A neighbor is clearing a lot and has let me haul out a few cords of Black Birch and Shagbark hickory. Now that most of the BB is gone I've started taking out rounds of what I believe are some type of hickory and hard maple. Can anyone confirm if the maple is indeed a sugar maple and hickory by the leaves and bark shown in the pictures?
Butternut maybe? It's not shag. Could be pignut hickory. The maple, is probably sugar, if it was wild and not planted.
I say yes on the maple, and yeeeeeaaaah on the hickory, just not sure it's a shag.... Horkn, u likely the shag, too... What's yer opinion?
Thanks for the quick replies! The shagbark is already off site and split. I've processed lots of shagbark but this is the first hickory that I've come across that did not have shaggy bark. All of the trees are wild. It's a convenient haul since I live about 1,000 yards away. The amount of wood I've taken convinced me to breakdown and buy a splitter. I bought a 22 ton ariens from home depot but the kids were clueless when putting it together so I asked the manager to take down another splitter and have it assembled by some one more experienced. I paid for it and placed it on will call. The next morning when I went to pick it up and attach it to my hitch I realized they mistakenly gave me the 27 ton model. No complaints on my end. After tax and a 10% discount I got the 27 ton for $1,164. Love the subaru engine it has.
We're in the same age decade, Ragnar and splittin hydraulic style on any kind of hickory is the way to go!
Some of the maple seemed harder to split by hand than the shagbark. The black birch rounds were much smaller and split easily with the fiskars. No more sore shoulder and hands with the hydraulics!
I meant to include hydraulics on the maple, too... No walk in the park once the scale tips 42 years and above!!! Oh, and since I hadn't noticed your arrival on site, welcome Ragnar- guess you've figured out this is the place to be, no?!!!
Yes, hickory is tough to split, and it's HEAVY wood too. Sugar maple is not easily split either. It's heavy too. Matter of fact all the premium wood is heavy, it's a trademark. But it's great firewood, shag especially. It's the best firewood you can get.
Thanks Eric. I've been lurking for a while now and must say that browsing the forums has taught me a lot. Lots of knowledgeable and nice folks on this board.
You got that right, man!!! Like family here! After the GTG at DexterDay's this past weekend, I can say this, definitively!
Welcome Ragnar -Like I've said before-L0ts of nuts here, but they come with the trees-Real nice folks with a real passion-seems as though you are on board and I too lurked for a good while scoping these gents out-Now has anyone mentioned beer?
