With the right tool, hollowing out a tree trunk is great - but not child's play, because such a project requires great physical strength and is a sweaty undertaking. If you only want to work on a small piece of a tree trunk or a tree stump, you can do it yourself. For a large specimen, it is advisable to work with several hands-on people.
A hollowed tree trunk can be used in many ways
needed tools
There are different methods for hollowing out a tree trunk. Which one is best also depends on what exactly you intend to do with the wood: Do you want to drive a tunnel through the entire trunk so that only the outer shell remains? Or maybe you just want to hollow out a tree stump so that it can be filled with substrate and planted? Different techniques are recommended for both projects. For this reason, several tools can also be used for the execution.
Manual tools for hollowing out a tree trunk
To remove the wood with a manual tool, you need muscle power. Sharpen all knives before use: the sharper the cutting edge, the less force you have to apply and the cleaner the result. Possible devices are:
- hammer and chisel
- Chisel and hammer / wooden mallet
- cross ax
- drawknife
- wood rasp
- wood drill
- plane
Electric tools for hollowing out a tree trunk
The very strenuous work can be simplified if you use electric tools instead of manual tools, for example
- a lathe or lathe
- a trough cave (is placed on a chainsaw)
- a chainsaw (for "carving" with a chainsaw)
- a mini carver
These machines are also suitable for very different projects: With a trough hollower, for example, you can make a trough out of a tree trunk - as you can already tell from the name of the tool.
hollow out tree trunk
Hollowing out a whole tree trunk in full length is not only a difficult task because of the physical exertion. After all, it's about removing the inside without damaging the outer skin. It works best if you first cut the trunk in two halves and then hollow out each one separately. When the work is complete, glue or screw the two parts back together. If possible, get help for this activity, as you will not be able to do the cutting work and balancing of the trunk yourself, depending on its size and weight.
Hollow out a tree stump
On the other hand, it is much easier to convert a tree stump into a rustic planter. To do this, hollow out the trunk just enough (e.g. with a chisel and a hammer) so that you can then fill in potting soil and plant pretty flowers.
tips
Instead of hollowing out the trunk, you can simply work on it from the outside - and carve an Indian-looking totem pole, for example, with the help of a chainsaw.