# Hackberry



## Plumbob (Aug 16, 2017)

Does hackberry need to be stabilized? I bought some call blanks, very pretty wood, but it doesn't seem all that stout. If it does need stabilization, who would you recommend me sending 5 blanks too?


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## Tony (Aug 16, 2017)

@Sprung does an excellent job. @JR Parks might be able to answer whether or not it needs it. Tony


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## Sidecar (Aug 16, 2017)

I'm by far no expert , can spell it ( has hack in it ) seems to be a fairly stout material , witnessed it coming out of the lathe several times with little to know damage and it's velocity seems to be dodgeable..... extent of my experience ....

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Sprung (Aug 16, 2017)

Is it spalted or not? Spalted Hackberry I'd definitely recommend stabilizing. I've never had any non-spalted Hackberry, so I can't say whether or not it needs to be stabilized. Though my personal preference is becoming more and more toward turning stabilized wood, especially for items that will see use - I mainly turn pens.

If you'd like someone to stabilize them for you, feel free to send me a PM and we can discuss it.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rhossack (Aug 16, 2017)

I have turned lots of Spalted Hackberry for reel seats for fly rods and never stabilized a piece. It is a very stable wood.

I'm thinking of something I haven't run through my stabilizing system ... I know, concrete! I'm being slightly sarcastic here, but somethings that are stabilized I'm amazed at.


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## JR Parks (Aug 17, 2017)

I think in non spalted material you could get by without but it can be soft and pourus. I would send Matt a pm and discuss. Jim


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## Ray D (Aug 17, 2017)

I'm not sure what type of calls you make but I have noticed a big difference in tonal quality using very light spalted wood. In my case, turkey pot calls. The light spalted woods sound much better to me when they are stabilized. Just my opinion.


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## rocky1 (Aug 18, 2017)

Any wood that is soft or porous is going to give you better tonal quality having been stabilized. It's also going to stand up over time better because it's less apt to absorb moisture if not absolutely perfectly sealed, and it will resist dents when banged around in use. Stabilizing also provides a more consistent and stable surface for most, if not all commonly used finishes. Give Matt a call... His shop is way cooler than mine right now!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Sprung (Aug 18, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> Give Matt a call... His shop is way cooler than mine right now!



I had to vacate the garage shop earlier as it was getting too warm in there - it hit 80 inside of my garage. Too warm!

I have my toaster oven out in the garage for curing the blanks, but my chambers and vacuum pump are in the basement, where it's a nice upper 60's year round.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Clay3063 (Aug 18, 2017)

I'd love 80 degrees in the shop. It was 110 in the shade today here. I can only imagine what it was like in the HF tent shop.


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## Sprung (Aug 18, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> 110 in the shade

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Clay3063 (Aug 18, 2017)

Sprung said:


>


Exactly!!!


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## rocky1 (Aug 18, 2017)

Oh yeah, rub it in!! Heat index was 108 yesterday, 110 the day before, and that was outside my shop/walk-in-kiln. Attic fan in the open gable of the roof is set at somewhere around 115 and it's running right regular of late! You walk in open all the doors, turn on all of the fans, go to the house and wait for sundown.

I saw Silmar do things I've never seen it do last night. Alumilite has absolutely nothing on that stuff when your resin is nice and warm to start. 200 ml Jello Jiggler inside of 10 minutes from adding catalyst! Boom!!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## rhossack (Aug 19, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> I'd love 80 degrees in the shop. It was 110 in the shade today here. I can only imagine what it was like in the HF tent shop.



But .. .. But, it's a *DRY* heat so it's not feeling that hot


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## Ralph Muhs (Aug 19, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> I'd love 80 degrees in the shop. It was 110 in the shade today here. I can only imagine what it was like in the HF tent shop.


How and why would anyone live in a climate like that???????

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


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## Clay3063 (Aug 19, 2017)

rhossack said:


> But .. .. But, it's a *DRY* heat so it's not feeling that hot


I'll have two of whatever you've been smoking! LOL!  DRY??? Not hardly. Humidity is running around 70-80%.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Clay3063 (Aug 19, 2017)

Ralph Muhs said:


> How and why would anyone live in a climate like that???????



Ralph, I'll tell you... you can't be no girly man and live down here. That's for sure. As to why? Lord only knows my friend. Lord only knows. I can say this, while all them northerners are shoveling mountains of snow every winter, we only have to stoke the fire a little and sit back and relax. Guess it kind of evens out. Sorta. But I will say that my He-Man status is slowly changing and the mountains are looking more and more inviting right now.


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## Ralph Muhs (Aug 19, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> Ralph, I'll tell you... you can't be no girly man and live down here. That's for sure. As to why? Lord only knows my friend. Lord only knows. I can say this, while all them northerners are shoveling mountains of snow every winter, we only have to stoke the fire a little and sit back and relax. Guess it kind of evens out. Sorta. But I will say that my He-Man status is slowly changing and the mountains are looking more and more inviting right now.


Years ago, when I was tearing off roofs, building houses, installing pools ... I often said I wanted to retire to a place where I could wear a long sleeved flannel shirt on the hottest day of the year. This isn't the place, but it is close. The high temperature here on the mountain rarely gets above 85. The down side is the fog and humidity. I like the winter! There is enough firewood on my property to heat my house and many others for a century without ever cutting a live tree. There are other good and bad things, but that is another story.

Reactions: Sincere 1


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## Clay3063 (Aug 19, 2017)

Ralph Muhs said:


> Years ago, when I was tearing off roofs, building houses, installing pools ... I often said I wanted to retire to a place where I could wear a long sleeved flannel shirt on the hottest day of the year. This isn't the place, but it is close. The high temperature here on the mountain rarely gets above 85. The down side is the fog and humidity. I like the winter! There is enough firewood on my property to heat my house and many others for a century without ever cutting a live tree. There are other good and bad things, but that is another story.


My ancestors came to Texas from West Virginia. As the story goes the little village they came from had too many folks with the same last name and my great grandparents were worried about the bloodline. LOL. So being an oil man they moved west to Tulsa where my grandfather was born and from there to Texas. I've lived all over this state now and I am inclined, as I mentioned before to find higher latitudes and altitudes similar to where you are now.


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## Ralph Muhs (Aug 19, 2017)

I am not a native West Virginian. I spent my life in hot, humid, Illinois. A derisive dig at my WV neighbors says there are no branches on the family tree here, and "It is all relative in WV". I have found friendly neighbors and wonderful people here. Many of my other neighbors are transplants like me. Mostly they come from the Northeast. They can sell a house there and reinvest here and have a nicer home with a fraction of the taxes. But my most recent transplanted neighbor is from south Texas. He owns a ranch there, but bought a house here on the mountain top just last year. For "summer living". Come on up and join us.


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## Robert Baccus (Aug 19, 2017)

Try the marsh country in south la.--98/98 temp and humidity day and nite. Ahhh, but lots of wood and fish and ducks and shrimp and ....


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## Tony (Aug 21, 2017)

As long as I stay South of the Mason Dixon line I think I'd be okay. I love Louisiana, Tennessee. Never been to West Virginia. I just can't deal with the cold. Where 80 was to hot for Matt to be in the Shop that is close to where it's too cold for me to be out there! Tony


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## Ralph Muhs (Aug 21, 2017)

Tony said:


> As long as I stay South of the Mason Dixon line I think I'd be okay. I love Louisiana, Tennessee. Never been to West Virginia. I just can't deal with the cold. Where 80 was to hot for Matt to be in the Shop that is close to where it's too cold for me to be out there! Tony


Here's the final truth, last word, indisputable fact... You can always put enough warm clothing on when it is cold, but you can never take enough off to be comfortable when it is hot and humid. But I am glad there are enough heat impared people to populate those southern states. It was 59 degrees here this morning. High today predicted to be 72. I am retired. If it is cold outside, I just put another log on my fireplace and have another cup of coffee and watch the beautiful snow sift down over the cliff.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tony (Aug 21, 2017)

72??????

I'd be under the blankets shivering!!!!!


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## rocky1 (Aug 21, 2017)

Yeah there's days I miss that month and a half of sub zero temps. Not very damn many of them! But there is days.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike Hill (Sep 5, 2017)

Remember the Alamo! NO AC then

Reactions: Useful 1


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