Sumoc question /debark or not?

[Mike-in-WV]

Here in West Virginia our hills and mountains are full of Sumoc along the edges of fields , pastures and so on. I have 42 acres here on top of a mountain and it's all over the place on the edge of my pasture but I have never tried to carved it.
If I cut some sticks now should I bark them or let them dry first? Thank's for any info you may want to share, Mike

[Colin-Partridge]

Mike,
If its staghorn sumac your talking about it is great to carve. It is really white when you take the bark off but the sap wood is only about 1/8 inch thick and the inside is a very beautiful irriedesant yellow color. The rings of the heart wood are really close together and all different shades of yellow. As for debarking sumac is really easy to debark especially if you get it in the spring. At that time the bark will peal off like taking diapers off of a baby. You can strip the bark off in a matter of minutes. If you cut it now you will have to take the bark off with a knife be careful not to go too deep as I mentioned before the sap wood is not very deep. Make sure that once you have the bark off that you carve it right away. The reason being is that sumac will almost always check only one crack but it will. Once the carving is complete put the sealer on it right away no need for stain the color is beautiful as it is. I always use a quick drying sealer and try to get two or three coats on pretty fast. I have a trio of sumac carvings on Picturetrail so you can see how they look when they are finished. Follow the link and scroll down to the sumac carvings. Follow the link below should take you there. If I ever figure out how to post on this board I will do so. Even with Hugh helping me I seem to be a little challenged.Head Bange If you need any more info please contact me I just love carving sumac.
Colin

[Colin-Partridge]

Opps sorry I didnt include the link here it is

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...371&uid=731540
Colin

[Mike-in-WV]

Colin, Thank you again! The sumoc you just showed me looks great. Think I'll wait tell spring but may cut a piece now just to play with and see how it reacts if I debark it now and make a carving in the green and then seal with a couple coats of water base poly. What do you think?

If you thnk I can help you with the picture posting on here just send me an email and I'll talk you through it. Once you do it it's really easy. Do you have a program for resizing your photos? The one's I have been posting have a resolution of 72 and pixels are 480 or close. If they are over 480 they will not let you post it . It takes to much room and people have to scroll across there screen to see it. Here is my email: Beartracker@wirefire.com
Take care, Mike

[Clifford_Parker]

I have to disagree with Colin on this one. Sumac is one of the very few sticks that I always slow dry with the bark on. I collect my sumac sticks and root canes in the late fall after the sap is down and let them sit in the garage for at least 6 months. Sumac will check and crack easily if carved green but is nice and stable when dry.

[Colin-Partridge]

See Cliff you can learn something every day. I have never left my sumac with the bark on I always peal them right away. You are right as I explained sumac will almost always check but only one crack. I will go and havest a few sticks this week and give what you said a try. I know some of my sticks check bad but if I get the uethane on them right away I find they are alright. Thanks for the tip I will let you know in the summer how it workedThumbs Up
Colin

[Mike-in-WV]

Cut a couple today to play with. Two are small logs about 2' long and 4" around and two are 2" around and 5' long. I like to seal the ends right away with good old white Elmers glue. Never had a stick crack on me on the ends after sealing with Elmers. Thanks for the info guy's, Mike

[Kenny_S]

Mike, I use Paraffin wax on the ends and leave the bark on most sticks, i.e diamond willow, aspen, birch. cnan't say about sumax as we have the poisoon sumac around here. I peel about a 3 weeks after sealing. Not had any problems with the bark coming off. The diamonds in the stick are not as many and not as large as in the northern williows. Must be the winter months but are some in SEK.

[Mike-in-WV]

Thanks Kenny, We will see what happens with this Sumoc I have at different stages just for the heck of it,Lol. Mike

[Mike-in-WV]

Walked in my shop this morning and reached down to pick up a piece of wood and was shocked at what I seen. There in the corner stood my two sections of Sumoc. One barked and the other with the bark on. The barked one has split right up the center full length! Not just a crack, it split wide open as if it was split for a rail fence,Lol. Now I know not to bark it until it's dry. Thanks guy's, Mike