Hackberry

[Mark Mandell]

I've been offered a whole Hackberry of convenient size [18-24" dia] but I've never turned worked it.

Would appreciate any info (works like ____, cuts like ______, finishes like _____), especially for experience.

Do I turn it of burn it?

Thanks

Mark Mandell

 

[dkulze]

Turn it. Hackberry, especially burls and spalted, can be really nice turning wood.

Actually, do neither. Send it to me. I'll get rid of it for you.

Dietrich

 

[Whit]

I'd like some too. I've got some Chinese Elm to trade. Where are you, anyway?

 

[Steve Worcester]

It spalts real easily. Turns good, soft like a box elder or sycamore or sugar maple.

 

[Mark Mandell]

New Jersey, Whit.

Filled the trailer 3 times with all her springs would take. Have about 20' of 24" dia. logs sections. Had to leave bigger stuff (up to and over 30") as I just couldn't handle all of it. Shame that it's going to the mulch machine, but maybe some turner friends in the area will snag some of it as well. Also brought home 15' of 18-20" cherry, plus 1,500 pounds of ash and hickory for the firewood pile.

I am plum tuckered.

 

[Loren Brooks]

Sugar Maple Soft?

Steve were you thinking of silver maple instad of sugar maple? Sugar maple is Hard Maple. Silver is really soft and warps like crazy. Just wondering.


Loren

 

[dkulze]

Take some logs of the Hackberry (where did that name come from anyway?) and bury them in leaves and shavings in the back yard. Turn them next year or so(6 months if it is a hot summer). You should get some wonderful spalting and, if it goes to fast, you've definitely got enough to lose a few pieces.

In fact, do several logs and turn them at 1 month intervals after about 6 months. That will let you know how long to spalt what is left if you get good results.

Or just ship all the wood to me. Cherry and Hickory included. I'll run the experiments for you and let you know how it turns (heh, heh) out.

Dietrich.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Now I'm Wondering

If what I got is actually "Hackberry". Anyone recognise this bark, which is grey with knobby ridges and thin???

 

[sroxberg]

Looks like the bark on my Hackberry tree.

 

[Jeff Jilg]

Looks like Hackberry to me too. I've processed and collected about 10 mini-loads. On smaller limbs hackberry bark is kind of warty looking. But it gets the ridges you've shown in the picture as the tree gets larger. It cuts real easy, and it spalts real fast. If you let it go too far, the entire piece will get a nearly uniform yucky looking grey color.

jj

 

[Steve Worcester]

Steve were you thinking of silver maple instad of sugar maple? .....


Loren

Could be, we don't get much maple in N Texas.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Looks like Hackberry to me too. If you let it go too far, the entire piece will get a nearly uniform yucky looking grey color. jj

Jeff,

Looks like I've got a lot of work to do before the stuff goes "grey." Have the logs' sections waxed well on the top ends and the bottom ends planted in a bed of wet sawdust and shavings from a batch of spalted elm I had. That should get things "moving!"

Thanks and to all,

Mark

 

[dkulze]

Actually, that center rot looks like you don't have far to go for good spaltage. I think I'll retract my earlier suggestions as a couple of months outside in the warm and damp might make for some nice hollow logs (unless you want to give that a try too, makes cool side grain vases).

Nice score.

Dietrich

 

[Andrew]

Yep, as others have said, it appears to be hackberry. It's been down awhile, hasn't it? Quite a white wood normally. It's a fine turning wood but can fuzz easily. Takes an alright shine for such a white wood. Will yellow a bit over time.

And, yes, it spalts very well. It'll turn to mush quickly but you can get some interesting colors (purples, blues, violets) that you don't normally get with other spalted woods depending on many many factors, of course. I don't spalt Hackberry as I do Sycamore because there's just not the kind of market for it but I do do a few logs each year for personal use.

Want more of it? I have (literally) tons.

- Andrew

 

[Mark Mandell]

Thanks, Andrew,

It's actually just fresh cut (3-4 days) in a contruction site not far from here. Considered getting more so went back to the site last evening only to find everything (walnut, cherry, everything) chipped and the dozers working dirt.

Ah well, I saved some, anyway. :cool2:

Since I'm in NJ, it'll be a bit of a hike to your yard in MO. If I take a road trip, I'll be sure and stop by.


Mark

 

[Jeff Jilg]

Keep an eye on it Mark. Hackberry in my Austin garage in the summer (80-105) can spalt pretty darn quick. I would cut into it in about 2 weeks to check progress. If it goes too far, you'll end up with nearly all gray turning stock. It does indeed get some nice colors. It grows like a weed here and is considered a junk tree. Also called sugarberry.

There is one 10" bowl posted in my AAW gallery entitled sugarberry.