Maybe biting off more than I can chew.

[OzarkChris]

I'm really a newbie when it comes to bandsaw mills in fact, my first mill is still in the process of being built. I know wood, have worked a good majority of domestic species and maybe 1/4 of the exotics and have milled with a 22" CSM before I picked up the HM126 - 9.5hp was all I could afford (what momma would let me spend)  :D. Anyway, we are building a new house on our property and had to remove a dozen or so trees. My wife really wants me to start on the hickory so she can use it in the house. Now the issue, I've seen and read almost everything that a search for hickory on this site has to offer. What I see most frequently is "use it for firewood", "it will continue moving long after you are dead", "really hard on equipment", etc. I did become fairly proficient with the CSM but only for slabbing - for example, I'm having a hard time visualizing how to 1/4 saw a log with this new mill.

What I don't see is how to mill the hickory so the issues might be minimized. As I stated earlier, momma (wife) wants hickory slabs, not firewood! Happy wife, happy life!

Any thoughts, tips, tricks that this newbie can use before I get started? Hickory trees are 30" or less (most under 20") and mostly straight
(I do understand I'll have to break out the chainsaw for more than just bucking it down to 8'on the larger ones, and I do have some good ripping chains).

BTW I'm no spring chicken either. 

Any help would be a true blessing!

Thanks in advance!

[Crusarius]

I have had better luck cutting hickory than I have spruce. I think I am an exception on this site. Of all the hickory I have cut I have not noticed what you talk about with alot of movement. Of course there are some pieces that twist like crazy, but overall I do not have many that are that bad.

I honestly am not sure why so many ppl are against hickory, I love the wood and love the character so the work to me is more than worth it.

[GAB]

OC:
I've heard some say hickory is mother nature's air filter, because of the grittyness of the bark.
To me hickory saws well, however you need to change blade more frequently.
Here I have both bitternut and shagbark.  Ive sawed both and recommend you have a good supply of sharp blades.
Wishing you the best,
GAB

[Crusarius]

One thing that I found entertaining was the sparks coming off the blade sawing through the shagbark. Really hard bark with lots of stuff embedded in it.

[Magicman]

One thing that I found entertaining was the sparks

That would be "dull" entertainment.  :D

[Brad_bb]

Make sure you have bands for cutting hardwood.  I am not familiar with the bands available for the HM126, but I can tell you that I have a Woodmizer LT15 19hp, and for hardwood, I need to use Woodmizer's 4° band.  Any higher angle band and the could would be too aggressive for the 19hp engine.  The 4° is like 1st gear in a transmission, a granny gear.  It is less aggressive so that  the bite matches the power available.  IT's not just the degree but also the kerf width, and profile.  So for your mill you need the mfg to tell you what band to use.  

Another big tip at least for Woodmizer's is making sure your drive belt tension is set correctly to prevent wavy cuts.  I don't know if the HM126 works the same way or not?

Lastly, prepare lumber pallets and stickers.  Stack and sticker on pallets right off the mill.  I'm assuming you have a machine with forks to move pallets with I hope?  Make your lumber  standard lengths.  I have lumber pallets that are 4ft, 6ft, and 8ft.  I cut my logs/boards to 8'3", 6'3", and 4'3".  Some guys cut to the extra 6".  This extra is for trim after drying to reduce end checks.  If you have boards in between the standard lengths for whatever reason, you can mix them in the appropriate pallet by alternating full length boards with the slightly shorter ones.

For Hickory slabs, add to your final target thickness the amount it will shrink, plus enough extra to machine off to get it flat.  For Ash, Walnut, and cherry slabs I add 1/2"-3/4".  For the hickory I'd add at least 3/4"-1".  Remember you have to flatten both sides.  So that's have the extra per side.

Also Air dry your slabs down to ambient conditions, then kiln dry them.  Then get them flattened.  There are more and more people with slab flatter machines these days.

[OzarkChris]

Thanks to all of you for the advise. I'm hoping to have the mill put together by the end if this week (unless something keeps me from it again )

I'll get some pics when I start milling.

[Magicman]

My wife really wants me to start on the hickory so she can use it in the house.

I would not start on something that would be your final product.  Since this will be your first experience with a band sawmill, start by sawing some junker logs.  Get some mistakes experience under your belt.  Enjoy.

[Tom K]

I've sawn a few hickory logs (Bitternut Hickory) and have not noticed anything out of the ordinary. I am running a 10 deg. band in a slightly larger mill and other then going a little slower then in maple or cherry there wasn't much difference.

I can't saw wood movement has been any worse then anything else either. Granted my log pile was my firewood pile until I got the mill so none of my logs were top quality.

As far as quarter sawing, I think the woodmizer method would work the best on a smaller manual mill. You can see how in the link below (if it works)

How To Quarter Saw Lumber | Wood-Mizer USA

[GAB]

My wife really wants me to start on the hickory so she can use it in the house.

I would not start on something that would be your final product.  Since this will be your first experience with a band sawmill, start by sawing some junker logs.  Get some mistakes experience under your belt.  Enjoy.

MM:
That is a very good suggestion.  I would suggest yard grown Colorado Blue Spruce as a good species to start with.
Except for probably better stability and wood behavior I do not know if you gain anything by Q'sawing hickory.
Depending on the diameter of the log (if I was sawing it) I might try for 3 or 5 boards from the center, then take 3 or 5 boards from the center of each of the two remaining pieces.
There are numerous ways of q'sawing and depending on your equipment and the size of the logs, one method may be best for you.
GAB

[jpassardi]

To reduce warping/movement when slabbing, center the pith parallel to the bed so you cut parallel to it.
In Hickory or similar I would then also cut the pith out of the middle slab before stickering. This will give you 2 half slabs rather than 1 which is now half the width but the quality of the dried slab will go from poor/split/wavy to very stable/highest quality as it's vertical grain. You could glue back together after drying or leave them as 1 side live edge.

[moodnacreek]

One thing that I found entertaining was the sparks coming off the blade sawing through the shagbark. Really hard bark with lots of stuff embedded in it.

Hickory is often more work. If it is going on sticks for any amount of time it must be sprayed or it will become infested with p.p.b. Also it is a white wood so staining is an issue. Like hard maple it must be handled professionally if it is intended for finish work. Colored woods can withstand poor handling and be clean up later but never any white hardwoods. Any hickory here goes out as dump truck side boards.. To saw wide thick 'slabs' don't square the log, leave the sides on. The 2 planks either side of the heart will be quarter sawn and if they don't split they will be the good ones.

[OzarkChris]

Thank you all again. A few questions/comments 

1) GAB "I might try for 3 or 5 boards from the center, then take 3 or 5 boards from the center of each of the two remaining pieces." Maybe I'm reading to much into this, but I'm really not following what you are trying to say.

2) Mood, what is "p.p.b"? I'm guessing a type of insect critter, but ...

3) Tom K. Thank you for the link, I'll watch it tonight!

4) Magic, Great advice,  I've got some old cedar (juniper) laying around that I'll tackle first.

5) Brad-BB I hope I have enough blades to start. I bought 10 from Woodland mills when I bought the mill and saw that woodmiser had a sale so I picked up 15 more (double hard 9 degree) from them - all for hardwoods since that is what I primarily have on the property.

[KenMac]

P.P.B. is powder post beetles. Not wanted around your inside wood at all.

[Brad_bb]

5) Brad-BB I hope I have enough blades to start. I bought 10 from Woodland mills when I bought the mill and saw that woodmiser had a sale so I picked up 15 more (double hard 9 degree) from them - all for hardwoods since that is what I primarily have on the property.

I tried 9° and 7° bands without success.  I later talked to a woodmizer parts guy and he told me I don't have enough HP to run those bands, that I need to use the 4° and only the 4°.  They've always worked well for me.  I only cut hardwood - Ash, Walnut, Cherry, Osage mostly.  An occasional honey locust and oak.

[kelLOGg]

What I have experienced (and learned on the FF) is that the bark on hickory is the killer. (What Crusarius said).  I was having an awful experience sawing a log once and then came to a section of the tree where the bark was peeling off and sawing turned into a dream - it was like sawing oak - no problem at all. 
Since you have a low HP engine I would go with a 4° band if possible. That is all I use now.

[jpassardi]

In my experience, Hickory is like candy for powder post beetles. They seem to prefer it over anything else. So definitely spray it all down with Timbor or a like borate and don't let it get rained on after as it's water soluble.
I slabbed a good amount of wide hickory for a guy with 7* blades without issue on my LT15 which is low HP.
Yes, the bark is tough as nails but most important is keeping it clean if you don't have a debarker. There's alot of open space between the bark where dirt can get buried. Don't drag the logs, this guy did and I had to work around it or remove bark and brush it. I did charge him for the time but not enough.

[cutterboy]

I have sawn hickory a few times and for the most part have had good luck with it. However, the last time I sawed hickory there were 4 logs from the same tree and they were hard as rocks. I struggled through 3 then cut up the 4th log into firewood. You never know, every tree, every log can be different. I have a manual mill with a 13hp engine and have always used 10 degree blades. The lumber has dried without much issue and has sold well. The bark on shagbark can be a problem. It is very hard and can fly off while sawing.
Hickory is slow sawing and has it's problems but the wood is beautiful and worth the trouble.



 

 

[dgdrls]

Great advise above,
probably be repetitious here,

Debark them prior to sawing,
Saw them ASAP  don't let them lay around.

DGD

[bluthum]

Besides all the other good suggestions let me offer a local view point. The Ozarks produce mostly lower grade hardwoods on a good day. Most of the black hickories grown here on the ridge tops and sides will be problematic to the hickory extreme, it's not the best hickory species on a good day and grown on a poor site you can expect a lot of knots, sapsucker rings and general gnarliness  that makes long pieces of usable wood scarce. Long defined as 6' or more.

If you want to put in the time and effort you can glean short pieces that make beautiful flooring or cabinet parts but you will earn those boards and waste a lot of material getting there. I wouldn't discourage the effort but you will have some pricey wood when it's done even if the logs were free along with some very excellent firewood and cooking wood.

The white hickories are way more favorable to lumber suitable to wood working but seldom will you find them in the Ozarks except in river bottoms.

[OzarkChris]

Again, I can't thank y'all enough for the wisdom and advice given here. Just as soon as I get the mill put together, cut a few (old) cedars I have had for a few years - so not to waste the hickory - I will put up some of the pictures. As much as I was hoping to have the mill put together by now, life (and building a new house) happened! It's almost finished - we're being told 3-4 weeks left.



 

 

[OzarkChris]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, but many of y'all have suggested that hickory (among others) should be debarked prior to milling. With this in mind, have any of you tried any of the chainsaw driven debarkers?

Draw knives are good, but I would think, much slower than something driven.

Thoughts?

[Cdaniels1377]

I'm confused on the 4 degree bs 9 or 10? I have a lt28 with the 19hp in upper Michigan and both the Wisconsin and Indiana Woodmizer dealers I've talked to in the last month have both said I should only use 10 degree in summer and 9 in winter. They said not to even buy the 4 degree for my saw. Can anyone explain the difference in information please or is it more opinion?

[Nebraska]

I started with a 13 hp mill, after floundering around with this and that blades 10°  then 7° . I was advised by a gentleman the sells Kasco blades to try 4° with my low hp mill. They worked very well. I sold that mill and went up to 23 hp but stuck with the 4° blades they may be a little slower sawing but the cut quality is better. I do keep a few 7 ° blades for sawing junky stuff like cottonwood but they don't get used that often and I kind of consider them disposable. I had lot more wave and uneven cutting with knots using  10° blades.  

[SawyerTed]

My experience is with 25 hp and higher so I'm not sure how much lower hp really makes a difference in blade choice 

My experience is like Nebraska's, with an LT 35 I used mostly 4 degree blades for everything.   I used some Turbo 7 degree blades but used mostly 4 degrees.  I used two 10 degree blades only because they came on the mills.  They got ground to 7 degrees.    

I cut lots of white oak using the 4 degree Doublehard blades using the LT35.  

On the LT 50 I'm only using T7s Silvertips.

I feel like the Doublehards cut better but not enough better to justify the additional cost.