Hackberry

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

Overall, Hackberry most closely resembles Fraxinus sp. (Ash) and it is sometimes used as a substitute for Ash in some decorative applications where hardness and strength are not required.

The grain of Hackberry samples is usually straight although slightly interlocked grain does occur occasionally.

The overall texture is coarse and uneven until the wood is heavily processed and finished.  This is quite common in woods of this extreme softness.

The end-grain of Hackberry displays a ring-porous pattern with large to very large earlywood pores and small to medium latewood pores that appear in bands.  Pores of this size and frequent occurrence are likely to require filling to achieve a completely smooth endgrain appearance and feel.  Fortunately for our purposes, this is not necessary when turning provided that one has a good measure of patience when final sanding the pieces.

Hackberry is not a good choice for exterior applications as it is non-durable to outright perishable in terms of resistance to fungal rot.  Hackberry is also susceptible to insect attack.

As previously noted, Hackberry is also commonly discolored by fungi infestation resulting in a coloration and pattern commonly known among woodworkers as “spalt.”

Spalted Hackberry

Spalted Hakberry is a not distinct species of Hackberry but is instead a general description of any type of Hackberry, and other woods as well, commonly Maple, that has been allowed to begin the initial stages of decay, and then subsequently dried. The drying prevents further decay from occurring. The partial decay, called spalting, gives the wood dark contrasting lines and streaks where fungus has begun to attack the wood.  If the wood has been rescued from the spalting process at the right time, the lumber should still be sound and usable, with little to no soft spots or rotten wood.

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

While partially rotten wood might not sound appealing, don’t judge until you’ve seen it. The dark brown or even black lines and streaks add a great deal of interest to wood which is otherwise very pale and often plain.

Some examples of spalted Hackberry are “stabilized.” This refers to a process by which spalted material is infused with a polymer under very high pressure. This process allows for wood that is otherwise too soft or even rotten to be safely used to be turned into a highly stable matrix. Some users and consumers might not like the inescapable fact that a “stabilized” material is at least to some degree plastic. Sometimes the stabilization polymer is highly colored although this is usually only seen with pen blank sized pieces.

Working Characteristics

In general, Hackberry works well when using both hand and machined powered tools.  That said, pieces of Hackberry that have knots or sections of interlocked grain can present challenges during machine operations, especially plane procedures, but this is commonly true of woods with these features and the usual solutions of extremely sharp tools wielded with patience will usually prevail.

Hackberry is reported to respond superbly to steam bending procedures.

Hackberry also glues, stains, and finishes well and these characteristics allow it to be used as a lower priced mimic in applications where the wood is painted or stained to more closely match the coloration of other woods, including some that might be endangered or restricted in trade.

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

Two Small Hackberry Bowls

Most relevant for our purposes here though, Hackberry is known to be an excellent turning wood.

Hackberry is reported to have an odor when freshly cut or worked and this odor is described by some as being mild while others find it extremely unpleasant.  It isn’t clear if the odor derives exclusively from the wood itself or if the commonly present fungi contribute to, or completely constitutes, the smell.  Regardless of the origin, the odor is stronger in green wood than in completely dried material, so if the odor really gets to you, try drying your Hackberry first.

Pricing and Availability

Hackberry is a wood that is commonly available in its native range but it lacks compelling characteristics that would make it valuable enough to export, so its availability and pricing will reflect the location of the purchaser.  This is often the case with woods that are considered “hobby” or “utility” woods; in other words woods that can be easily substituted with cheaper local alternatives.  That said, Hackberry tends to be readily available in the eastern United States but rarely if ever seen in the Rocky Mountain states or further west.