Hickory (Finally got some split)

[certified106]

Well three of my Hickory trees are down and the limbs have been removed now for the last three which are bigger than these.

 

[smokinj]

Nice wood there!

 

[Archie]

That's a nice big hickory score. I've got my eyes open for some. Got very little left. I'm starting to think the only hickory around me is on my lot and I'm not cutting them. Best wood, hands down.

 

[certified106]

That's a nice big hickory score. I've got my eyes open for some. Got very little left. I'm starting to think the only hickory around me is on my lot and I'm not cutting them. Best wood, hands down.

Yeah I hate to cut my hickory even though I love burning it. I didnt have to much choice on these trees though as two of them were growing over the garage and the other one was growing over the house driveway and garage. The next one to come down is a massive oak that has branches growing 15 foot over my roof. I figured it needs to come down since the branches were rubbing the roof and I really dont feel like having the roots destroy my driveway and foundation.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

For sure that is some great firewood. Oh how I wish we had some of those.

 

[Kenster]

I have many, many huge, tall pignut hickories on my property. I won't cut them but occasionally will lose one in a storm. My experience is that they need to be split as soon as they are bucked. I left half a dozen rounds unsplit for three years. When I finally tried to split them (by hand) those splits just laughed at my 10 pound maul and my Fiskars SS barely made only a slight impression in the end of the round. I even tried to noodle them with a freshly sharpened chain on my muffler modded Stihl MS390. The saw just threw a little bit of powder fine saw dust and would not cut more than about a quarter inch deep.
Hardest damn wood I've ever seen.

I gave up and just threw one of them in the stove on super cold nights with my overnight load. Must have burned for about 12 hours!
Great wood! Makes a nice supplement for the Pin and Water Oak which I burn almost exclusively.

 

[Woody Stover]

Well three of my Hickory trees are down and the limbs have been removed now for the last three which are bigger than these.

Wow, those are some big boys. Serious BTUs right there!
We've got a few of them here, but like you, I'd never cut them unless I had to; They're beautiful trees.

I have many, many huge, tall pignut hickories on my property. My experience is that they need to be split as soon as they are bucked

Glad to see this post about your experience with Pignut. On my way back from picking up my ATV trailer today, I drove past a property where I got a couple of Pignut several years ago. I saw a leaner and pulled in to check it out...looks like another Pignut. As I was wandering around looking at some other dead standing stuff, the lady returned home. She told me that she's been busy with other stuff and hasn't kept up with the yard/woodlot. I told her I'd come over when I got a chance and clean up a little bit. I'll get some pics to post here for wood IDs on other stuff she has, but I'd like to ask you about the drying time required for the Pignut. I don't guess it's one-year seasoning wood because it's so dense, but I'd like to be pleasantly surprised by your answer!
:cheese:

 

[Kenster]

Woody, I'm thinking at least two full years of great exposure, could be three if the tree is very fresh/green. It could easily take more time than oak.
To accelerate the process, you could try splitting it much smaller than usual. It should season quicker but because the wood is so dense, it will still be a great heat producer and remain a pretty slow burning wood for you.
That's just my two cents.

 

[Woody Stover]

Woody, I'm thinking at least two full years of great exposure, could be three if the tree is very fresh/green....but because the wood is so dense, it will still be a great heat producer and remain a pretty slow burning wood for you.

It has blown over, broke off at a rotted section near the base, so it's better than green. But I'll focus on other stuff there first, in hopes of having 3 homes including ours supplied with ready wood for next season. I'll get that Pig shortly and sit on it. I'll need to pack a lot of BTUs into the small firebox of the Keystone for hot overnight burns.
Thanks, Kenster.

 

[gyingling]

Save some chips to throw on the Bar B. They will make your hamburgers taste like bacon.

 

[woodsmaster]

I love hickery but only use it for the smoker. I have all the dead white ash I can use, so I cant justify using hickery as firewood right now.

 

[certified106]

Here is today's work and now we are ready for the splitter. That hickory sure can dull a chain quick.

 

[Pagey]

I love me some hickory. I didn't have any this season, unfortunately. However, I do have a little tight bark in the old hay barn that should be good in a year or two. We have quite a few on my grandmother's farm, but they are so nice to look at that it would be a shame to drop them without good cause.

 

[certified106]

Finally got 2 trailer loads split up before it started pouring. Probably have about 1/2 a cord or so left to go. This has been some very stringy stuff so far.

 

[Woody Stover]

cert, is that a 5x8' trailer? I've got one, but not really sure how much cordage a trailer load would be...

I was next door looking at the remaining trunk section of a blown over White Oak, and I saw a dead standing Shagbark not far away. I should be able to get that also. Hopefully the smaller branches are close to being dry...I'd love to burn a bit of Hickory this year!

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Absolutely a great score there-Hickory is like gold...I was at our compost/recycling center yesterday and spotted some in the tree branch pile; it was cut in short pieces but I took it and will give it to my brother-in-law who has a smaller stove. It was just lying there mixed in with branches-either no one saw it or they didn't know what it was but I jumped at the chance to grab it!

 

[certified106]

cert, is that a 5x8' trailer? I've got one, but not really sure how much cordage a trailer load would be...

I was next door looking at the remaining trunk section of a blown over White Oak, and I saw a dead standing Shagbark not far away. I should be able to get that also. Hopefully the smaller branches are close to being dry...I'd love to burn a bit of Hickory this year!

He trailer is 5x10 and the side rails are 16" tall. I stack the center of the trailer to 3.5' so I figure its about a cord to wood per load. Definitely grab that hickory, in my opinion its the best there is. I save mine for the coldest of weather and when its in rounds it will burn forever.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Certified, that is beautiful. It will keep you warm on those cold winter nights.