Hackberry

[Rex Bloem]

Has anybody out there used hackberry for flat work. I have seen a few turnings, but no flat work that I can think of. I have access to a 26-28" hackberry tree that I can get 3 8-9' logs out of. How does it work conpared to red oak?

[Mark Muhr]

I've never worked it, but I've been told it works like pecan which can be difficult as it has interlocking grain and likes to tear out with hand tools. I've seen pictures of cabinetry built from Hackberry and it was very pretty. Just from what I've seen of it finished, it would be worth it to me to grab those logs, but I've also got a good friend with his own mill and solar kiln.

[Darren Wright]

I had many times I wanted to use hackberry, as it's root were clogging up the sewer line and causing my basement in my old house to flood. Sadly to say, I never got around to trimming it off at the ground as my wife would not let me.

[Frank Fusco]

Forget it. I think there is a law or something that says it MUST be used only for turnings.
That is why it finishes so beautifully with things round.

[larry merlau]

rex dont listen to FRANK his head is still dizzy from his turnings.. its not like oak, it looks like a ash with some greenish to gray heart wood its realitly soft but not as soft as butternut i got some drawers made from it and made a box once with some in it.. get it cut into lumber its worht the time to do so it spalts great too.. alittle fuzzy when sanding but pretty stable and strong.

[Rex Bloem]

Frank would it still be against the law if a few pieces found there way to your spinny thing? I have some laying here in the shed, but it is dry.

[Paul Downes]

One issue with Hackberry is that the heartwood is relatively small in diameter to the sapwood. It takes a big tree to get the nice colored heartwood. At least this is true with the trees I have seen in Michigan. The exception is when you allow it to spalt then you can get nice black lines in the white wood.

[Jay Caughron]

Rex I made several hundred 2X4 benches out of it and loved work with it. Most of them went to Cal and they though they were getting a strange new wood

Well worth milling up and it can be stained and painted and I clear finished a LOT of it.

[Rex Bloem]

I will go ahead and drop it this winter if the snow doesn't get too deep. Also need to drop a dew others and get them cut up also. We will see what happens.