Thread: What to do with pignut hickory?

I've got 1 large (~30" dbh) dead one and tons of everything from seedlings to 16-20" trees that I need to thin and I hate to just burn it all as firewood, especially as it just doesn't last long here after being cut & split (or on the ground for that matter).

Thoughts? I asked here a couple weeks ago about using it for posts in a barn rehab project but was dissuaded from it by several members and ended up using black locust instead.

Is the hickory worth any $$$, particularly the single large dead tree? Is it worth fooling with the large tree to make sheathing planks for a lean-to roof Im going to add to the barn next year? The sap wood on it should be minimal relative to the heart wood and it'll be under a steel roof.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks. -WSJ

Hickory makes real nice furniture. But if it has the dark heart wood it is not as desireable as the clear white. It doesn't do good out in the weather. Makes good handles for axe, pick, hammer, etc. Excellant heating wood.

I would mill every one of the usable logs into boards of various thickness' boards, then stack/sticker the lumber and worry about what i was going to use it for later.

In fact, i already HAVE done that!

Rob

Originally Posted by Sawyer Rob

I would mill every one of the usable logs into boards of various thickness' boards, then stack/sticker the lumber and worry about what i was going to use it for later.

In fact, i already HAVE done that!

Rob

exactly! worry about it later. I sell quite a bit of slabs and you can get better money for slabs. If you want to slab it out let me know and I'll bring my mill over.

Around here the smooth bark (don't know exact name) has a higher price for saw logs. I assume that's the pignut???
I've got lots of the shagbark hickory. Is there much difference in the two? I'm wanting to mill some of the shagbark into 3/4" flooring.

one bump for the shagbark questions

Originally Posted by betterbuilt

exactly! worry about it later. I sell quite a bit of slabs and you can get better money for slabs. If you want to slab it out let me know and I'll bring my mill over.

Thanks for the offer but what I'll probably do is try to slab it up for my own use with a CS mill. I've got plenty of places I can use the wood. -WSJ

Originally Posted by Sawyer Rob

I would mill every one of the usable logs into boards of various thickness' boards, then stack/sticker the lumber and worry about what i was going to use it for later. In fact, i already HAVE done that! Rob

I know I'm going to need sheathing planks next summer for the lean-to (24' x16') and a new roof on the mower shed (10' x 16' x 2, as it's a peaked roof). What's the downside to using green or somewhat green hickory for this? Again, there will be minimal weather exposure as the wood'll be under steel roof.

Thanks. -WSJ