So I think I scored Hickory...

[BlueMule]

Downed tree from way before we bought the house. The bark looks like the other live standing hickory on my property. But I have no experience with cutting hickory. What do the experts think?

 

[BlueMule]

Some parts have decent bark, other parts the bark drops right off when split with an axe, other parts the wood is very punky under the bark.

 

[bigbarf48]

Looks like red oak to me. What's it smell like?

 

[BlueMule]

It's a big 'un

 

[BlueMule]

Kind of sweet. Unfortunately I'm too new to the wood harvesting to know what oak and hickory will smell like.

Looks like red oak to me. What's it smell like?

 

[bigbarf48]

To me red oak smells like vinegar. Some will say manure but I usually get the vinegar smell out of red (pin oak does smell like manure to me)

How'd it split?

 

[Hogwildz]

Looks like red oak to me also. I equate the smell of oak to stanky socks.

 

[Soundchasm]

I don't know my oaks since I don't have any, but I'm missing the "X" pattern in the bark for pignut or bitternut hickory. Here's bitternut.

 

[nrford]

That is Red Oak for sure.

 

[BobUrban]

Oak IMO too. Red - and good stuff on par with hickory so no loss in BTU's there - just longer to dry.

Smell and actually taste will help identify many woods as your experience grows. Oak will have a funky smell and be distinct no matter what your nose says dirty socks, vinegar, sweet, etc.. it will also be bitter from the tannins. It will also commonly punk like that in the sap wood if it has been dead for some time but not a big deal as that heart wood is wood heat gold in two-three years.

 

[BlueMule]

The limbs that were 6-10" O.D. split relatively easily, even with my dull Kobalt ax. But the lengths that were 10-12"O.D. or so would take a couple of hits. 13-14"O.D. and up and the ax was literally bouncing off the wood. The wife started chuckling after the third time this happened.

To me red oak smells like vinegar. Some will say manure but I usually get the vinegar smell out of red (pin oak does smell like manure to me)

How'd it split?

 

[BlueMule]

The prospect of hickory was exciting as to add to the experience of working with it, but I'll make do with oak.

That is Red Oak for sure.

Oak IMO too. Red - and good stuff on par with hickory so no loss in BTU's there - just longer to dry.

Smell and actually taste will help identify many woods as your experience grows. Oak will have a funky smell and be distinct no matter what your nose says dirty socks, vinegar, sweet, etc.. it will also be bitter from the tannins. It will also commonly punk like that in the sap wood if it has been dead for some time but not a big deal as that heart wood is wood heat gold in two-three years.

 

[razerface]

sure doesn't look like red oak bark to me,,,, ohio red oak bark is smoother then that

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Another vote for some type of Oak.....

 

[Chicken Farmer]

+1 for some kind of oak

 

[Applesister]

If it aint't Red Oak I'll eat Hogwildz stinky socks.
Looks like 2 cords easy...nice winter project. Does the wife have a saw?
I make campsites out of those spots. You can harvest wood all winter from that one location.
Winter fun.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

sure doesn't look like red oak bark to me,,,, ohio red oak bark is smoother then that

Perhaps you have some pin oak? That has a smoother bark than red oak, even if it is in the same family. Here is one pin oak that died.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Too dark for Hickory. Splits straight probably red oak.

 

[moody]

red oak

 

[bassJAM]

Some parts have decent bark, other parts the bark drops right off when split with an axe, other parts the wood is very punky under the bark.

I had a tree that was rotting on the outsides like this a few years ago. Some local tree experts identified it as hickory, but the inner wood was lighter colored than that. The bark was completely gone so I'm no help there. I did split off those "punky" parts from every log and let them dry separately. After a year they made great kindling so I wouldn't let them go to waste.