Hackberry worth sawing?

[rfalk]

I have the opportunity to get a Hackberry tree, about 18" DBH and two good saw logs...worth sawing? What is Hackberry used for?

Thanks, bob

[WDH]

It has spiral interlocked grain, being in the elm family, and it will want to twist and warp as it dries.  It has a pretty grain and is pretty hard, just tough to dry and keep straight.

It is considered pallet wood around here.

[Reddog]

We use it for Snow shoes. It bends better than Ash. Looks the same with a little stain.
It was also used in levelers for horse teams.

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

There are many "high-cull-rate woods" which are beautiful, but are on the borderline
of not being worthwhile.    In other words, if you have huge amounts of better logs
to saw, or if you have a full docket of paid customer sawmilling to do, you might not
choose to saw these debatable woods.

Here are a few:  American Elm,  Hackberry, Sweetgum, Mulberry, Black Oak (Jack Oak,
Bluejack Oak).

I have sawed them all, but I do so with the expectation or a mix of distruction and beauty.
;)
PHil L.

[Kansas]

I am kind of suprised on the negative comments on hackberry. We cut, dry, and sell a fair amount of it for both paint grade and regular use-it makes a beautiful floor. As long as the logs are straight and free of knots, we havent had any trouble drying it straight. At one time, hackberry brought up to 60 cents a board foot in the log. The markets seem to have vanished for it though. The last year, loggers have been hauling us hackberry for pallet prices. Most of them dont bother cutting them. I really hate cutting prime butt cut logs for pallet. One thing-hackberry doesnt have a long life in the log. If you leave the logs lay for about a month or so before you cut them up, the lumber will have some dark streaks. Thats what some of our customers want. If you want the white wood to stay white, you have to cut them almost immediately.

[WDH]

Hackberry is also bad to oxidize with gray stain as well when the fresh cut lumber is exposed to air.  A forester associated with a large hardwood sawmill that I have worked with told me that they are focused on getting it into the kiln the same day that it is cut to minimize the gray stain.  Maybe that only occurs here in the deep South, but it is something to keep in mind.

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

WDH,
Guess you have never heard my trade name for sap stained Sweetgum.
It's "Steel Magnolia."  Finish it clear and unstained as a pleasant gray.

(Well, if some folks can call Cottonwood "Poplar,"  guess I can make up
a name for gray stained Sweetgum.)

Phil L.                         P.S.  What was that mill kiln drying the HackB for?

[ARKANSAWYER]

  I like cutting hackberry.  Do not find it so bad to dry but gray stain is a problem.  Most of mine I spalt any way and make paneling out of it.  Have made fire place mantels and inside benches out of it.  It is good for tables as it is light when dry and takes finishes well.  Looks like a very white ash and spalts fast and easy.

[sawmilllawyer]

Personally I like Hackberry, if ya can't dry it straight it well for firewood. But once it is down it gets a stain very quick, some say gray my experience  has been  light green streaks type of stain in the white wood. 

[rfalk]

Thanks for all the replies....I like the spalting....maybe I will procrastinate (easy to do) and let the fungi do its work.

Bob

[WDH]

WDH,
Guess you have never heard my trade name for sap stained Sweetgum.
It's "Steel Magnolia."  Finish it clear and unstained as a pleasant gray.

(Well, if some folks can call Cottonwood "Poplar,"  guess I can make up
a name for gray stained Sweetgum.)

Phil L.                         P.S.  What was that mill kiln drying the HackB for?

Phil,

Not sure what the market was for hackberry.  The company was T&S Hardwoods.  They have mills in Milledgeville and between Chauncey and McRae (the McRae mill used to be a GP hardwood veneer mill.  I think after T&S bought it they called it Silvan Hardwoods with a cherrybark oak lead as a logo.  Is it still there?).  Also one in Silva, NC. 

I will have to try that gray-stained Steel Magnolia ;D.