Finished up the chair this weekend. I went with a coat of Minwax Puritan Pine stain and a couple coats of Tung Oil prior to putting the bottom in. Harvesting the hickory bark proved to be a difficult but rewarding process. I had a lot of fun hitting the woods with a couple friends to procure the bark then sitting around under a big Silver Maple shade tree weaving it into the chair. It took the better part of a day to complete the process but it is an experience I will never forget and look forward to repeating.
Felled the hickory tree.
Notched a log to stabilize the tree.
Went to work with the draw knife shaving the outer bark off.
Some of the outer bark gone and the first strip of inner bark removed. We sliced through with a razor knife to cut the strips, then peeled it away.
Separating the bark into two strips.
A good start.
I love the grain of this hickory.
Just about there.
First run of the weave is down.
Nearing the finish.
