Took my mill out of winter storage.... set it up.

Okrafarmer · March 21, 2012, 01:48:44 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on March 21, 2012, 08:50:30 AM
What a feeling to be sawing. Now we can say I know spring is here because cutterboy took his mill out. I only have one shag bark hickory. I say only one. I have 3 stems from one stump.

The nuts are edible and not as hard to crack for Shagbark as for some of them. My dad has a lot of shagbarks in Kentucky, and he built a crank-screw nut cracker just for them.

cutterboy · March 21, 2012, 08:35:26 PM

Quote from: Magicman on March 21, 2012, 08:45:05 AM
The only thing I like about sawing Hickory is when I finish. :-\

:D :D :D :D :D Magic, I now know what you mean.

Magicman · March 21, 2012, 08:56:48 PM

Kinda like the old joke about always saying something good about the dead. He is dead....good.

When you finish sawing Hickory, you are finished.

fat olde elf · March 21, 2012, 09:42:46 PM

Nice tractor Cutterboy....I am able to saw year round in Piedmont area of NC. A little nippy in the winter (not this year) and a little warm in the summer. I am forced to keep my mill in the shade because of my meds. Found that out the hard way. I seldom disagree with WDH and MM but I have had good luck with sawing and finishing Shagbark Hickory. Yes, it will cup a little(?) while drying........Worked up 12 stair treds and installed them with my wife's blessing. One benefit is that you don't have to worry about tapping them in place as hickory just doesn't show hammer marks or dents. (hard ?) Say your prayers.

WDH · March 21, 2012, 10:29:41 PM

Paul,

I have been awaiting to see a pic of those treads

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Magicman · March 21, 2012, 10:38:17 PM

Hickory is a very beautiful wood with the streaks, etc. It is just my "unfavorite" to saw. Pignut Hickory is the kind that we have, so I have never seen Shagbark Hickory.

WDH · March 21, 2012, 10:52:08 PM

Shagbark (there are three species) is more shade intolerant than most of the other hickories. As a result, shagbark is the very best of the hickories to saw for lumber as it tends to self prune better and have better log form. However, it is not found very often in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, so you are out of luck, Magicman. Your hickory will be mockernut and pignut, and they are more vexing. The pecan hickories like bitternut, water hickory, and true pecan are the most unstable and the hardest to dry straight. Plus, the powderpost beetles absolutely love any and all hickories. It is ice cream to them.

But, there are just hard. They don't have the bad attitude that sweetgum has. I will take hard over a bad attitude every time

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