burning the center out of a tree

[Egon]

Betcha this person can type at a rate that would put most of us to shame. I'll also venture that Proper English and detail will be achieved if required.

Did anyone notice that without sentence structure or proper spelling the details leading up to the question were there and the question itself was easily understood.

Many of younger folks will communicate in this fashion as it is fast and conveys their message.

 

[wedge40]

I seen a show once where they made a spoon that came to a point and placed/welded this on the end of a long steel rod. (Could have been myth busters) They would heat the spoon and then drill into the center of the log. Kept repeating this till they had hole through the log.. I think the length was like 6' or 8'.
I found it interesting, but time consuming.

Wedge

 

[MarkV]

We have burned a few stumps that we wanted removed from the yard by drilling 1+" holes as deep as we could in the center and pouring diesel fuel in them daily for a week. They have burned into a hollow shell leaving and outside ring. The ones I have done have always been in the ground so I don't know how it would work once the stump was out.

MarkV

 

[Egon]

They would heat the spoon and then drill into the center of the log. Kept repeating this till they had hole through the log..

The Chinese may have used a similar method to make wooden pipes for their oil wells of a time long past.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Make yourself a large hole saw if you can't find one at the local hardware store. Mount it onto a long drill shaft and start boring the hole. You could drill from both ends. If the log is still green you might be able to burn more of the center out once your hole is completed.

 

[20 20]

I'll be the 1st to apologize for the arrogance of some of those so perfect people that can only pick, instead of help with your question. Oh and don't bother I know my writting skills are bad.

I have seen and done some boring with a chainsaw, BE CAREFULL! As far as burning maybe you could drill then poor old motor oil or kero in the hole and burn????

 

[yomax4]

Drill a hole as large and as deep as possible. Take a couple of pieces of Kingsford and set them in the center. Light ans wait. They will burn through in time.

 

[Tig]

Do you have a link to the criteria for this task, or maybe some pictures? Burning a hole in a green tree is a slow process. I'm just looking for clues on the history and how it has been done before.

 

[studor]

If it is Eastern White cedar 12 to 15" it is probably already starting to rot in the center. If you get cedar burning it is pretty hard to put out I would try "spuding" out the center with a chisel with a long handle. Cedar heartwood is pretty soft and it is not as hard to core out the center as it might first appear. If your rules require burning out the center you need a hole all the way through and some exit holes where you want to start and stop. Then insert a propane burner in the hole and fire it up. The flame will travel through the hole and ignite the core of the wood. You need the holes to feed oxygen to the fire.

 

[charlz]

So, if I read that right, you have a 'tree' which is probably a 'tall stump' with some of the roots still attached. Do you want to burn a hole into the side at the bottom of the stump? Do you want to do that AND burn it up through the center to form a 'chimney'?

Need a few more details.

In any case I am assuming maybe power tools are 'out of scope'? If you have to do it with only fire google "How to Make a Bowl in the Wilderness" or similar for techniques on using hot coals to 'carve' wood.