What are these big pieces?

[mmartone]

Got these from a friend of mine, they are supposed to be hickory...



 



 



 

[WDH]

Yep.  Definitely.  Looks like pignut or bitternut as the bark is rather on the smooth side.

[mmartone]

Cool, thank you, now I have another kind of wood to saw!

[Okrafarmer]

They look like the right length of logs to make tool handle blanks out of. You can also make drum sticks out of them, if you are so inclined.

Or just flooring. . . .

[mmartone]

What would I do with that many axe/slege hammer handles? Flooring huh...

[WDH]

Remember, powderpost beetles love hickory  .

[Dave Shepard]

When I first started sawing I mistakenly put a pignut hickory on the mill thinking it was ash. After I figured out my mistake, I promptly took it off. It has a bit of the  in it.

[mmartone]

So what do we use to kill them?

[ely]

i usually just let them eat until they are full. :laugh:

[Tree Feller]

So what do we use to kill them?

A borate product will keep them out of new wood. I use Timbor but I think WDH has a home-brew product he uses. If the wood is already infested...heat, like in a kiln.

[doctorb]

Or like an OWB.   ;D ;D

[proteus]

I have about 6 'shag bark' Hickory trees in the yard. Do I have to worry about the little critters?

The deer and squirrel love the kickory nuts!

[WDH]

proteus,

You do not have to worry about the powderpost beetles because they only infest the wood once the boards have been cut and dried.  They will not bother the living trees. 

mmartone,

Spraying the green boards with a solution of a borate salt (Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate) mixed with water will prevent infestation of powderpost beetles.  It is essentially borax dissolved in water.

[mmartone]

I cut one of these logs today... After I had some friends over to organize, restack and sticker all my piles, cleaned up and moved the mill close to the stacks. We cut the smallest of the four logs, pretty wood but, I did notice that the wood smelled like farm animals, is this normal?

We sprayed all the lumber, both sides with borax, thanks for that tip too.



 

[Okrafarmer]

ooo, I think you're going to want some stickers in the middle of that stack, too! And maybe a third support under the middle.   ;)

[mmartone]

I sure could, but that stacks only about 4 feet long.

[beenthere]

Like Okra says, you need to support the center of the pile. Or take the consequences, which may be ok with what you are after.  ;)

Hard to say what you compare to animal smell vs. hickory smell. I think most people really smell things differently.  Now oak, that can take on some bacteria that has a smell all its own.

Edit:
Not sure why I got sidetracked onto this stack being walnut.  :

[mmartone]

Ok, I understand and will add another block and stickers. Is it because it will warp without? Remember I dont know anything about this stuff except what you guys teach me. I fix marine diesels and generators for a living.

[Okrafarmer]

You want to put the stickers as evenly as possible. Your four stickers per layer may be enough if you spread them out evenly. One on each end and then put the two middle ones to where they partition it off evenly.  if the boards are around 48" long, then that should give you a sticker every 15 inches or so. And add your third support in the middle.

Hickory is a devilish wood, it will warp and twist a good bit sometimes. I might also recommend putting three cinder blocks on top of the stack, too. That will add weight to the top boards and keep them under control better.

Nice looking lumber, by the way! 

[Okrafarmer]

However, if you want to make something curved, like wagon wheels, chair backs, etc, you could just let it go however.  :D :D :D :D ;D