Twin Oak - opinions please . . .

[btulloh]

This twin has to come down in the next week or so because it's dying.  I will miss it because it's an important part of the air conditioning system for the sawmill.  I'm overstocked on firewood logs so I was thinking about making some 8x8 or 10x10's out if it.  What's your bet on these things drying straight - over even sort of straight.

[Jeff]

What makes you say it is dieing? Red oak branches continuously die off and shed. Is there a major portion that died off or something you can't see in the photo?  The limbs I see all look to be alive.

[btulloh]

You're right, Jeff.  The photo doesn't show the problem.  The top branches and leaders didn't leaf out last spring and some of the limbs at the top are dead.  Normally around here they will die within a couple years when that starts happening.  We've been losing a lot of RO because of the weather pattern the last few years.  Frequent 1/2" rains early then really dry and hot later on.  If it wasn't getting ready to drop big limbs on the mill shed I'd just leave it for a while.

[Jeff]

I don't think you will have any issues cutting lumber out of those.

[btulloh]

Lumber it is, then.  At least if I'm going to lose my air conditioner, I'll get some lumber out of the deal.

[Magicman]

Since both had a slight lean and probably both had their heaviest limbs on the outside, you may very well encounter some stress.  The hearts also probably will be off-centered which is another indicator of the stress that will be contained within the stems.  Sawing through from either side could produce boards with potential side bend (warp).  Sawing through from either the outside or inside of the logs could produce boards with bow.

[Jeff]

Those red oaks there don't look like they have heavy limbed tops, and the angle of growth isn't extreme. If it were northern grown red oak, which grows a whole lot slower, I'd see little issue with it.

[Jeff]

I see the location is Virginia, so, I don't have a clue what they will do.

[btulloh]

They don't have heavy outside limbs because they had trees close to them for most of their life.  We'll see what happens.  Worst case is that I will have some designer firewood. 

[Kwill]

We have a lot of these twin trees on the farm. Some red oak white oak and post oak. Built several deer stands over the years in them.

[Sixacresand]

Try to get it to dry as flat as possible.  The edge it again when it dries.   

[longtime lurker]

If it came in on a log truck you'd have no idea it was 2 halves of a breached tree. And they usually go in the name of stand improvement. 

Saw'im 

[Magicman]

The only indicator might be an off centered pith if it was there.  

[Ianab]

I agree. Cut it high, well clear of the forks, and once it's on the ground have a look at the growth rings. If they are relatively centred then it should saw out fine.  The 2 leaders aren't so crooked that you would be suspicious of a tree with that much lean, and they aren't heavily branched to either side.

Like LL says, if they arrived with a truck load of other random logs, you probably wouldn't see any difference. 

[Magicman]

The pictures do not show the tops to possibly determine where/how the limb weight was distributed.

[Don P]

Not being a production sawyer, I'll try anything, the worst case is you've power split dimensional firewood. If they start looking like junk I make 4x and 6x cribbing for stacking on, I always need more of that. If it works up good it looks like you need a shed on the other side .