Suggestions for milling hickory logs

[Mountain City Bill]

A friend is giving me a hickory tree felled by Helene. The trunk is about 24" diameter at the base and 40+ feet long. I have my own sawmill.

Other than ax handles, I really don't use hickory. I may cut some 12/4 for a workbench, but I will have far more than what I can use.

I am looking for suggestions on what thicknesses to mill the lumber. My intention will be to sell the extra lumber. The log will be milled in the spring, located in Mountain City, TN. Thanks.

 

[creasman]

Hickory is beautiful but a bit difficult to work. Besides being hard the fibers tear and pull rather than cut. This is why hickory makes good tool handles, as you note.

My workbench top is hickory. I love it. It's hard, heavy and very durable. After eight years off use it has a few scratches but no dents or breaks. I chose to use 3" x 3/4" strips that are laminated to form a 3" thick top.

 

[NCGrimbo]

6/4 and 8/4 would probably be the most likely to sell. I watch Matt Cremona on YouTube saw logs and I believe those are the two sizes he does most of his slabs. I would think sawing anything smaller might risk the chance of warping to much to be planed into usable pieces, but maybe a few 4/4 boards might be worth doing for experimental purposes.

 

[bob vaughan]

Hickory makes very durable thresholds and transition strips to carpets. It also makes durable drawer sides and drawer runners.
I don't envy your dilemma with choices. You're trying to predict the future.

 

[blackhawk]

Probably 8/4. No matter what thickness, it will be the wrong size from what people want

 

[Gofor]

You can always make them thinner later if needed.

 

[wndopdlr]

Hickory also makes awesome turning blanks.

 

[bob vaughan]

Hickory makes great mallets. I did some a while back and wished I'd had 8/4 to glue up instead of 4/4

 

[kelLOGg]

Since you won't mill until spring, the bark will probably start to peel off and that is good. My experience with such peeling hickory bark is that the bark is extremely hard challenging the sawing. I peeled the bark off completely and the log sawed like it was oak and I was very pleased with the results.

 

[BKHam]

I think you'll have to have realistic expectations on selling it. Its not a highly desireable wood. along with pecan, its very hard and not much for for hand tools. but if you leave it in 8/4, maybe you can sell it as bench making material or something like that.

 

[Mountain City Bill]

Hickory makes great mallets. I did some a while back and wished I'd had 8/4 to glue up instead of 4/4

View attachment 232325

Great idea. What is the finished diameter of the mallet heads? Nice looking mallets? I could use a giant mallet to use with my froe.

 

[bob vaughan]

I don't have them any more, but I remember something like 4" or slightly less. They are about 12" long. They were intended for mechanic's use. Too heavy for delicate wood carving.

 

[Oka]

On all logs it is best to remove the bark to facilitate drying the log some and this also prevents any insect infestations.

 

[smallboat]

I’ve turned a bunch of hickory bowls. If there are sections that don’t lend themselves to milling boards, bowl blanks would be an option

 

[wndopdlr]

Love turning Hickory. It never disappoints.

 

[kelLOGg]

I floored my office with hickory I sawed and it came out very nice.