ROLLACOSTA
Addicted to ArboristSite
i was told that in the states planes platanus x hispanica [london plane] and platanus orientalis [oriental plane] where often reffered to as sycamore 
Hardest Tree Type
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ptar
ArboristSite Lurker
Sycamore
Big John, ROLLACOSTA,
Around here, Platanus x acerifolia 'Yarwood'
is called 'Yarwood Sycamore' of 'Yarwood
London Plane'. I hear 'Sycamore' a lot
more than 'London Plane'.
The same goes for 'Bloodgood' , 'Liberty'
and 'Columbia'.
In the UK, a Sycamore is an Acer pseudoplatanus.
Big John, ROLLACOSTA,
Around here, Platanus x acerifolia 'Yarwood'
is called 'Yarwood Sycamore' of 'Yarwood
London Plane'. I hear 'Sycamore' a lot
more than 'London Plane'.
The same goes for 'Bloodgood' , 'Liberty'
and 'Columbia'.
In the UK, a Sycamore is an Acer pseudoplatanus.
Ax-man
Addicted to ArboristSite
Other than the already mentioned trees, I'll cast my vote for a tree that has a rotten center that has all that punky, decayed, water soaked good stuff still inside of it.
I don't why, but just about every time we cut one of these rotten trees takes the edge right off a saw especially Red Oak with a tie between Cottonwood and Soft Maple. Stump cuts seem to be the worst, it almost like cutting through dirt, sometimes.
I would much rather cut on the hardest wood in our area, dead or alive, than cut on some rotten snag.
Larry
I don't why, but just about every time we cut one of these rotten trees takes the edge right off a saw especially Red Oak with a tie between Cottonwood and Soft Maple. Stump cuts seem to be the worst, it almost like cutting through dirt, sometimes.
I would much rather cut on the hardest wood in our area, dead or alive, than cut on some rotten snag.
Larry
DDM
Addicted to ArboristSite
What the Hell is a chainsaw ticket?
Stumper
One Man Band
Re: the Butcher's blocks-The reason Hackberry is called HACKberry is because of its historic usage as butcers blocks. That said-Neither density nor resistance to splitting or splintering have much to do with ease or difficulty of cutting.(Hackberry saws nicely)
Many people are surprised when informed that some woods that saw easily are relativley hard to grind the stumps thereof.
Among North American trees-Palms are soft but very difficult to cut with a chainsaw. Linden is soft and easily cut but has some of the palm's tendency to tighten the kerf with severed fiber ends when you get into large diameters. Big DEAD lilac can be TOUGH (green it cuts easy). Several have mentioned Osage/ beaud'arc and it is both very dense and hard to cut. (Also hard to stumpgrind) There is an acacia found in southern Africa that is called Hardecol(=Hard as coal) It is frightfully hard stuff- about 20 minutes cutting on a dead one WITHOUT touching dirt and you need to resharpen a chain.
Many people are surprised when informed that some woods that saw easily are relativley hard to grind the stumps thereof.
Among North American trees-Palms are soft but very difficult to cut with a chainsaw. Linden is soft and easily cut but has some of the palm's tendency to tighten the kerf with severed fiber ends when you get into large diameters. Big DEAD lilac can be TOUGH (green it cuts easy). Several have mentioned Osage/ beaud'arc and it is both very dense and hard to cut. (Also hard to stumpgrind) There is an acacia found in southern Africa that is called Hardecol(=Hard as coal) It is frightfully hard stuff- about 20 minutes cutting on a dead one WITHOUT touching dirt and you need to resharpen a chain.
That's one thing nice about cutting osage orange....anything I cut afterwards is so easy.....kinda like taking a break.
I took some pictures at the farm today, the two on the far right are both what I've always called 'sycamore'...I don't know if it's obvious from the picture, but are they?
These two trees are growing within a hundred feet of each other, but they look so different from the leaf color and bark color. Strange.
today's fall images
I took some pictures at the farm today, the two on the far right are both what I've always called 'sycamore'...I don't know if it's obvious from the picture, but are they?
These two trees are growing within a hundred feet of each other, but they look so different from the leaf color and bark color. Strange.
today's fall images
Nickrosis
Manned by Boderators
Fantastic pictures as always. Great use of focal length.
Gord
ArboristSite Operative
it seems a bit strange that on an arborist site there is so much confusion about common names vs scientific. i've heard all of the planes as well as acer pseudoplatanus commonly called 'sycamores.' none is more of a 'sycamore' than the other...it's just local vernacular
on another note dead arbutus is one of the hardest to cut around here...not so bad when it's live tho it is very hard and dense.
i find the hardest wood to cut is the stuff covered in dirt
on another note dead arbutus is one of the hardest to cut around here...not so bad when it's live tho it is very hard and dense.
i find the hardest wood to cut is the stuff covered in dirt
techdave
ArboristSite Operative
Sycamores
Hi RollaCosta, the Sycamore of Californnia is Platanus racemosa. The arizona Sycamore is Platanus wrightii. Most definitely not the imported plane tree of urban and suburban settings.
Hi RollaCosta, the Sycamore of Californnia is Platanus racemosa. The arizona Sycamore is Platanus wrightii. Most definitely not the imported plane tree of urban and suburban settings.
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Here's a vid of a 385 modified worksaw cutting a green Elm. I called it Rock Elm, but it could be Grey or Pith Elm. On second thought dry Elm is pretty hard as are most hardwoods when their MC is at its lowest.
John
John
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Here's a vid of a 385 modified worksaw cutting a green Elm. I called it Rock Elm, but it could be Grey or Pith Elm. On second thought dry Elm is pretty hard as are most hardwoods when their MC is at its lowest.
John
John
Nickrosis
Manned by Boderators
What did you say? What did you say? The first video is just a blurb....the second post has the whole video.
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Hi Nick, I must have hit submit twice, but don't tell Butch or he'll be up to 10,000 posts in no time.
Anyway, here's some bone dry Ironwood.
John
Anyway, here's some bone dry Ironwood.
John
P_woozel
ArboristSite Guru
I've cut dead black oak in CA that I thought was the hardest, But the guy I was partnered with was from Nebraska and said hedgeball trees were hard as concrete maybe thats Osage orange? He also said they made longbows out of it too.
Stumper
One Man Band
Yep, Osage. -But it is quite a bit harder than some concrete.
Originally posted by ROLLACOSTA
i was told that in the states planes platanus x hispanica [london plane] and platanus orientalis [oriental plane] where often reffered to as sycamore
Howdy, RC.
Try this: (you'll need your "Back" button after?) <form method="post" action="http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/data_results_with_common.cfm?family=Platanaceae"><input type="submit" name="Search" value="Platanaceae"></form>
Glen
Al Smith
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hardest wood
Hardest when green, Ironwood,Osage Orange.When dry,American elm[rarely seen],Red Oak,Shagbark Hickory,Black Cherry,Black Locust.In the picture,the saw is on a block of bone dry red oak.I keep some of it around,to test my saws after a rebuilt,or tune up.If it will cut this stuff,it will cut anything.
Hardest when green, Ironwood,Osage Orange.When dry,American elm[rarely seen],Red Oak,Shagbark Hickory,Black Cherry,Black Locust.In the picture,the saw is on a block of bone dry red oak.I keep some of it around,to test my saws after a rebuilt,or tune up.If it will cut this stuff,it will cut anything.
highpoint-utd
ArboristSite Operative
hmmmm much confusion about the syacamore
the sycamore named in england is as rolla correctly said the common name for over a thousand years however this name was accutally derived from them scotch name for a similar leaved shrub called the sycamorus (this name apparently came from the bible as the shrub resembled the sycamorus named somewhere in the bible? dunno where though ) cant remember where i learned this but i think it was in an old forestry book .
the sycamore named in england is as rolla correctly said the common name for over a thousand years however this name was accutally derived from them scotch name for a similar leaved shrub called the sycamorus (this name apparently came from the bible as the shrub resembled the sycamorus named somewhere in the bible? dunno where though ) cant remember where i learned this but i think it was in an old forestry book .
ROLLACOSTA
Addicted to ArboristSite
Originally posted by DDM
What the Hell is a chainsaw ticket?
its a mandatory certificate/qualifacation required by anyone who uses a chainsaw for work
Lumberjack
Banned
I agree with butch, dried bodock is pretty dang tough. Even a sharp chain throws dust, not chips. Man its tough!
The next toughest? Big (in DBH) hackberry. Why is that? Because around here, people used those as a place to chain their junk too. Never know what you will find in one, metal poles running up the tree, bricks, various plumbing. You name it we have found it. Exvcept for small imports, cuz they werent around then.
The next toughest? Big (in DBH) hackberry. Why is that? Because around here, people used those as a place to chain their junk too. Never know what you will find in one, metal poles running up the tree, bricks, various plumbing. You name it we have found it. Exvcept for small imports, cuz they werent around then.
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