I ♥ Hickories

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Last week I just finished picking up a nice score of Shagbark Hickory! It was a nice find after two failed Craigslist ads. One had about 25 Red Maple and Locust logs, no reply. The second I messaged after 2 days and they already had half of their 30"+ sugar maple rounds shipped off. They responded to come pick it up but never sent the address.

Finally this lady with the Hickory was nice and really responsive. I felt bad having to coordinate four days for 6 bed loads. She almost had another guy come one day but she asked if I would take it all (of course said yes) and she held it for me. I had to add about 25mi on my commute to get it but I think it was worth it. I'm estimating about just under 1 cord. It was about 22" x 30' + 15" x 8' (24" dbh). Does that look right?

This stuff is great! I needed a wedge to split most of them but the halves split with 1 or two hits. It was about 5 wacks with the 8lb sledge and a few maul hits from the bottom side to get most of the rounds in half. It was cut in February so there was a little bit of punk in one log. How soon do I need to get this split and stacked before any starts going bad? Most of it is in quarters already. The bottom layer is all resting on bark. I'm going to have to move my stacks around quite a bit to fit this all on pallets and under the tarp. Then it will season for winter 2019-2020.

 

[redktmrider]

I been working on hickory and oak that was logged in October 2016. It seems like the stuff I'm working on is good as long as the barks still on.
On the other hand, the sooner you get it split and stacked, the sooner its going to be dry.

 

[Sodbuster]

That will make beautiful firewood, well worth it! I cut up a Shagbark that was in front of my house by the gravel road. Well, let me tell you, the tree was probably 75-100 years old, and in that time a good bit of gravel had been flung into the bark, and eventually the tree. I would be cutting along and would see a few sparks, and voila toasted chain. I thing I had to sharpen about 8 chains on that log. The sooner you get is CSS, the fewer beetles you will get that push sawdust out of their burrows.

 

[Woody5506]

Helped my Uncle this summer take down some shag barks, what a bear they are on saw blades. Seems pretty worth it though. One was standing dead so I could probably burn it winter '18. I split the dead stuff this past weekend, and a lot of the bark fell off so I threw it in the fire pit. Had a big pile of just the bark and torched it last night, I couldn't believe how long and hot just the bark burned.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Man that is a great score, Hickory is awesome fuelwood! Is it all Shagbark or is there some Shellbark mixed in there, looks like there might be some in the picture of the whole logs, but they are all awesome, great job!

 

[BenTN]

Love the shagbark. Great bbq wood and great btus, one of the best burning hickories IMO. I have always heard that hickory will rot fast on the ground. Get css'd asap and give a couple years in the stacks you will be warm come 2019.

Lots of folks round here make hickory syrup from shagbarks. There are several recipes online. They use the bark, roast and boil. I tried making once and it turned out decent.

 

[Lakeside]

"I ♥ Hickories" and so do the bugs. My experience has been lots of bug dust. Sorry to be a real buzz kill.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

That will make beautiful firewood, well worth it! I cut up a Shagbark that was in front of my house by the gravel road. Well, let me tell you, the tree was probably 75-100 years old, and in that time a good bit of gravel had been flung into the bark, and eventually the tree. I would be cutting along and would see a few sparks, and voila toasted chain. I thing I had to sharpen about 8 chains on that log. The sooner you get is CSS, the fewer beetles you will get that push sawdust out of their burrows.

I had the exact same experience! These logs had rolled all around in the gravel and there were rocks all worked into the bark. I had to strip most of the bark off and then brush it down with a sweep before cutting. The first trip I killed the chain and I had to resharpen.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Man that is a great score, Hickory is awesome fuelwood! Is it all Shagbark or is there some Shellbark mixed in there, looks like there might be some in the picture of the whole logs, but they are all awesome, great job!

It was all the same tree. I'm just guessing shagbark by the bark and the tree company told the lady the same thing.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Helped my Uncle this summer take down some shag barks, what a bear they are on saw blades. Seems pretty worth it though. One was standing dead so I could probably burn it winter '18. I split the dead stuff this past weekend, and a lot of the bark fell off so I threw it in the fire pit. Had a big pile of just the bark and torched it last night, I couldn't believe how long and hot just the bark burned.

I tried to help clean up the sawdust and bark but there was just too much. I have one Lowe's lawn bag filled of mostly just bark and another of 1/2 bark half sawdust. There was still about 30gal of sawdust and bark left. I didn't really know what to do with it and it was 10pm. I don't know if there is a way to season the bark but probably not worth it...

 

[Rangerbait]

I tried to help clean up the sawdust and bark but there was just too much. I have one Lowe's lawn bag filled of mostly just bark and another of 1/2 bark half sawdust. There was still about 30gal of sawdust and bark left. I didn't really know what to do with it and it was 10pm. I don't know if there is a way to season the bark but probably not worth it...

I felled a few Shagbarks this past winter that were still living, and burned some of the bark about a month later...do not throw that stuff away!

 

[Soundchasm]

Hickory is damn sexy wood. I've done Pignut and Bitternut, and there's no downside to this stuff. Burns great, coals great, smells great. Well, other than the undeniable 24 month seasoning time, and the fact hickory will take on water if it's in contact with the ground - the end. I swear on my honor I split a bunch of hickory rounds that were wringing wet, and I thought they were recently live cut. The owner told me they were two years old!! Well, they were super heavy, but after they dried, they were substantially punked.

GET HICKORY SPLIT AND OFF THE GROUND ASAP.

It'll fill up and hold water like a kitchen sponge otherwise.

Super jealous!!

 

[Woody5506]

I tried to help clean up the sawdust and bark but there was just too much. I have one Lowe's lawn bag filled of mostly just bark and another of 1/2 bark half sawdust. There was still about 30gal of sawdust and bark left. I didn't really know what to do with it and it was 10pm. I don't know if there is a way to season the bark but probably not worth it...

Not sure I'd go out of my way specifically to fuss with the bark but if it falls off and you have the time then it might make for some good kindling. It seemed to flame up pretty quick in my fire pit, but this stuff was mostly dead too. I have another bunch to pick up at my Uncle's house to split so I'll probably make more of an effort to keep the bark this time and try it out in the stove for kindling. or maybe that syrup idea someone mentioned!

 

[Sodbuster]

Last week I just finished picking up a nice score of Shagbark Hickory! It was a nice find after two failed Craigslist ads. One had about 25 Red Maple and Locust logs, no reply. The second I messaged after 2 days and they already had half of their 30"+ sugar maple rounds shipped off. They responded to come pick it up but never sent the address.

Finally this lady with the Hickory was nice and really responsive. I felt bad having to coordinate four days for 6 bed loads. She almost had another guy come one day but she asked if I would take it all (of course said yes) and she held it for me. I had to add about 25mi on my commute to get it but I think it was worth it. I'm estimating about just under 1 cord. It was about 22" x 30' + 15" x 8' (24" dbh). Does that look right?

This stuff is great! I needed a wedge to split most of them but the halves split with 1 or two hits. It was about 5 wacks with the 8lb sledge and a few maul hits from the bottom side to get most of the rounds in half. It was cut in February so there was a little bit of punk in one log. How soon do I need to get this split and stacked before any starts going bad? Most of it is in quarters already. The bottom layer is all resting on bark. I'm going to have to move my stacks around quite a bit to fit this all on pallets and under the tarp. Then it will season for winter 2019-2020.

VCS, all I can add to this is to wear a helmet and face shield. Those pieces of bark that make it "shag" will come loose and your saw will send them flying. I got nailed right in the face, fortunately, I was wearing my face shield.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I really don't like hickory, bugs galore, dust everywhere, and in an EPA unit its good for shoulder season but sucks when its cold out. It has a lot of btu's but takes a long time to release them. I call it a warm fire. Not hot like most other woods. I actually stay away from hickory unless I need some for the smoker.

 

[NateH]

That's a great score! I have a date with a Red Oak on Monday!

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Well..six weeks later I'm still getting this stuff split. About 2hr a week is all I've had time for. I've pretty much maxed out my pallet space with a double layer stack 9'x5'. So including the cross stack it is at 0.94 cord and counting! More than I guessed. There is still about 6-8 full rounds left and a dozen big uglies. I've started burning so maybe I'll burn up my 1/4 cord shed wood and then rearrange some space. The rounds are keeping pretty well on the ground with a tarp cover so they may last until Jan/February when some space opens up.

 

[Soundchasm]

Well..six weeks later I'm still getting this stuff split. About 2hr a week is all I've had time for. I've pretty much maxed out my pallet space with a double layer stack 9'x5'. So including the cross stack it is at 0.94 cord and counting! More than I guessed. There is still about 6-8 full rounds left and a dozen big uglies. I've started burning so maybe I'll burn up my 1/4 cord shed wood and then rearrange some space. The rounds are keeping pretty well on the ground with a tarp cover so they may last until Jan/February when some space opens up.

Man, that's a good looking stack. I've had three Hickory events and only by the last one did I accept the 24 month seasoning time, and that was split small. Can't believe you do that by hand.

Just lay down some 2x4s or something and put the rounds on that. Hickory is crazy when it comes to moisture. You'll swear it's hygroscopic!

 

[Sodbuster]

Man, that's a good looking stack. I've had three Hickory events and only by the last one did I accept the 24 month seasoning time, and that was split small. Can't believe you do that by hand.

Just lay down some 2x4s or something and put the rounds on that. Hickory is crazy when it comes to moisture. You'll swear it's hygroscopic!

If you don't have pallets, you can always cut some 2" saplings to stack in on to at least get it off the ground.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Man, that's a good looking stack. I've had three Hickory events and only by the last one did I accept the 24 month seasoning time, and that was split small. Can't believe you do that by hand.
Just lay down some 2x4s or something and put the rounds on that. Hickory is crazy when it comes to moisture. You'll swear it's hygroscopic!

Other than the uglies it was no trouble at all. The straight rounds are almost as easy as straight ash or red maple. It cracks very easily at the edge of the heartwood.

If you don't have pallets, you can always cut some 2" saplings to stack in on to at least get it off the ground.

I like this idea the best. I've spent all my spare 2x4's on the rack in the backyard. I'll just push the rounds to the side and lay down a bunch of logs underneath.

 

[Sodbuster]

Other than the uglies it was no trouble at all. The straight rounds are almost as easy as straight ash or red maple. It cracks very easily at the edge of the heartwood.



I like this idea the best. I've spent all my spare 2x4's on the rack in the backyard. I'll just push the rounds to the side and lay down a bunch of logs underneath.

I dried a load of Cherry like this over the summer. I cut it in early spring, and CSS it on some saplings on the driveway, single row with a layer of tar paper over the top. Went to re-stack it this fall, and a fresh split had dried to 17%. It's still for next year, but it shows you how having it off the ground and the top protected from moisture can help speed things along.