is this hophornbeam?

[RidgeRunner]

OK, Not trying to start a fight or anything but here is at least one reason there is so much confusion about these two trees. 
My Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Trees. Copyright 1987, On page 167 states this.

Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)  The first sentence reads...
"A small tree whose smooth gray trunk has a distinctly (muscular) appearance.

Hornbeam (Ostrya Virginiana)  The first senttence reads...
"A small tree with foliage and twigs much like those of Ironwood but trunk bark brownish, grooved and shreddy.

Hophornbeam is not even listed.

David

[Hillbilly]

Ridgerunner, the problem is that both trees are commmonly called ironwood, and Carpinus caroliniana has about a dozen other common names. Around here, we call  Carpinus ironwood, it is listed in 90% of field guides and books as American Hornbeam, but the common name in most areas isn't hornbeam. It commonly goes by blue beech or musclewood in a lot of areas. Ostrya is listed in 99.9% of books as hophornbeam, but is usually called ironwood in the areas it grows. Around here, hophornbeam is so uncommon that most local people don't have a common name for it. I've only found it in scattered local areas with basic bedrock/soil, and it's usually small and twisted. So like you said, when you get one book that lists the trees opposite of what most of them do, it only adds to the confusion.

[akila]

I have done some research on google and i have found this....Carpinus betulus ( this is in latin for male tree) and carpinus orientalis( latin for female tree) this is the tree that i have here in romania....the bark is realy smooth and have that musculare aspect...the tree is realy tall and most of the time it grows twisted, Here in Romania wi just call him Carpen...(Carpen-Carpinus.. ...its realy close to Latin)

[Sidewinder]

I'm thinking it looks like bow wood regardless. Lets get that bad boy split and debarked and sealed and see how she looks. Sailordad...If'n ya layer yer clothes and have some decent gloves that won't slip off the draw knife handles you can get a good sweat going in no time and you won't care too much about the cold. Trust me. I don't think I would wait until the bugs start eating the wood. It does'nt look like too tough a job. Get you a buddy that might want to work for a bow and have him help share the load if you need to. I've seen some great bows made of both HHB and elm. GregB had an incredible HHB last year and theres a fella named Orien on PP that builds a great elm Holmgard. So either way if its not too twisty I'll bet you can coax a shooter out of it.  I'm cheering for ya.    Danny

[sailordad]

Thanks Danny,
I was wondering how to proceed with splitting the logs,I've never done this before.should i strip the bark first or wait until the log is split into staves.
or do i want to peel the bark and just leave the log as is for now?
and i guess i should also ask what is the best way to split the log,use a saw or what?

i did some research on line and it looks to me like this is eastern hornbeam,i could be wrong though. i do know that it is not elm,we have lots of that in town here,both chinease and American elm.


well any advice on how to split and care for my log would be greatly appreciated. thanks again.

                                                                                       peace,

                                                                                           Tim

[Hillbilly]

Tim, it's HHB (Ostrya.) I would split it into staves now, or at least quarter it. Seal the ends and take the bark off. I wouldn't try to kerf it with a saw-looks like it might have a little grain twist. If you split it, the split will follow the grain. If you saw it and the grain is twisted, it will violate the grain. You can always take prop twist out with heat, but you can't put severed grain back together.

[Pat B]

Tim, Split the log at least in half, seal the ends and down about 4" on the split side and let it cure. I am not familiar with HHB so I can't be specific about it in particular. This is a general rule for most woods. I'd say don't remove the bark unless you intend to seal the back of the stave/split with something. When curing wood you are trying to allow the moisture to leave in a controlled manner so you end up with the best staves possible for bow building. Bark is water proof so by leaving it on the back of the stave, and by sealing the ends the moisture can only leave through the belly. Even if the wood checks from moisture loss in the belly, more than likely you will remove the checked wood as you work the stave to a bow.
   If you take a stave or two down to almost bow size for quicker drying time be sure that the limbs are even thickness from fade to tip and that the 2 limbs are similar to each other. This will help to control twists and bends as the wood cures.     Pat

[sailordad]

thanks for the quick repsones Pat and Hillbilly,
I really appreciate it.
It sounds simple enough,and like a good way to relieve some stress swinging a maul and pounding wedges.
thanks again.

                                                                PEACE,
                                                                      Tim

[Ryano]

Good luck splitting it!  That stuff is incredibly tuff, with interlocking grain. Some times you have to kerf it with a saw in order to get it to split. 

[nailbender]

  You can split it, but DO NOT DEBARK, unless you plan on sealing the whole back. I made that mistake once and the stave checked so badly it became completely useless. Leave the bark on until the moisture content comes down some.

  Dale.

[Hillbilly]

As Pat and Nailbender pointed out, seal that back when you debark. It's not as likely to check this time of year, but it's possible if you pull the bark and bring it directly into a heated room. If you leave the bark on, it'll probably be full of borers in a couple months. I've learned that one the hard way. Nowadays, after losing about twenty five or thirty good whitewood staves to bugs last year, I always try to peel the bark and seal the back when I can.

[RidgeRunner]

It is a bit funny.  One of the main reasons I got the field guide in the first place was to help clear up confusion between me, my Dad and my Grandad.
OH well, Now I have to learn a new word.  "Hophornbeam, Hophornbeam, Hophornbeam..  There.  That should do it.

Two of the finest Hophornbeam stave ever cut are in my storage room at this time.

David

[Sidewinder]

What Pat and Hillbilly said.    Danny

[koan]

Me and knapperderg cut one a couple months ago with just an axe and split it with wedges made from its branches ( for hatchet bow contest @ Mojam). It didnt split too bad, but it definetly is tuff stuff. Then again, it was only bout4" in diameter. ....Brian