[Rob Brown]

Anybody ever air dry hickory? what are you using it for? I have a nice straight hickory tree that I will be taking down soon because the wind took out the top of it. I hate to see good wood go to the campfire, so am thinking about the sawmill instead. I know it makes good ax handles, but what else.?

 

[Dominick]

I'd saw it up. And see how it looks.

 

[Burb]

I picked up a few pieces last year. Still have 2. I did plane down some and use it for inserts on a picture frame. I thought it worked well with the black walnut.

 

[djg]

I too would have it sawn up. My cabinets are hickory (commercial) and I love the grain. The grain is 'softer' looking than red oak.

I'm told that hickory is one of those woods you can't just saw in the same direction (riff?) because it wants to move alot. Supposedly it takes an experienced sawyer who can read a log and know when to turn the log to a new face to minimize the movement. Someone more experienced than I, please correct me if I'm all wet.

 

[bzguy]

Hickory is REALLY hard, but pretty.
If you click on my pictures the desk in Hickory veneer.

 

[misfitloghunter]

Hickory is a wonderful material. No other domestic wood comes close to that charming, soft transition between heartwood and sapwood.
I have used quite a bit of it over the years on everything from floors to stairs to cabinets. It is also the best wood for burning and cooking. Shock resistance extraordinaire hence tool handles and drumsticks.
The smell alone is the best reason to use it!
Have a 3' x 12' that we'll be flitching this week.

Only draw back I've seen is from log form to lumber where a perfect looking log can be misleading. Tends to be only half as sound on the inside as it appears on the outside.

 

[Mecum23]

This is a blanket box with hickory raised panels and a walnut frame. The hickory was air dried in my uncle's barn. Turned out great.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

 

[ETWW]

I have some 4/4 boards from two ~12" Hickory trees air drying now. They are on the bottom of a 4' high stickered stack with Oak stacked on top of them. It does like to move but I'm hoping all that weight will help minimize it.

I also treated the boards with Timbor when I stacked them. Hickory/Pecan is very susceptible to Powder Post Beetles.

Mecum23, that chest looks great. That's the reason I sawed the Hickory as I want to build a Hickory and Ash chest like one Peter Turner displayed in FWW magazine a year or two ago.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Have it quarter sawn so it can be cut into long bow staves.

 

[Rob Brown]

bugs would be a problem I am curious about. seems we had some hickory fire wood a few years ago that went south real fast because of bugs. Thanks for mentioning that.