Hackberry

[homesteader1972]

I will be sawing a couple of hackberry's next week. I've never sawn one, how do they saw? They are not very big, maybe 14" on the butt.

Thanks much

[Kcwoodbutcher]

No problem, pretty much like red oak, maybe even a little softer.  It does have some cross grain but not as much as elm ( same family ) so be careful drying it. I've never really had much problem though.

[kelLOGg]

Ditto for me. I just finished a short hackberry about 10" dia with no problems. I have read to sticker it quickly after sawing.

[WDH]

I see a lot of stress in small hackberry.  Then there is the drying stress from the spiral grain.  At least here in GA, I find it one of the most difficult woods to deal with.  Pretty, though. 

[drobertson]

only sawed a few, they were big ones close to 18" small end 18' long,  sawed great, dried twisted from what I heard,

[homesteader1972]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm sawing these for a customers customer. Considering they are two small trees, how should I recommend they stack and dry? 2 or 3 ft wide stack and lots of weight? Maybe use plywood stickers (would hackberry stickers twist and warp?)? If twist is bad should I recommend 5/4 instead of 4/4?

Thanks much 

[drobertson]

Lots of stickers, not sure on thickness, depends on the end use I reckon,  the ones I sawed were for trailer decking, they should have been installed green from what I have been told.  I've been told sticker and weight down, and hope for the best.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

Definitely go 5/4.

[WDH]

Hackberry will gray stain on you, so a narrow stack, dry stickers 1" thick for better airflow, and some weight on top will help.  That is about all you can do.  The rest is up to the wood and how it decides to behave 

[Bill Gaiche]

I sawed a tree from my yard last year.  About 20" butt. Air dried it for a couple of months and then into kiln. Some of it did twist. Seems that some of it that ended up on the 1/4 sawn side behaved better. I would saw it a little extra thick so that you can joint and plane it into some straight lumber. Built grand daughter a dresser from it and it turned out very good. Weight surely would help. bg

[mesquite buckeye]

My Missouri hackberry usually dries just fine.

The only small hackberry I cut in AZ (different hackberry species) turned into a cobra. Wish I had taken a picture. :(

[homesteader1972]

Thanks for all the input fellows. Like I said, I am sawing it for a customers customer, so I will pass all this great info on in hopes they listen.

Thanks again!