On 17 Apr 2003 05:27:59 -0700, Justin Hughes wrote:

I particularly want logs with the bark on and about 2-3 inches in
diameter.

Find a local sawmill, Yellow Pages is probably a good place to start
looking.

Also once I have made this, can anyone suggest a way of preserving
the timber?

Nothing beats a good dose of creosote, but it's due to be banned RSN.
Or if your going to a sawmill they may well have tannelising (pressure
treatment) facilities not sure if they would treat bark on timber
though.

how long is it likely to be before an untreated log loses it's
bark and then rots?

The bark is quite likely to fall off in a year or two treated or not,
it is a separate structure to the timber underneath. I think I'd peel
the bark off as it is only going to fall off.

Treated timber should last many years. Many being a bit of variable
dependent on the treatment, the timber and the ground conditions.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.