Hickory vs Oak

I am planning to use Hickory vs Oak for laminated ribs on a 27' cruiser power vessel and would like to know it anyone has had any experience with this wood, how well does it glue with epoxy? I have a bunch of the stuff and would like to use it...hardest wood I have ever worked with. You actually have to protect your arms while cutting the stuff on the table saw as the splinters will cause you great discomfort. I am not worried about rot resistance, as the entire inside of boat will be covered by no less than 3 coats of epoxy. I plan to strip plank over the Hickory ribs with Western Red Cedar and of course glass the outside of the boat for abrasion resistance as well as increased torsional strength.

Thomas

 

Us Forest Service Lab on Hickory:
http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/HardwoodNA/htmlDocs/carya.html
Excerpt:
Working Properties: Hickory is considered difficult to machine and glue. It holds nails well, but it tends to split. It is susceptible to bird peck.
Durability:Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
(Chemical) Preservation: Extremely resistant.
Uses: Tool handles, furniture, cabinetry, ladder rungs, dowels, sportinggoods (including baseball bats, skis and archery equipment), flooring, veneer, plywood, fuelwood, charcoal.

Us Forest Service Lab on Oak:
http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/HardwoodNA/htmlDocs/quercussp.html
Working Properties: Oak wood has good working properties. It machines and glues well and holds fasteners extremely well. It tends to split when nailed, unless predrilled. Oak finishes well, but shrinks considerably.
Durability: The oaks are rated with respect to resistance to heartwood decay as follows (98):
Very resistant--bur oak, chestnut oak, Gambel oak, Oregon oak, post oak and white oak
Moderately resistant--swamp chestnut oak
Slightly to nonresistant--black oak and red oak

Preservation: The heartwood of the white oak group is resistant to impregnation with preservatives, whereas that of the red oak group is more easily penetrated.

Uses Ships, railroad crossties, timber bridges, tannin dyes, fuel wood, hardwood dimensions and flooring, furniture, veneer, plywood, barrels, kegs and casks (white oak group), truck and trailer beds, mining timbers, containers, pallets, caskets, boxes, paneling.

Hmmm. Hickory doesn't sound too good if it EVER gets exposed.. (White) Oak sounds lot better...

 

White oak the world over and for centuries. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

 

Tannins in Oak have compatibility problems with epoxy.

In the USDA specs in regard to gluing qualities, epoxy glues are not considered, while "carpenter glues" are what those specs are referring to. SYP has the same "gluing" remarks from the USDA, yet SYP does very well with epoxy. Thus, Hickory should do well IF totally encapsulated in epoxy.

 

Thomas Wick
Since you live in Oregon, would you say how much WRC costs you per board foot? Douglas fir also?

Does Black Locust grow in your area? If so it is ideal for laminated ribs.