Is Hickory tough to cut?

[KMB]

The pie- ana is actually a percussion instrument, like a geetar, drum or string harp. It is cause you have to strike the strings to play it. I just thought that was interesting and I am sure a properly tuned pie-ana will sound way better than any chainsaw.
If you are looking on CL try posting in the wanted section.

Thanks, I ain't to proud to say I learned something today .

I wish I hadn't given up piano lessons as a kid (for basketball and cause I thought I had better things to do...). But I thank the Lord that He gave me a wife that can flat out play a piano...yep...I'm braggin' on my wife .

Kevin

 

[Joshlaugh]

I have split both shagbark and bitternut hickory. It isn't that bad to split by hand. Easier than elm for sure, similar to sugar maple or some oak. And I agree that it sends some sparks while cutting(and burning in your stove) I love it though, I cut and burn any that I can get my hands and saws on.

 

[danrclem]

Your 044 should cut up that tree without much trouble. I cut up a 33" oak last summer with my 372 and a 20" bar. They said it had been down a year but it was still had moisture in the center of it. I just touched my chain up a little after each tank of gas.

I think that your main concern is to be safe. A tree that big and with one end 6' off of the ground could do some damage if it let go at the wrong time. Be careful and good luck with it.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I saw the pictures with the tape stretched across some of the rounds...do you remember what they measured?

Kevin

The biggest piece was 54". I quartered it with my JD CS52.

 

[KMB]

The biggest piece was 54". I quartered it with my JD CS52.

My mercy! Your JD sure earned it's keep noodlin'!

Kevin

 

[ropensaddle]

The pie- ana is actually a percussion instrument, like a geetar, drum or string harp. It is cause you have to strike the strings to play it. I just thought that was interesting and I am sure a properly tuned pie-ana will sound way better than any chainsaw.
If you are looking on CL try posting in the wanted section.

No piano is awesome when played well especially when in fifths! Listen to some Jerry Lee Lewis or Fats Domino someone that can play piano well can play almost anything. Having said that I am going to scratch on my fender a while!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Hey, Rope, didn't know you were a musician!



I really enjoy some Fats or Jerry Lee, but if you want to see someone really make the ivories dance, take a look at this fellow (link below).




Even if you don't favor the music, check out the pure skill and passion he puts into it! Watch those fingers fly!

I think he's one of history's all time greatest. He could have played the biggest venues there are, but he preferred to stick with Southern Gospel. This is a man who literally played his heart out - he died of a heart attack in the middle of a concert a couple of years ago.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDfxkIgOic0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JP-8pFQlYE&feature=related

 

[LazyJ]

Sad thing about hickory, in my experience, you spend more time sharpening chain than you do cutting wood. It's my "go to" wood to burn when the temps go sub-freezing though.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Sad thing about hickory, in my experience, you spend more time sharpening chain than you do cutting wood. It's my "go to" wood to burn when the temps go sub-freezing though.

A common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. Take a look at the hardness of hickory vs. any other domestic hardwood and a few other imports:

Hickory / Pecan, Satinwood 1820
Afzelia / Doussie 1810
Bangkirai 1798
Rosewood 1780
African Padauk 1725
Blackwood 1720
Merbau 1712
Kempas 1710
Locust 1700
Highland Beech 1686
Wenge, Red Pine 1630
Tualang 1624
Zebrawood 1575
True Pine, Timborana 1570
Peroba 1557
Kambala 1540
Sapele / Sapelli 1510
Curupixa 1490
Sweet Birch 1470
Hard Maple / Sugar Maple 1450
Coffee Bean 1390
Natural Bamboo (represents one species) 1380
Australian Cypress 1375
White Oak 1360
Tasmanian Oak 1350
Ribbon Gum 1349
Ash (White) 1320
American Beech 1300
Red Oak (Northern) 1290
Caribbean Heart Pine 1280
Yellow Birch 1260
Movingui 1230
Heart Pine 1225
Carbonized Bamboo (represents one species) 1180
Cocobolo 1136
Brazilian Eucalyptus / Rose Gum 1125
Makore 1100
Boreal 1023
Black Walnut 1010
Teak 1000
Sakura 995
Black Cherry, Imbuia 950
Boire 940
Paper Birch 910
Cedar 900
Southern Yellow Pine (Longleaf) 870
Lacewood, Leopardwood 840
Parana 780
Sycamore 770
Shedua 710
Southern Yellow Pine (Loblolly and Shortleaf) 690
Douglas Fir 660
Larch 590
Chestnut 540
Hemlock 500
White Pine 420
Basswood 410
Eastern White Pine 380
Balsa 100


Maybe this helps explain why saw chains get a little dull cutting hickory.

 

[Mkarlson]

Ok now I got to ask....Where would osage orange and mulberry fall into that list. Those two types of wood would be hard to use for flooring but would yield a very interesting style.

 

[LAH]

Hickory isn't the easiest to cut but nothing to back up from. I cut plenty of it 'bout every week. Nothing special about by 028 Super Woods Boss. I use a standard chain and 16" bar. You will need to sharpen now and then but my saw will cut a bar full with no problem.

 

[buzz sawyer]

The pie- ana is actually a percussion instrument, like a geetar, drum or string harp. It is cause you have to strike the strings to play it. I just thought that was interesting and I am sure a properly tuned pie-ana will sound way better than any chainsaw.
If you are looking on CL try posting in the wanted section.

I started out playing pie ana, but switched to guitar when I began playing at campfires - so the strap wouldn't cut into my neck so much.

 

[buzz sawyer]

A common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. Take a look at the hardness of hickory vs. any other domestic hardwood and a few other imports:

Hickory / Pecan, Satinwood 1820
Afzelia / Doussie 1810
Bangkirai 1798
Rosewood 1780
African Padauk 1725
Blackwood 1720
Merbau 1712
Kempas 1710
Locust 1700
Highland Beech 1686
Wenge, Red Pine 1630
Tualang 1624
Zebrawood 1575
True Pine, Timborana 1570
Peroba 1557
Kambala 1540
Sapele / Sapelli 1510
Curupixa 1490
Sweet Birch 1470
Hard Maple / Sugar Maple 1450
Coffee Bean 1390
Natural Bamboo (represents one species) 1380
Australian Cypress 1375
White Oak 1360
Tasmanian Oak 1350
Ribbon Gum 1349
Ash (White) 1320
American Beech 1300
Red Oak (Northern) 1290
Caribbean Heart Pine 1280
Yellow Birch 1260
Movingui 1230
Heart Pine 1225
Carbonized Bamboo (represents one species) 1180
Cocobolo 1136
Brazilian Eucalyptus / Rose Gum 1125
Makore 1100
Boreal 1023
Black Walnut 1010
Teak 1000
Sakura 995
Black Cherry, Imbuia 950
Boire 940
Paper Birch 910
Cedar 900
Southern Yellow Pine (Longleaf) 870
Lacewood, Leopardwood 840
Parana 780
Sycamore 770
Shedua 710
Southern Yellow Pine (Loblolly and Shortleaf) 690
Douglas Fir 660
Larch 590
Chestnut 540
Hemlock 500
White Pine 420
Basswood 410
Eastern White Pine 380
Balsa 100


Maybe this helps explain why saw chains get a little dull cutting hickory.

I was surprised to see the African Blackwood below hickory. I have a rejected clarinet blank made of Blackwood and it is like cutting iron.

 

[A. Stanton]

When you split that puppy, keep a machete handy. They are very stringey.

 

[KMB]

Hey, Rope, didn't know you were a musician!



I really enjoy some Fats or Jerry Lee, but if you want to see someone really make the ivories dance, take a look at this fellow (link below).




Even if you don't favor the music, check out the pure skill and passion he puts into it! Watch those fingers fly!

I think he's one of history's all time greatest. He could have played the biggest venues there are, but he preferred to stick with Southern Gospel. This is a man who literally played his heart out - he died of a heart attack in the middle of a concert a couple of years ago.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDfxkIgOic0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JP-8pFQlYE&feature=related

Anthony Burger...that man could PLAY! I like Southern Gospel and have been amazed every time I saw him play in a concert or watched him on a video. What a gift. Wasn't he playing on a Gaither cruise when he passed away? I haven't listened to many other types of piano music, but I have heard that Southern Gospel music has some of the best piano players.

Kevin

 

[KMB]

Sad thing about hickory, in my experience, you spend more time sharpening chain than you do cutting wood. It's my "go to" wood to burn when the temps go sub-freezing though.

I didn't want/need to hear that... .

Kevin

 

[KMB]

When you split that puppy, keep a machete handy. They are very stringey.

Yep, I'll have my hatchet handy.

Kevin

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Osage haws a specific gravity higher then hickory, right up there with the NorAm native ironwood types (hop hornbeam and musclewood in my area).

My gut puts mulberry up with the common fruitwoods.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LazyJ View Post
Sad thing about hickory, in my experience, you spend more time sharpening chain than you do cutting wood. It's my "go to" wood to burn when the temps go sub-freezing though.

I didn't want/need to hear that... .

Any "true" hardwood is going to wear the cutters more. A good rule of thumb is to do a light touchup every other tank of gas. The afore mentioned full-chisel is more finicky then semi-chisel, so if you are not sure of your sharpening skills go with semi. One "old" hardwood logger trick is to not drop the rakers to full depth, go to 20 or 25 vs the standard 30. Anything over 30 and you will feel the chain bouncing.

 

[abohac]

I find it very hard to cut because there is always dirt in the bark. It is also heavy and usually lots of brush. Does burn good though.

 

[rms61moparman]

My gut puts mulberry up with the common fruitwoods

I have cut quite a bit of mulberry, and when dead it is every bit as hard as hickory (shagbark) ever gets. It is as bad as dead hedgeapple (Osage Orange) and will spark a chain in the daylight.
It is a lot easier when green but still up there with oak and locust.

Mike