Cut and split some shagbark hickory this weekend

[jordanh]

First time poster.....got on here to find out some info on some chainsaws after installing a Vermont Castings Intrepid I woodstove.....ended up with a gently used Stihl 026 and case for free from my buddy's dad.:greenchainsaw: Muffler needs replacement and screw holes retapped....hoping to mod the new muffler mildly for better cooling and peformance.

Anywho....same buddy has some woods and we went back to find something dead but not rotten. That is when we came upon this old shagbark hickory laying dead in a ditch off the pasture. Cut it into large pieces then drug it up into the pasture with my truck and a tow rope. Proceeded to cut it up and load it.

Burns like a dream compared to the junk I have had so far.....old junk silver maple and honey locust from limbs in my yard from last year's ice storm. Gets hot quick, burns long and makes very little ash. I am sick to burn such wonderful smoking wood but I love the way it burns and heats!!! Buddy is cutting some black oak today that fell on some fence...that should be good too.

Great site and glad to be here!

Jordan :^D

 

[WVwoodsman]

Welcome to AS Jordan. I was wondering about shagbark, is it hard on your chain? I have seen it and noticed the gnarly looking bark and thought it would dull a chain pretty fast. I have heard it is great stuff to burn, enjoy!

 

[jordanh]

Don't know about the bark being hard on a chain. There was absolutely no bark on this tree when we drug it up into the pasture to cut. It was dry as drift wood and hard as steel. It cut good though. I did not notice my chain suffering any from it....and I was using a little throw away Poulan of my dad's....whatever is the step BELOW their wildthing saw. Burns like a dream though......heading out in a bit to help my buddy with a black oak that took out all four strands of barbed wire on his fence

 

[PA. Woodsman]

You can't get much better burning wood than Hickory; arguably in the top 3 fuelwoods.


Welcome to the site! :greenchainsaw:

 

[Hlakegollum]

I use little pieces of the branches for bbq, soak in water and toss on charcoal fire. Great flavor!

 

[jcrenfrow]

I love SB Hickory it makes up most of my special reserve wood along with Osage Orange and Black Locust. I like it for its low ash and I can burn it with the draft fully open and the fire doesn't run away like softer woods, not to mention the great smell. Welcome to AS Jordan

 

[BryanSchamber]

I've cut alot of shagbark here in IN. Excellent burning wood. Although you better have a file and a extra chain with you. The bark can be pretty rough. The only bad thing I've noticed with hickory is the ants love it.

 

[avalancher]

Yep, shagbark has got to be my favorite! Burns for hours on one load, and hot enough to melt your pants if you pass by the stove too close.
Heavy wood, and if you are cutting large rounds can really wear you out getting it home, but worth it.
Good find!

 

[Zodiac45]

Wish I had some Hickory up here! Great stuff. The barks not gonna bother your chain unless there's dirt on it. I spent the Holidays down at my brother's in western Mass, right on the NY State border. I grew up in that area too but never noticed (until this time) the fabulous amount of hardwood they have! I was just drooling everywhere we went. The little lady was on my case about it in my Brother's Jeep laughing with them about me swooning over the firewood just laying around the sides of these roads! My sister and her husband bought a 50 acre tract of land (all woods on a mountainside) just over the border in NY State. We went over too check it out and I was in heaven just looking at all the maple, beech, ash, yellow birch, etc......Hardly a softwood too be seen anywhere!

 

[wdchuck]

Welcome to Arboristsite.

The thing about shagbark hickory is the bark, it comes off in large pieces when you put the saw to it, hence the need for a face screen/shield, and because of the nature of the bark, it can be hard on the chain. Once you cut some.....

 

[coog]

Welcome to the site,Jordan.Use that 026 as is for awhile and you will really enjoy it after you open up that muffler.It was the first saw that I opened up and it was easy.Just make sure you richen up the high speed adjustment after you do it.