What can I do with this hickory?

[dean]

I've got 20 2' logs of healthy hickory that my neighbor cut down. I normally would season it and burn it for firewood, but maybe there is something else to do with the stuff?

BBQs?

Tips welcomed!

Dean

[dean]

I have to add here that I am not a wood worker. Nothing with lathes please!

[Leon]

Go to your local wood working store that sells turning blanks. They may be interested in buying some from you. It is a beautiful wood but in 2' lengths is limited in usefulness past the fireplace. Seasoned it does burn nice and hot.

[SwampBug]

BBQ pit. . .

--=20 SwampBug

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BBQs?=20

Tips welcomed!

Dean

[Wilson]

[Phisherman]

[Tom Banes]

Interesting this pops up now. Yesterday I was up at some property I have in far NE Texas, cutiing up a big (30" caliper) white oak that had tumbled to start the woodpile for autumn. Oak was newly down and had a real weird crotch at one spot. Cut around that, as no one likes to split crotch wood (small grin).

While waiting for tractor to make second pick up run, decided to watse some gas and quarter sawed that crotch. Wowser, pretty grain running through it! That one's going to the local Wood World guy - maybe an exchange in the offing! Also QS'd an old Sweet Gum stump that had been standing by the wood pile for about 6 years - I'll see if he wants that too.

Anyway, back to Hickory (Hickry in TX). I've got about 20'+ of trunk left on one that got hit by lightnng 5 years ago. Split the trunk about 4" off the ground. I took the small suff for BBQ pit and left the trunk. It's off the ground, sort of hanging in the air. About

20-25" caliper. Are you telling me it's worth wacking up? I can get to it with a tractor. so 8' lengths are easy, probably get 2 maybe 3 hunks that size.

Is it worth the sweat equity? I thought Hickory was, like Bo-Darc (yeh, yeh, Bois D'Arc), unworkable.

Regards.

[dadiOH]

Well, that shoots down rotary veneer :)

[Wilson]

[C & M]

Juuuust right for small cases, jewelry boxes, etc. Some years ago I made a wormy chestnut case with loosely fit finger joints and hinged top as a case for my stainless Ruger, single -six. It would look a lot better with a case colored revolver. But, that was back in the days when you could display your firearms, lock up the ammo and train the kids to admire and ask dad to unlock the cabinet to show them the revolver. Later, Chiz

[Nasty]

Osage Orange (Bois-D'Arc) is far from unworkable....for the turner at least.

[woodworker88]

Tool handles. This is the main use for hickory that I know of. Get out that spokeshave and start carving. Rehandle all your hammers, axes, hatchets, and then give them to all your friends.

[Prometheus]

Hickory is often used for tool handles- if you've got any yard tools with broken handles, it'd be a good thing to carve some replacements out of. (A decent jackknife would work fine for the job, and you could make several in short order if you had a mind to.)

Otherwise, it'd be nice in a smoker, if you've got one.

[Robert Bonomi]

It can be used as a substitute for almond wood, in the manufacture of swizzle sticks that are used in certain drinks served to members of the medical profession.





You'll be sorreee!



Google for "It's a Hickory daiquiri, Doc!" for the entire sordid story.

[Tom Banes]

So I've heard. I've got tons of it in the bottoms, near the Sulphur River. Locals say it'll wear out a chain saw chain in one cut, so I just leave it be. Locals also say it's the best for pilings or fence posts as it doesn't rot real quickly in ground contact. Maybe I'll waste an old chain and take some to the wood guy.

Regards.

[Dave in Fairfax]

Tom Banes wrote:

I turn it all the time. It's gorgeous when freshly cut and golden, turns cream and brown with UV exposure. It turns easiest when fresh or wet, but with sharp tools can be turned when dry. You might want to soak it in LDD before turning if it's dry to see if that'll make it easier to turn, I've never bothered to do that though. The bowmakers will take all you can give them, they prefer it over all other woods for bowmaking.

Dave in Fairfax