Re: Hickory Market

solidwoods · November 14, 2003, 05:38:20 PM

Dail H.
Make all of it flooring (the top grades) sell what you don't need for the right price.
Are you kiln drying and machining it youself?
Low grades sell for barn fence lumber or use it to build.
JIM

dail_h · November 23, 2003, 10:26:26 AM

Well,I've gone and done it now. I sorta kinda mentioned that I might maybe sorta possibly be interested in a coupla the trees that blew down on the church grove during the storm if the church couldn't find a logger or wood dealer that wanted them. Got a call other day,I got all 36 trees,don't need but 'bout 500 ft for flooring. Anybody know of a market for hickory???

Tom · November 23, 2003, 10:33:13 AM

It makes beautiful cabinets for the kitchen. Also makes neat furniture. A minor use is cutting boards. Tool handles is a choice but you have to find the market. The tool handle blanks I've cut for folks were 5/4 or 6/4 x 3. Hickory makes a pretty good baseball bat.

With that many trees, I think I would be looking for a market in the cabinet business first. 4/4 and 5/5 are the most frequently used.

Bro. Noble · November 23, 2003, 12:57:48 PM

What you can't sell for better prices can be sold for ties and pallet stock. There used to be a buyer here that bought hickory grade lumber. You might ask if there is one in your area.

Larry · November 23, 2003, 05:26:47 PM

My squirrels and I like hickory but it seems nobody else shares our enthusiasm for the wood. Got a whole bunch of nice hickory trees marked for TSI to benefit the walnut and red oak but just can't bear to take them out unless I can find a user other than the pallet mill.

Noble I like your new image a lot better than the old one. ;D :D ;D

Bro. Noble · November 23, 2003, 06:08:17 PM

Larry,

I like it better too.

I'm not sure if 'The Big Guy' is getting worried about Santy Clause time or was getting pressure from some of my buddies or just was feeling guilty about being so mean to me :D

VA-Sawyer · November 23, 2003, 06:45:05 PM

Needs crosshairs :D

Ron Wenrich · November 23, 2003, 07:32:56 PM

There is also a veneer market for hickory logs. We've been selling hickory lumber in small lots to a number of wholesalers. They usually like a minimum of 1 Mbf and the demand is pretty steady.

dail_h · November 24, 2003, 07:26:26 PM

   Hey thanks guysfor the info. Checked the veneer market,no good here,some of these guys are pretty big,40 + ins.
   The plan is to mill myself if I can get a mill in time,if not, get someone to saw them for me ,and dry in a homemade solar kiln,machine myself.
   I'm going to try to start moving them tomorrow A M have to work 2 nd shift this week.

Larry · November 25, 2003, 02:44:08 PM

Dail,
Think you got a good plan. Most of the big cabinet builders have a line of hickory cabinets now and I gather they are selling pretty well. I also like hickory floors.

I haven't had a lot of success with hickory. Couple of logs got hickory worms because I let them lay to long. Hard to saw especially if frozen. Got a little sticker stain on the first load I dried in the solar kiln. Think it needs to dry fast. Also got more warp than usual. Don't know if that was my fault or the nature of hickory. The end result was worth the effort but would like to do a better job.

Anybody with hickory experience speak up and give us some ideas.

Tom · November 25, 2003, 04:24:12 PM

I've been told that I am full of beans but I got the best results air drying hickory if I cut it 5/4. Because that seemed like a waste, I started thinning the boards out. When I got below 1 1/8th I started getting cup and warp again. I'd say keep it above 1 1/8th. 'course many of my boards are in excess of 8 inches and generally run from 12 to 16.

I also have gotten better luck by air drying in an open shed. I put it in my pole barn. That hickory that I tried to dry out in the field, spalted and some ruined. It needs a really good cover to keep the water out of the stack.

Oh! As difficult a wood as it is to cut, I didn't make any effort to quarter saw but rather took it as I could get it. The boards that are balanced with the center of grain in the center of the board, naturally works better.

Dave_Fullmer · November 25, 2003, 06:00:45 PM

I talked to a small mill owner in NW KY yesterday who cuts handle blanks. He says that straight grain, no knots blanks 2 x 1 3/4 by 40 in. will bring $1.00. He doesn't do any drying. He also says he is starting to have problems buying the logs.

His set up was real interesting. He cuts the logs to length, then splits them down the middle, run s them sideways on a conveyor to a rip circle blade saw with a table that moves the half log through the saw. The blade is about 40 in dia and the table moves on wheels on a track. Would like to find one like it to cut slab ends down for resawing for pallets.

Dave