How to Keep Bark on Your Wood Projects with Glue Shellac and Wood Choice

If you want your bark to stay attached while you"re working with it, try a bark friendly type like walnut or basswood wood.

A: Keeping the bark on chunks of wood, in my experience, is a hit-and-miss business. Some species are reputed to shed their bark regardless of treatment (hickory is one with a bad reputation in this regard), while others are more likely to not shed their skin — walnut and basswood have a good reputation here.

Basswood bark"s tight bond makes it ideal for bark art, as it is unlikely to be disturbed in the process of completing your project.

There are a couple of things that you can do to improve your chances of keeping the bark on your wood. The first thing is to cut the stock in the winter when the sap is not flowing. Bacteria or mold growing under the bark will reduce its bond to the wood, so the next thing to do is to store your harvested pieces in a cool, dry place. Or, if you can put it in a kiln right away — that is even better.

Before I answer your question directly, if you find loose chunks of bark, CA [cyanoacyrylate] glue (the thin stuff often used by turners) can be used to secure them. You can indeed use shellac to help stabilize the bark for machining, but it won’t “glue” loose bark back onto the log. What I have done is thin the shellac down by 50% and really soak the bark. This allows it to get into small cracks and crannies. Then I apply a thicker coat of shellac which reinforces the first one. I used Zinsser SealCoat the last time I did this, and it worked well. You can then apply poly over the shellac should you choose, but you would not need to do so.

Original article and pictures take http://www.rockler.com/how-to/bark-wood-projects-glue-shellac-wood-choice/ site


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