Going to cut a hickory Sunday

[Don Armstrong]

Have a hickory about 12" in diameter that my wife would like to take out. Being the great husband I am, I said "no problem, I take it down for you ". Her reply " you just want to make bows out of it". Oh well, I tried  :D  . I am going to cut, split, seal ends. If I peal the bark, should I seal the back to. Thanks, Don

[Osagetree]

Yep, seal it. Ends and back!

[Roy from Pa]

If she is not in a hurry to have it cut down, next summer, or better yet next September would be a better time to cut it. Once the sap is up into the tree, the bark of the hickory would peel off so easy just like pulling off a bandaid, and that would be the back of your bow. But cutting it now with the sap out of it, the bark would be tougher to get off. Reason I said September is to let the tree develop it's summer growth ring.

[Pat B]

I prefer to cut hickory in early spring right after the leaves have opened. That way, like Roy said, you can peel the bark off like a bandaid. By cutting in the spring the back ring had all winter to mature before the new growth begins. In Sept you will have a new solid ring but IMO not as mature as one cut in the spring. Either way, wait until the growing season if you can.
  If you have an osage or locust to cut down now is a perfect time.

[red hill]

Glad you said that, Pat.  I'm going to my paw-in-law's during Christmas and plan to cut more osage myself.  I'm not very patient while waiting for wood to season!

[Don Armstrong]

Thanks guys, It has been fairly warm here in Virginia till the last week. When does the sap go down. I was hoping to get some cured in about a month by reducing to bow deminsions, as I've only got a few osage 36" staves, that will need a splice. If I need to wait I can. Guess I'll have to call Kenny M. for some glass bow parts  :D  . Got to make a few bows after the hunting season ends. Don

[scrub-buster]

I have cut one hickory tree and that was in Oct.  The bark was stuck tight to it.  If I ever cut another one, it will be in spring or summer when it comes off easier.  Hickory bark is tough stuff.

[BigErn]

What would be the perfect diameter of a tree and lengths to
cut,if you had a choice?
                           Ernie

[Roy from Pa]

Dear Don:
Bottom line is, you gotta cut the tree when Momma says you gotta cut the tree: LOL

An 8 inch tree is nice. You split it into 4 equal sections, leaving 4 pieces with 4 inches across the back. Gives you lot's of room to play with.

[scrub-buster]

My tree was about 14-16".  Next time I will look for a smaller one.

[Pat B]

Don, the temp doesn't have much to do with it. It has to do with the growing season. On a tree the only living parts are the very thin cambium layer(between the bark and wood) and the buds on the branches. Everything else is dead; the wood and the bark. During the growing season the cambium is active building up what will be wood in the future. While the cambium is active the bark will "slip"(a grafting term), meaning it will pull free from the wood. Once the tree goes dormant at the end of the growing season that cambium has become wood and the bark is firmly attached. Next spring when the juices get flowing and the leaves come out the bark is ready to slip again. It may occur before the leaves come out but I know it will slip after they do come out.

[Don Armstrong]

Thanks guys, I am going to wait till spring. My wife wasn't locked into this weekend. Don

[k-hat]

Well that brings up a problem for me.  A good friend of mine said he's cutting down a hickory, nice big and straight, and said he'd save a section of it for me (I was sure to bring up sealing, etc if he does cut it).  Not one to turn down free wood, esp hickory, how'm I gonna get dat blasted bark off if it's stuck so tight?!?!  Hate to ask him to wait till september!

Have some hackberry i didn't debark and it eventually just separated (bark from cambium) as it dried.  Will hickory do the same?

[Pat B]

If he is going to save you a log it needs to get off the ground ASAP and under cover and be split in half.

[k-hat]

I'll make sure we get that done.  He hasn't cut it yet, i may see if my schedule will tolerate going out to the property with him and lend a hand;)