Suitable Woods for Pegs

[creekyphil]

I'm in the process of milling and gathering materials for a frame to go up in Central Maine.  Its well north of the oak line, and there is almost no locust around. There is lots of what is locally called rock maple, as well as lots of beech and a little hickory. Any opinions on which of these woods is best?  Am I better off just biting the bullet and buying white oak at the lumber yard?

[Dodgy Loner]

Hickory would be the best option from among the woods you have available. Do you intend to rive the pegs?

[Jim_Rogers]

As mentioned use the wood you have available. Hickory would be fine.

Jim Rogers

[jander3]

I, too, am a big fan of available.   I found that soaking 1" x 1" blanks (red oak) in a large tub of water was very helpful when it came time to make the pegs.

[Brad_bb]

Working them when they are still green is even better.  If you get to know a tree service guy, maybe he can call you when he's cutting down a hickory and get you green chunks to work?

[akchrish]

To piggyback on this...I am in Fairbanks, AK and while pegs are quite a ways down my materials list at this point I have thought about them some. The frame (when it happens) will be white spruce but the only other woods "available" here are black spruce, birch and some other poplar varieties. Soooo, I was thinking oak dowels or something along those lines? any thoughts?

cwh

[Jim_Rogers]

birch would do ok, I think....

[beenthere]

Birch should work just fine.
Getting ahold of some Alaska yellow cedar should work well too.
Shear and compression perpendicular to the grain is where the pegs will need their strength. Really most any wood should be adequate there.