Punky oak for stickers?

[Crusarius]

I just cut up my first log on my mill. It was a punky red oak. seemed pretty dry but the wood is definitely not good for anything.

Well, maybe not anything. What do you guys think of using them for stickers on some maple cookies and slabs?

The slabs will be less than 3' long and probably 3/8" to 1/2" thick. The purpose for these slabs is crafty projects for my wife. Signs, wood burning planks. stuff like that.

I am all ears, look forward to hearing some opinions.

[Crusarius]

hmmm no opinions?

[YellowHammer]

I would be very cautious with punk wood.  It will have a tendency to be weaker, so can't be stacked as high, and will have a tendency to generally be a different moisture content than sound wood.  Stickers that are too dry will cause white streaks, stickers too wet cause zebra stripes.  They may be useful for some things but I would not the use them on wood I cared about.  Maple is very prone to sticker stain.  

Punky wood is also prone to insect infestation.  I've had bugs come out of my stickers and drill beautiful, straight lines of holes in line with the sticker contact area right through the wood I was drying.  Ruined the wood for selling.

The old adage, "Good stickers make good lumber" is time tested.  

[Crusarius]

Thanks yellowhammer. all good info I never thought of. very glad I asked. Hopefully somebody else will find this helpful in the future.

now I need to go find some good wood I can cut for stickers since next weekend is my Cinco De Mayo party and I am planning on cutting a backsto..... err putting on a show

[scsmith42]

Punky stickers will break on you when you're handling them.  Plus the compression strength will vary between the punky versus non-punky portions, so your lumber may not come out flat.