# Little advice regarding tree and wood types.



## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

I am in the midst of trying to find more logs to have milled up for lumber and I got a couple of questions. I met a guy last night that helps out a local tree service and he mentioned that he might be able to help me out getting some logs. He asked me what type of wood I wanted and I mentioned several to him, including walnut, oak, maple, cherry. He then tells me that he has a "shag bark hickory tree", cherry tree, and an elm currently that he thinks would suit my purposes. All these logs are at least 10 feet long and 12-24 inches in diameter. 

My questions are these:
Is a cherry log from Central Illinois the same wood that woodworkers use in furniture? I thought I heard of some cherry trees being fruit bearing and other called black cherry???? :blink:
Is elm any good for woodworking? I have heard it is very strong but I wanted to ask the forum for their opinions.
Is a shag bark hickory the same as just a hickory tree? I have never heard of them being referred to as "shag bark hickory". :blink:
He also mentioned a silver maple. I always considered maple to be a hardwood but my father said there are hard and soft maples. How do I tell the difference or are they all the same? 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure that I don't take something that is good for only firewood after I get it home. The guy was kind enough to show me the stack of logs and there are a bunch but several are rotting and others have obviously been sitting for a while (grey weathered look to the ends). Other logs look like they have been there maybe a week. I am hoping to take my camera over there later tonight and hopefully be able to post some pics so I can verify the types of trees.

Thanks again for any intuition and advice. :icon_smile:

Matt


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> Is a cherry log from Central Illinois the same wood that woodworkers use in furniture? I thought I heard of some cherry trees being fruit bearing and other called black cherry????
> 
> Is elm any good for woodworking?
> 
> ...


If it is black/wild cherry yes it is the commercially available hardwood we use in woodworking (but even a cherry fruit tree is cool, harder to dry flat, but cool)

Heck yes elm is good for woodworking. There are several project posted here made from elm (some in my old gallery even)

Shagbark is just a species of hickory, It's a "true hickory". There are other types, bitternut/pignut...but they are all cool...and hard.

Silver maple is a hardwood. Hard maple is sugar maple. While silver/or soft maple is not as hard as sugar maple, it's still a fine wood. Some prefer it to sugar maple because it tends to be whiter/less heartwood which can be dark.

We like pictures.


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

Okay, here the first set of pictures...

I am pretty sure the one on the left is shag bark hickory. It is about 21 inches in diameter. I would estimate the length to be about 12 to 14 feet. I am not sure about the one on the right.

Note: It was raining when I took these photos and the logs were all wet, so the wood appears darker than what it normally does.


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

The guy says these two are ELM. Can anyone confirm this for me? The base on the top one is about 18 to 20 inches


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

These logs I am almost certain are cherry logs, but I think they are the fruit bearing cherry, not the black cherry. The base on the larger one is 16 inches.


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

This log I am lost on (probably just inexperience on my part). Can anyone tell me what kind of wood this is?


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

This monster was just laying there and the end of is pretty grey from sitting for a while. It is 42 inches in diameter and about 7 feet long. I have no clue on what species and was hoping someone could tell me what it is. Thanks.


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

The log on the left just showed up on this pile yesterday and it looks like a maple to me. Can anyone confirm this? Is it a hard or soft maple?

I was also wondering what the larger log is next to it and if any of the sawyers here could tell me if it would be worth grabbing as well. I hesitate because of all the branches that have grown from this part of the log. 

Thanks again guys for all the help.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> I am pretty sure the one on the left is shag bark hickory.
> 
> I am not sure about the one on the right.


:yes: 

I would say the other one is hickory also, just another species. Whatever it is (if I am wrong about hickory) the end of that log looks like the grain of the lumber flat sawn out will be quite pretty. :icon_smile:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> The guy says these two are ELM. Can anyone confirm this for me? The base on the top one is about 18 to 20 inches


I would say silver maple. They look like no elm I have ever seen.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> These logs I am almost certain are cherry logs, but I think they are the fruit bearing cherry, not the black cherry. The base on the larger one is 16 inches.


Look like black cherry to me.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> This log I am lost on (probably just inexperience on my part). Can anyone tell me what kind of wood this is?


How big is that one ? If that is cherry too (sorta looks like it, not sure from the picture though) that is a beauty. Well, it's a beauty no matter if it is large diameter like I think.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> This monster was just laying there and the end of is pretty grey from sitting for a while. It is 42 inches in diameter and about 7 feet long. I have no clue on what species and was hoping someone could tell me what it is. Thanks.


A side shot of the bark would help. From that angle it could be many things, sweetgum pops to mind first.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> The log on the left just showed up on this pile yesterday and it looks like a maple to me. Can anyone confirm this? Is it a hard or soft maple?
> 
> I was also wondering what the larger log is next to it and if any of the sawyers here could tell me if it would be worth grabbing as well. I hesitate because of all the branches that have grown from this part of the log.
> 
> Thanks again guys for all the help.


Doesn't look like maple to me. It looks like ash to me.

Yea that other one is a knotty devil, something I would saw if it was free just to have a peak inside. Could be really cool, or be firewood...only one way to tell...mill it.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Overall it looks like this guy has some decent logs. I would try to work with him. Is he trying to sell you the logs or what ?


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## drcollins804 (Jan 11, 2008)

WdWkrCp said:


> Is a shag bark hickory the same as just a hickory tree? I have never heard of them being referred to as "shag bark hickory". :blink:
> Matt


If you don't understand where the name Shag Bark came from Just try climbing one.:laughing: Doesn't really matter how you try to climb it it will still shed you in a few feet. The bark is very shaggy and breaks off easily. Used to watch inexperienced hunters pick one of them for their climbing tree stand because it was tall and straight. When they hit the ground they either looked like this  or this :wheelchair: Since Im and EMT now I try to persuade them to pick a different tree. :thumbdown:Too much work patching them up and getting them out of the woods.
David


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## WdWkrCp (Jan 13, 2010)

Daren, 
The guy just stacks up the logs in this area and allows some people back there to cut firewood, etc. It is a whatever you can load and haul, you can have type thing. Thank you for the help identifying some of these logs. I think right now, I am definitely taking the cherry and the hickory logs. I am still undecided on the maples, unless there is a way to determine if the wood is curly or not. :blink:That would be cool, but from my understanding you never know until you open one up. 

The big log that looks like a cherry log I am think I am going to grab just because it may be a cherry. I am going to try and get a better photo of it to post along with a couple others, so I can get a better idea of what they are. 

DrCollins, 
LMAO. I am a hunter and even in my limited experience I would question the rationale of trying to climb a tree with the bark flaking off like that. It would be entertaining to watch though. 

Thanks again. :thumbsup:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

WdWkrCp said:


> The guy just stacks up the logs in this area and allows some people back there to cut firewood, etc. It is a whatever you can load and haul, you can have type thing.


I would call that a little gold mine...


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