Shagbark Hickory- how long to season?

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peterc38

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A couple weeks back I score about a cord of shagbark Hickory. It's all bucked up and ready to split. I see it is very high on the BTU charts so i'm looking forward to burning it.

I know it's unrealistic to expect to burn it this year and I have plenty of seasoned wood anyway. Just wondering as this is not common in my neck of the woods and I have never burned it before. :greenchainsaw:
 
If you just cut it down, probably best next season although it might burn this year depending on how it's split/dries. But do try to burn it all by end of next season if you can. Bugs eat hickory first!
 
What is the optimum seasoning time for Shagbark?

We have a lot of it that needs thinned out, and I definitely don't want this stuff to be a dietary supplement for the critters.
 
What is the optimum seasoning time for Shagbark?

We have a lot of it that needs thinned out, and I definitely don't want this stuff to be a dietary supplement for the critters.

Roughly...... one season. I find if it goes to the second season I have lost some btu's and gained some bug poop. If you go to the third you might just have dust. Not really, but the damage would be pretty noticable. If I had the choice, I'd cut it in the late winter and burn the following season.
 
Roughly...... one season. I find if it goes to the second season I have lost some btu's and gained some bug poop. If you go to the third you might just have dust. Not really, but the damage would be pretty noticable. If I had the choice, I'd cut it in the late winter and burn the following season.

Yep,bugs love it and its best to burn and not sit on it for more than one summer.
 
Thanks, Dave.
Along with some that need thinning, we have a whopper that was storm damaged many moons ago.
The tree is around 3' in diameter.
It's a yard tree from an old homestead, so likely no usable timber, but should be some excellent firewood.
 
This is good to know, I cut and stacked about a cord in February and was thinking I'd burn it next winter (2011-12) but maybe I would be better off burning this coming January or February when it gets damn cold!
 
This is good to know, I cut and stacked about a cord in February and was thinking I'd burn it next winter (2011-12) but maybe I would be better off burning this coming January or February when it gets damn cold!

It will be the best wood in your neck of the woods!
 
I tell you what, it seems like around here shagbark is one of the only decent species that isn't infected with a disease, fungus, moth or bettle!!. They seem to be able to regenerate a fair bit better than oaks do in our buckthorn choked woodlands too!
 
I got about 2 cords of shag bark that I cut in december and split and stacked in febuary. Its ready to burn now. The bugs really like it as well. I got it stacked in a shed along with some red and white oak and alittle cherry and maple and the hickory stacks are full of bug boring dust.
 
Split it now and the pieces on the top of the pile will be ready to burn on New Year's day, 2011.

I might add this handy tidbit of info that I know you'll enjoy if you do any BBQing: Put your longest bar on and make a big bunch of noodles (sawchips or shavings that are made when you saw your wood lengthwise); search "noodles" on this site and you'll see lots of examples. If you know what noodles are, then disregard.

Anyway, gather up and save all the noodles you make and store them in a feed sack that is NOT airtight.....no plastic bags. Use them when you BBQ instead of those hickory chips that you see at wally world. Soak 'em first of course. Try a boston butt on shagbark noodles.....mmmm!

I save all my noodles and give them to the neighbors.
 
A friend had to clear some off of the property he bought spring of 2009. He gave me about half a truck load of it. I burned it last January . Some of the best wood i have ever burned""""""
 
I split/stacked about 1-3/4 cord around May sometime. The tree had been down since summer 2009. My stacks look real nice right now. I just got some more, about 2/3 of a cord but need to split/stack that for 2010/11 season.

Man! What am I doing talking about heating with wood? It hotter than you know what out. We are surviving inside with A/C with outside humidity hovering around 90% with tornado/thunderstorm warnings! Sheesh!

Careful when you split that shagbark. Any part of your splitting that involves picking it up by hand that bark will bite you.

Shari
 
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