Fountain effect

Jeff · September 19, 2001, 08:03:46 PM

This thread "Re: The Milling Season
« Reply #1 on: September 18th, 2001, 8:52am »"

brought this experience to mind, and I wondered if any of you had ever seen the phenomenon.

This was a cottonwood log with no sign of rot or decay. The log as I remember was about 16 to 20 inch diameter. I took my initial slab with out anything unordinary happening, I then took a 3 1/2wide one in board off that face with my vertical edger. As I was gigging (returning) back after the cut, I had liquid squirt all over my saw booth window. When the carriage returned to point in the track where I turn the log, I undogged it and noticed liquid squirting out from a very small hole in the face.

I turned the log up so the face pointed up. The water continued to spray out under pressure for some time. I would guess 10 seconds. I would say there must have been several gallons in that cavity. The question is, how in the world could it have created such pressure? My only thought was that after filling with water, how ever it may have happened, (Once again, no obvious signs) Some sort of fermentation must have occurred from sugars within the tree.

Anybody ever here of anything like this happening to anyone else, or have any idea what the actual cause would be?

Don P · September 19, 2001, 08:24:43 PM

:D :D About six years ago I was cutting a log (actually a 6x8 d log cant) that had been garage stored for 2 years in a dry, floored, garage. When I cut into an apparently good log, water, and I mean alot, ran out. It was punky, or doty inside (brown rot). We've talked about that log more than a few times. Had a logger tell me a similar tale about felling a tree and getting soaked.

Ron Wenrich · September 20, 2001, 03:10:26 PM

I've had that in a few logs that squirted. I do saw quite a few that have small amounts that flow out. In most instances, they have been pin oak, which grows on wet sites. Most of the others have been some type of oak.

Don't know the cause, but, boy that water stinks!

CHARLIE · September 21, 2001, 10:39:28 AM

Could the temperature of the day you are cutting have anything to do with it? On a hot day, maybe pressure builds up inside the void where the water is captured. :

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