Milling dead trees

[emwentz]

I'd like to say hi. I'm new to the forum and logging, so if I say something stupid please let me know.
I live in Houston tx. and during the drought last year I have lost at least 50 white and black oaks. Some of them have been dead 6 months and are still standing and most are about 60 feet hi. My question is will the trees be any good for lumber. I'm in the final stages of finishing a home built bandsaw mill. Thanks, Gene

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forum.
Can't say much that already hasn't been said. Nothing 'stupid' ever comes up here.  :

The dead oak should make great lumber. As long as it doesn't decay, which likely won't be for awhile, you should be good to go.

Pull up a stump, sit awhile. 

[Magicman]

Sorry about your trees, but especially the heartwood will be solid for several years.  If the sapwood looks rotten on this log it is because it was.  It had been dead and on the ground for about 5 years.


 


 


 
The heartwood lumber was very pretty.   

[Ianab]

White oak should be good for several years. Even if the sapwood is getting a bit past it, slab a bit heavier and the heartwood will still be good.

Be careful cutting down dead trees, the wood behaves differently. More likely to break off the hinge wood and loose control of the falling direction, and more likely for rubbish to fall out of the top of the tree, on your head.

Ian

[Al_Smith]

Might sound had to believe but I've cut into obvious cull logs ,white oak  left behind from a cut made in 1937 and the year I did it was 1980 .The outside had rotted maybe 2 inchs .The inside was still wet and just fine as a frogs hair .Nothing wrong with it .Made good firewood although a tad messy from the rot .

[pineywoods]

Ianab got it right, the heartwood will probably be just fine. Just be extra carefull felling them. Most likely gonna fall whichever way they want to, regardless of notches, wedges, hinge wood etc. Best to use a long cable and a big tractor...

[beenthere]

But I wouldn't expect recently dead oak to be dangerous to fall, if there is no rot.
If they were rotten before they died these last 6 months, then different story.

[WDH]

The heartwood will be sound, as has been said, but the wood will be riddled with ambrosia beetle holes.  They are about the size of a pin head, and the interior of the hole and the edge will be black which is caused by the fungus that the ambrosia beetle brings in with it.  Once the tree is dead or the wood begins to dry, the ambrosia beetles will be gone as they cannot abide dry wood.  Makes for some interesting character, but be prepared for some little black holes in your lumber.

[Magicman]

Sometimes furniture makers black dot the lumber to imitate those black holes.  I have built many pieces of furniture and clocks from real "wormy" Pecan.  It always brought a premium price.