Peeled Fence Posts Verses turning them on a Lathe?

[Clarence Martinn]

Say to got some smaller 6 or 7 foot logs. Too small for Lumber, but would be the perfect size for wood fence posts. Which would be faster: Peeling the bark off the logs by hand with a draw knife ? Or, putting each log on a wood Lathe ( Assuming you have a large enough Wood Lathe to handle 6 to 7 foot long logs ) , and then turning each log round and using the lathe to peel the bark off the log.

[Jim Becker]

No question I'd peel them. But I wouldn't use them for fence posts unless they are of a very limited number of species, such as black locust, that is naturally rot and insect resistant.

[Richard Coers]

One most species, leaving the sapwood on will dramatically reduce the life span of the post. Hopefully you have black locust or osage orange available.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Black locust is very peel-able. The sap wood is very thin and is not a problem. I can get one peeled with an axe and draw knife quicker than I could get one centered up on the imaginary lathe that I am collecting parts for. Driving over the green logs with a tractor makes an even quicker job of it. In New Hampshire and Maine I used to get white cedar fence posts and rails that were turned. They were a lovely product. The turned white cedar post un treated last 10 to 15 years. Red Cedar (Juniper) Is used a lot around here, no one peels them, the sap wood can be quite thick and rots away fairly quickly. The red heartwood lasts a long time. I do not know of anyone peeling Boise Darc (Osage Orange) it lasts no matter what.

[Don Stephan]

If green and recently cut the bark is not firmly attached to the sapwood and may separate fairly easily.

[Bill Dufour]

Pressure washer is what they used at the Scotia mill. I belive it was only around 800 PSI. But enough power to spin the old growth logs around on a roller bed.
Bill D

[Richard Coers]

If green and recently cut the bark is not firmly attached to the sapwood and may separate fairly easily.

Not necessarily. In April and May around here you can almost peel and entire tree in one piece. But now the late growth is hardening up and the cambium layer will soon dry off too. The bark won't come off nearly as easily now as spring. No idea how the drought affects it either, but I'm pretty certain the trees harden up sooner.

[Bill Dufour]

Wood type and is it fall or spring in your part of the world? It is just turning to spring in Australia and eucalyptus bark peels very easy. Probably easier in the spring time
Bill D

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The osage osage orange posts we use here are not peeled. We call them hedge posts.

[Bill Dufour]

Species, What season is it in your part of the world, if it is going into spring there they are easier to peel. Eucalyptus and birch is very easy to peel but it rots fast.
Bill D.

[Tom Bender]

Any kind of fence posts can last a long time in a very dry climate.