Red Oak Questions

[scleigh]

I cut a pretty nice red oak out of a neighbors yard today and got a straight 17' log.


 
I was excited about the log, thinking it was a normal red oak. Once I got it on the ground I could see the growth rings where very wide, much like the live oak I sawed last spring. Also there were three lines or cracks I'm guessing could be ring shake. The end grain was kind of wild looking and not the normal red oak I was expecting. The tree was on an open hill side and most likely got a good amount of wind.



 

So, my questions: Is this a sign of ring shake? Would you guys bother putting this on the mill?
With the wide growth rings and the possible shake, I'm starting to think this log would be better off as firewood. The live oak that I sawed previously was very pretty, but some of the boards did begin to come apart while drying; as many on here said it would. I'm sure this log would make pretty lumber, but I'm affraid it will act like the live oak.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I've never put a straight Red Oak on the fire based on end grain, ring shake , etc.
I would quarter saw it or saw a large beam giving me the options to re-saw the beam to a customer's specs.
Might get some nice Mantles out of it with live edge. Just be sure to seal the ends for checking.

[yarnammurt]

I've never put a straight Red Oak on the fire based on end grain, ring shake , etc.
I would quarter saw it or saw a large beam giving me the options to re-saw the beam to a customer's specs.
Might get some nice Mantles out of it with live edge. Just be sure to seal the ends for checking.

X2

[Ianab]

When you saw it, align your cuts with those cracks, so you keep them limited to just one or two boards. There is good chance those boards will check badly, but the other 90% should be fine.

The fast growth is more a visual issue, although it does have some effect on the wood it wont reduce it's strength in any serious way. The curly growth rings look interesting, it's possible you will get some nice curly grain boards out of that.

Anyway, put in on the mill. You can always change your mind and make it into firewood later. Once it's firewood, you can't go back the other way.   ;) :D

[JB Griffin]

Not ring shake, looks like heart check to me.

Still a keeper for sure, be sure to post some pics of the lumber . :P

[mikeb1079]

not sure what to make of the growth ring pattern but i don't think that's ring shake...i'd at least try to mill it and see how the lumber looks

[backwoods sawyer]

Not ring shake, looks like heart check to me.

Still a keeper for sure, be sure to post some pics of the lumber . :P

Hart check, Spangle usualy only run a short distance, as mentioned capture it in as few of boards as possible and don't aliegn it so it splits several boards as they will.

I see the rippled grain in our black oak (of the red oak family) and if you can capture it in a board it is sought after ;), but it shallow and seems to be just at the butt so runs out quick, think a few small projects like a set of cuboard doors and set those pieces aside.

17' will be hefty ;D

[logboy]

Nearly all the big oak I slab has heart check like that. Typically it doesnt run very far, and you can saw around it without too much trouble. Not sure what the diameter of that log is, but if you think theres a 3" section in the log that is split, just saw it out as a slab. The cracks can be fixed in the wood shop and add character to the slab. The good stuff you can turn into lumber.

[FarmingSawyer]

Does ring shake even effect oak? There have been some great discussions of it here. It is common in softwoods, especially hemlock which grows in damp ground. It's a bacterial infection which enters through the roots.

[kelLOGg]

Is ring shake the same as wind shake? (Ring shake is not in the FF dictionary) Anyway, I thouht wind shake is a circular crack in the log. Sorta like a loose cylinder in the center.
Bob

[Chuck White]

Ring-Shake will show up between two of the growth rings, not across them!

Sometimes it will go full-circle and others, just a few inches.

[coalsmok]

I would put it on the mill.

[bandmiller2]

Shake that up in your pocket and have at it some fine lumber in there, don't judge the whole tree by its butt. Frank C.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Does ring shake even effect oak? There have been some great discussions of it here. It is common in softwoods, especially hemlock which grows in damp ground. It's a bacterial infection which enters through the roots.

I've seen red oak with ring shake.  the inner cylinder of a 36" dis log was big enough to quarter saw.

[WDH]

I suspect that the lumber will be spectacular with that ring pattern. 

[scleigh]

Thanks for the input. I cut the log in half yesterday, but could'nt  tell if the heart check went that far up the log. There's no way I could get the 17' log loaded onto my dump truck without really tearing up the yard and it was on a pretty good slope.
Think I'll get the tree home and maybe qurter saw the butt log since the heart check seems to run almost across the whole of the log.

[beenthere]

Is ring shake the same as wind shake? (Ring shake is not in the FF dictionary) Anyway, I thouht wind shake is a circular crack in the log. Sorta like a loose cylinder in the center.
Bob

Ring shake not the same as the mis-named "wind shake". Ring (as implied) is along the annual rings. "Wind shake" is a split/crack across the rings but contrary to the name, is believed to be really caused by tree growth stress and not from "high winds". Many wannabe forestry dictionary's on line have popped up with the "high wind" explanation, but don't think they are correct... just a natural connection with the long-used term that seems to have been in use on the West coast.
Don't expect anyone to be able to change the term as it has prevailed for so long.

[mesquite buckeye]

The center in the cracked area looks like wet wood. When you hit that part it will be stinky. I have lots of trees like this at my farm. They make great lumber, but you have to really be careful with the lumber.

The affected part will have a strong tendency to crack, check and collapse. Take it really easy on the drying and don't let the boards lay out in the sun uncovered when you cut. ;D

In my experience, wetwood is typically cone shaped and tapers to a point as you go a few feet up the log. In time, rotting fungi will follow the wetwood bacterially infected wood, eventually resulting in a hollow tree. Looks to me like you cut it at the perfect time before the onset of rot. Good job. 8) 8) 8) ;D

[kwendt]

Awesome thread, thanks for the education, suggestions.

[fat olde elf]

Saw it up, sell the lumber, use the money to pay your social security tax as I am spending it as fast as you pay it.  Thanks...........

[Gary_C]

That could be black oak and judging from the pond in the background and the appearance, that tree could be bacterial infected. Neither one of those two are a good thing. The bacterial infection may not go very far up the trunk so it would be best to cut the first log as long as you can saw so as to get the best yield.

[Magicman]

I see no reason whatsoever not to saw that log.   8)

[Peter Drouin]

I suspect that the lumber will be spectacular with that ring pattern. 

Just what I was thinking, :D

Cut it up 8) 8)

[Knute]

No doubt I would saw that log. With oak, the wider the rings, the harder the wood. With pine, just the opposite.

[cutterboy]

I would love to have that butt log with the squiggly rings. There is good lumber in there. Saw it up!