# Hickory ?????



## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

I'm certainly a greenhorn when it comes to milling. But I was on my way to being a miller-extraordinair... then I hit Hickory.
All those people in history called Ole Hickory? Leave them alone. 
For those that mill Hickory... what's your secret? My saws cut oak like butter. But going into Hickory is like going into concrete!
I think I'll leave well enough alone :surrender:.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

clarionflyer said:


> For those that mill Hickory... what's your secret?


You just learned our secret :laughing:...it's just hard milling stuff. I don't care for it myself, so I don't mill much of it unless it is for someone else. I do like pecan (one of the hickories) but it really works the saw that's for sure.


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## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

I put a couple of oz of Dawn dishsoap per 5 gal of h2o in my lub. It rally seems to help, I find that the Honey Locust is also easier to work if I do it with a little soap.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Beautiful pecan, Daren.
Thanks for the info, oscarratm. Great information.

You guys never cease to amaze me. 
Whenever I hit a roadblock, I usually find out how it's done here. Then what's most impressive, I find out how folks 150 years ago did it.
How in the world did guys hand rip a Hickory?
Guess I'm a sissy... never hand ripped a Hickory.

Blah, Blah... I'm rambling... thanks for the help guys.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

clarionflyer said:


> Then what's most impressive, I find out how folks 150 years ago did it.
> How in the world did guys hand rip a Hickory?


That _is_ something to ponder...that was back when men where men (and fell over dead on the job at 40 :huh Yea working in a pitsaw mill a load of hickory would have made me wish I had chosen a different profession :sweatdrop:.


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

I notice a little bit of difference between white oak and hickory. I guess my senses are shot. But I usually saw it without too much extra effort. Much of it has been a surprise: lots of character, or very wide white sapwood - leaving a very small percentage of dark heartwood, or the standard fare you see elsewhere.

As usual, start with a good blade and don't push too hard.


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## bradleywellsoff (Nov 27, 2008)

Check out youtube. There's some guys splitting logs with black powder.:laughing: Seems like a good way to mill hickory.


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## Kirk Allen (Nov 7, 2006)

It all depends on how big the log is. The wider the cut the harder its going to work the saw. Using the right blade angle helps quite a bit as well. 

I cut my Red oaks with a 10 degree blade while the white oak and Hickory get the 9 degree. I suspect the new 7 degree from wood mizer will work even better since it has a larger gullet to pull the sawdust.


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## rogerwl (Jan 12, 2010)

are there any problems gluing or with shrinkage?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Once Hickory/Pecan is dry there's not much movement. It glues okay - not as well as pine but much better then Ipe, haha. Harder to mill and process than Osage, but worth the effort usually because it can be beautiful wood.


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