Hickory in large log form required

[mikekeswick]

Hi gyus, as the topic says I am looking to get some hickory in log form. Here in England it doesn't grow and can only be got in boards (which are rarely very good!). So i'm looking for anybody who can help with upto 12 inch diameter straight sections 80 inches long for me to cut into boards. Obviously postage/carrage will be steep but i'm willing to swap whatever you want to cover it.
I will make a custom bow and set of matched arrows plus quiver or whatever you want to cover the trade.
Please can somebody help!!!!

[PaulLovesJamie]

well... maybe...
I am about to cut down a hickory, was thinking about doing it this afternoon or tomorrow.  The one I tentatively picked out is about 14-16" abh (going by memory, I didnt measure). I chose that tree because the top broke off during the early snowstorms that hit the eastern US last fall and its hanging over the driveway.   I'm in SE PA, I'm pretty sure its a pignut hickory but not certain.  My goal is to get 2 or 3 or 4 staves out of it (because I'm sure I'll mess up my first try or two) and the rest will be firewood.  I dont know if the grain is straight or twisted, I'm a complete novice. Also I don't know if you were looking for dry wood, as of today this is a live tree.  Never shipped anything overseas so I have no idea about expense or how to package it or how to ship it.
If you were local I'd say come on over and you can have the whole tree (minus the few staves I want that is), but I'm a bit nervous about picking good wood for somebody else and paying quite a bit to ship it, because as I said I'm not confident I could pick good wood for you.

[PaulLovesJamie]

I'm wondering if I'm crazy for considering this  - does anybody have any idea how much it would cost to send a log overseas?

[Mesquite]

USPS(post office) you can only Max. length 60", max. length plus girth combined 108" and at 40 pounds that costs about $155 plus insurance I think, plus you have to use customs forms and maybe import fees.

[JW_Halverson]

The Post Office, FedEx, UPS, and all the other package shippers are sending this stuff by airplane.  The packages are sorted into these containers that are forklifted onto the planes and because of that you are limited in the size and shape of the package you can send. 

How about shipping by boat?  One of the folks on here that sells staves from time to time shipped a huge load of osage to Norway once and I think he built a special pallet with a plywood crate and shipped by some truck and then via ship.  Wish I had better details, maybe you should look up folks like trucking companies. 

[mikekeswick]

Hey that sounds good. When you cut it and split it just look at how it splits. If the splits you get off have no twist along the length it could be what i'm looking for. Regarding postage most of the normal services like Fed Ex etc use airmail as JW says. I would be looking to get it on a ship. I'll look into this and sort it all out so you just have to be in when they call to collect it. I'll pay all shipping costs.
When you cut this tree please could you send me photos of it.
Many thanks
Mike

[PEARL DRUMS]

Quite a few countries require certified double heat treated skids to ensure ZERO bug transplanting. We ship machine parts all over ther world. It may be a toughy to get a log over there.

[LEGIONNAIRE]

Get ready for some really expensive shipping fees. I shipped a bow to spain and it was 69 inches long and only about 3-4 pounds in the packaging. came out to 235.00. Im thinking to ship a log it may be like 1000.00 or something like that. you can go ahead and try shipping freight maybe that will be alot less expensive.

[PaulLovesJamie]

Hickory tree is down, I got six 8' logs:  four 12" diameter, one 10", one 6.75".  Also got one about 6' long 6" diameter. (firewood? or 60" 40# bow?)
Three of the 8'x12" logs looked pretty good to my inexperienced eye. I think the 4th one is going to the wood shed so I didn't take pics.
Cut it down yesterday, cleaned up all the branches & brush.
Day 2 (today) - I sealed the ends this morning with some leftover deck water sealer.  Holy cow, theres already a little checking on the ends!
Peeled the bark off.
And split one of the 12" into thirds so far. Here are a couple pics of the one I split - grain looks nice & straight to me, and it did split pretty straight:

I think the one on the left will give me 2 good bows, 2nd from the left may be a gold mine it is 11" x 6" with no knots and its all straight. (Hope it dries that way ).  The 6" log has a couple big knots in it (as you can see) but is otherwise straight. The side you cant see in this pic is clear, probably 1 or 2 good bows in it.

Yeah, OK, I really don't have a clue how many bows are in these logs. I'm guessing at how many I think I can get out of them, I'm probably wasting a lot.

More pics of the other logs in a few minutes...

[PaulLovesJamie]

Second log

[PaulLovesJamie]

third log

[PaulLovesJamie]

I need to get to work for a few hours, will post more pics later - if that would be in any way helpful.

[Mesquite]

white glove express quoted me "On a door to door basis including all charges, the total price is our minimum of $ 260.00" for 80x12x4 package weighing 40lbs. I wasn't sure what the weight of an 80 inch log would be but even at 60-80lbs I think it would be much cheaper than $500-1000. Also wasn't sure the total dimensions you would need other than 80x12

[gstoneberg]

I'm afraid it's going to be more expensive than you think.  Green hickory is almost 65 lbs/cubic foot.  An 80"x12"d hickory log is a little over 5 cubic ft.  So, a green 12" hickory log of 80" length will weigh  about 335 lbs.  Let that hickory log dry out  completely and the weight goes down to 250 lbs or so.  In the round it would take a year or so to fully season I'd think and only if it was kept dry all the time.  Green or dry, it will be pricy.  I just shipped a 15lb 76" osage board to Canada and spent over $60.  And, it didn't even have to get on a boat.  The osage I sent to the UK was in billet form and in that same cost range to send.  We get spoiled sending wood around inside the US.  The price doubles at least as soon as it crosses a border and then there are those annoying length restrictions for air shipments.

George

[mikekeswick]

Great the 2nd from the left looks like a good un! Please could you confirm the length? I have been really busy but will get onto sorting out shipping today hopefully.
Many thanks