Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
I'm serious about burning it - but don't load your stove with a monoculture fire of hornbeam as it'll get hot enough to melt the steel.
Does anyone hinge this time of year?
- Thread starter chummer
- Start date
SD51555
5 year old buck +
On my dad's place, we used to seek out ironwood for firewood. We never cut down a live tree, but cleaned up every one that clobbered by another falling tree or died out. He's also got way too many mature basswood trees. I started dropping some smaller ones along my clover plot in a sunlight project about 8 years ago. There are no deer per square mile (it is desolate), and the basswood sprouts would all get cleaned off in the spring by the lone doe that would take up residence in the spring.
Stu, when you say ironwood, are you talking about a smaller trunked tree, rock hard, a finer textured bark, slow growing, sap runs in the spring from cuts, and holds it's leaves longer in the fall?
Stu, when you say ironwood, are you talking about a smaller trunked tree, rock hard, a finer textured bark, slow growing, sap runs in the spring from cuts, and holds it's leaves longer in the fall?
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
They're loving the junk I knocked over before rifle season on that corner where the trapping shack is going (around that big oak that fell). I didn't make it thick at all and just wanted to bring some food down, but they were holed up in there when the snow got bad today.
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Basswood's good stuff. It has lumber value if you can mill it, but as you already know it's also preferred browse.
biglakeba$$
5 year old buck +
The only ironwood I know of, is PLENTIFUL at my dads house west of Henning.
The old rumor dad talks about is that ironwood pulls a lot of sand up through the wood as it grows??? Is that true??
The crap really does a number on chainsaw blades in no time.... I have seen it myself.... or is it because of the actual gnarly wood??
The old rumor dad talks about is that ironwood pulls a lot of sand up through the wood as it grows??? Is that true??
The crap really does a number on chainsaw blades in no time.... I have seen it myself.... or is it because of the actual gnarly wood??
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
I'm not sure why, but mineral content is certainly possible. It'd explain the sparks.
Tip for cutting it - use a semi-chisel chain if you have any, and file the top plate at 25 degrees. It'll hold an edge longer, but won't cut as fast in other species.
Tip for cutting it - use a semi-chisel chain if you have any, and file the top plate at 25 degrees. It'll hold an edge longer, but won't cut as fast in other species.
Bucks&Ducks
5 year old buck +
You can use hop hornbeam/ ironwood for fenceposts or even legs on a box stand if the trunk is straight enough. Once that stuff gets dry its about as strong as it gets. The key is cutting, nailing, etc before it dries out. Grouse also like ironwood if you have them around.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I agree with NH Mountains on the heat output. We have some hornbeam here and the biggest dia. I've seen is about 8". Very heavy and dense firewood. It burns hot as hell. Good to mix a piece in with some maple or birch.
chummer
5 year old buck +
I got a few hours in today. I mainly hinged along a trail from bedding to plots. I am trying to narrow down how they get to the plot and hopefully make them use it during daylight. I also hinged the top of a knob a couple hundred yards from the plot, hopefully it will become another bedding area. I mostly dropped beech but I mixed in a few birch and soft maple.
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
I was out for about 45 minutes before pinching a chain trying to unsnag a big oak. I pulled the bar off the saw, left the chain in the tree, and decided my sweaty neck was cold enough to quit. I only brought one saw out with me, or I would've probably kept going longer.
It's only 18F and there's a decent breeze. Getting wet is pretty much game over.
I did get some wood knocked over in the time I spent. I was following a fresh deer trail, so they should find 'em sooner than later.
It's only 18F and there's a decent breeze. Getting wet is pretty much game over.
I did get some wood knocked over in the time I spent. I was following a fresh deer trail, so they should find 'em sooner than later.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
When you guys hinge, how high up off the ground do you make your cuts for making bedding shelter? Do you also get stump sprouts from those hinges?
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
You'll get stump sprouts from any tree that isn't well along in old age decline, or outright dead already.
Just like with apple trees - if they can reach it, they will eat it.
I keep my stumps between my arm pits and knees depending on the tree and what I want it to do. If I'm removing the tree (or plan to do so later), I'll cut as close to the root flair as possible. This leaves less to rot, and utilizes more of the first log (8' closest to the butt).
Just like with apple trees - if they can reach it, they will eat it.
I keep my stumps between my arm pits and knees depending on the tree and what I want it to do. If I'm removing the tree (or plan to do so later), I'll cut as close to the root flair as possible. This leaves less to rot, and utilizes more of the first log (8' closest to the butt).
