Got some "Basalt" for you and Berry if you want to share.   

Dick