I’ve written about both Hickory and Sycamore in the past.
Sycamore is extremely easy to turn, it cuts smoothly, and finishes acceptably although not perfectly.
Sycamore 7 x 2
Hickory is a challenge as it is very hard and tends to be splintery. With the grain you couldn’t ask for a smoother cut but across the grain the fiber lift is extreme and requires very concentrated sanding to remove.
Hickory 6.5 x 3
All cuts were made using the Easy Wood Tool system on my Robust American Beauty lathe. Forward chucking was in a Nova Chuck, while reverse chucking was done using a Nova Chuck with Cole Jaws. Sanding was with Gold and Green Wave sanding discs from Packard Woodworks. Final finish is Shellawax.
As always, I wish all my readers a great experience in whatever your wood working interests happen to be and to those who like working with lathes especially, do a good turn today!