Mockernut hickory split, questions?

[lebhuntfish]

Well we got a beautiful day here in the Ozark! It was 72 today, very spring like! So me and a buddy decided to tackle my 3 big mockernut hickory logs. Man this stuff is tough! We managed to get 2 of them split in half. And got one of the halves split into 4 thick staves. The third one was a bear! We started the splits with my chainsaw. We work on the last one till we couldn't swing no more. I left all of my wedges in it including my splitting maul! I'll have to finish that one tomorrow.

The question is, since my staves are so thick. I know I can split the belly of them. But can I use the belly split for a stave? I know you normally just use the "back"  just under the bark. Any advice for someone that is new to hickory would be awesome, thanks. Patrick

 

[Eric Garza]

I've had at best mixed success splitting belly staves off hickory. You do it same as with any other wood, and chase a ring afterwards. Do you have a band saw? It might be easiest to saw the belly staves off, and clean them up with a draw knife.

[Drewster]

Per Eric's comments, yes you can split off a "piggy back" stave or billet and build a bow with them.  Once you split them off, make sure you seal the back as well as the end.  Without the bark, the back of the piggy back stave will check quickly, so get it sealed.  I've used glue with good success but shellac will also work very well......two coats perhaps.  I'm getting ready to start a bow with piggy back billets from a 110 year old hickory.  Nice wood :-)

[Aaron H]

I know that hickory splits easily when it is freshly cut.  I like to quarter mine initially, then split more if needed after a few months. 

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks guy's for all the replies! There is some very good info there.  I will take your advice. I do have a band saw, never thought about cutting them off, thanks.

Falcon I'm finding out the hard way. These are about 3 months or so down. Unfortunately life has gotten in the way! Patrick

[Springbuck]

  I have used a small chainsaw to cut kerfs along a triangle split to pop off a belly split from other woods. Groove it, then wedge it off.   It's really hard to see what you are doing, ring wise, so only do it if there is PLENTY of wood there.

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks again! So about how big does the splits need to be? About 3 inches? Patrick

[cdpbrewer]

"So about how big does the splits need to be? About 3 inches?"

If you are talking about a belly split with wedges, it's best to chose the split location by picturing the resulting two pieces as beams of equal bending strenght.   For a triangular section that'll be somewhere around 1/3 down from the bark side.   If the two pieces are not of equal bending strength, the split will tend not to follow the grain and hence run out.   As you split, watch where the split is running and stop if it's going to run too much into your belly wood.   Better one good bark-sided stave rather than two pieces of fire wood. 

c.d.

[scp]

For "belly split", I start splitting in the middle of the stave.

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks fellas, im learning what not to do when i start splitting off the bellies. What about the width of the over all stave off the log. I split out 4 the other day that were from 3 to 4 inches? Patrick