How to hollow out a tree trunk

[cooks]

I have a possible project and need to hollow out a 80 cm diameter log. I guess it needs to be split in half first and then remove the wood any ideas that would help i.e. methods or tools.

[wisewood]

I have a possible project and need to hollow out a 80 cm diameter log. I guess it needs to be split in half first and then remove the wood any ideas that would help i.e. methods or tools.

 

Hi there,

Have a look at this,http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/chainsaw-carving-forum/61230-finished-tree-house-finally.html

 

I milled the edges off in five or six pieces and then screwed/bolted them back together minus the core wood:thumbup:

 

Cheers,

 

Si

[agg221]

How long is it? If it's not more than a few feet I would be inclined to bore it through with a long bar in a series of cuts, then dress the internal surface with a carving saw or a mallet and chisel or a gouge, depending on the desired surface. At that diameter you should be able to reach in fairly well from each end.

 

Alec

[Bob Slade]

what is it going to be used for?

[cooks]

Wow wisewood thats fantastic can't see the joins from the milling. The logs needs to be 2 possibly 3 meters so long could go bigger diameter and its for a landscape job. Can you get a high capacity gouge bit to attach to a long chainsaw bar?

[agg221]

You can get a planer, yes, but it won't fit to the .404" chain that goes with bars of that size.

 

I do have an 88" bar, which would deal with at 2m length and I reckon it could be bored with care but I don't know of any other single-ended bars of that sort of length. The first couple of feet in from each end could be dressed easily enough but it depends what you need the middle section of the inside to look like.

 

Other than that I think your only option would be to split, hollow, put back together and then dress the joint line.

 

Alec

 

edit: actually if you went bigger in diameter you could get through it to tidy up the middle.

Edited February 12, 2014 by agg221

[wisewood]

If you halved through the pith, then roughed out each half with saw. Beg / borrow a harrycane chainsaw gauge to finish the surface. Or turboplane on a small grinder.