Biggest hickory yet !

Seaman · January 07, 2015, 06:37:33 AM

I am slabbing this hickory, 36 in x 15.6 feet. Talk about hard !
Some enterprising young nailed something to this tree, every couple years for 50 years. :'(

clww · January 07, 2015, 06:42:25 AM

Beautiful pictures.

I'll bet it's hard like a rock.

TimGA · January 07, 2015, 06:46:44 AM

Really NICE.
Tim

WDH · January 07, 2015, 07:56:17 AM

I cringed when I read the title of this thread.

drobertson · January 07, 2015, 09:02:48 AM

that is a big ole hickory! been years since seeing one that large, an old pecan in Cerro Gorda , NC

sealark37 · January 07, 2015, 09:42:51 AM

From what I have seen, sawing a hickory that size is nearly impossible on a portable bandsaw. A hickory half that size will make a circle mill cry the blues. The boards from a hickory are almost too heavy to use as boards. I suppose that is why most go to the stove. Regards, Clark

logboy · January 07, 2015, 09:45:25 AM

Based on the smaller one I milled into lumber earlier this winter, I'd say you're getting only one pass per chain before you have to swap or sharpen. Still, I'd love to have one of those for a personal table.

GAmillworker · January 07, 2015, 02:30:37 PM

That is as beautiful as it is hard.

Seaman · January 07, 2015, 06:39:14 PM

Logboy, you are almost correct. I got two cuts, but just barely! It actually cut real nice, I cut most 2 1/2in, and a few 3 in. After it drys we will figure out shipping to your place.
I am wondering how bad it will check while drying? End coated and stickered of course.
FRank

POSTON WIDEHEAD · January 07, 2015, 06:43:38 PM

I'll bet theres a little weight involved.

WDH · January 07, 2015, 08:20:46 PM

mikeb1079 · January 07, 2015, 09:48:02 PM

man oh man that's beautiful. here's to hoping you have better luck with those slabs than i did with the hickory i've milled!! :'(

logboy · January 08, 2015, 01:48:05 AM

Quote from: Seaman on January 07, 2015, 06:39:14 PM
Logboy, you are almost correct. I got two cuts, but just barely! It actually cut real nice, I cut most 2 1/2in, and a few 3 in. After it drys we will figure out shipping to your place.
I am wondering how bad it will check while drying? End coated and stickered of course.
FRank

Unless you have access to a vacuum kiln, slow is the way to go on slabs, at least until you get it down to the teens in MC. Keep it out of the sun, and make sure it gets a bit of airflow (but dont go crazy). I'd put a few hundred pounds of weight on top as well. A couple 50 pound blocks every two feet will help a lot to keep it flat (more wont hurt).

Remember, cracks and splits in a slab can be highlighted and turned into features when you make it into a table. If it warps and twists badly you just have an expensive piece of firewood. (Ask me how I know.) I hope you set it up and slabbed it exactly parallel to the pith or you could have some warping issues down the line.

I'm wondering if it will dry like white oak slabs in a way. In the first thirty days it gets nasty looking surface checks all over and you swear you made firewood. Eventually the core starts to catch up and all the little surface checks disappear. If you see a bunch of surface checks right away, it might not be reason to panic.

Sounds like that cut like the hard maple I'm in the middle of. I'm barely getting two slabs per chain. I even debarked it so I know its not dirt. I really need to finish it and get through some customer's logs but the windchill hasnt been above zero all week. Our high temp today was -5. The windchill was -35.