Ignorance is not always bliss...live oak?

Bigdogpc · October 27, 2004, 02:36:37 AM

I know I read it on here someplace, is live oak a red or white oak?

The background to my question is a gent with "red oak" logs down from storm damage. After finding out where they were I went for a look see. All I saw was live oak. The fellas doing the work are going to pile me up some 8 and 10 footers, reasonably straight and I am going to pick them up to saw. I just hate to see good wood go to waste! It don't matter much what flavor it really is since I just think of live oak as live oak but I would like to know for sure so I can quit shoe shufflin' and lookin' down at the ground since I ain't sure what it is.

The game plan is to cut 6 x 6 beams for a wrap around porch. These will be the post that support the porch. I am planning this believing that live oak is actually a white oak.

Thanks!

Fla._Deadheader · October 27, 2004, 06:09:14 AM

BigDog. Tom has proclaimed that Live Oak is of itself. More close to White Oak, but, not white, NOR Red. He posted some research waaay back to back up his opinion. :D :D

Keep them blades shaarrrrrppp. Good Luck. Yer son gonna help??? Post pics.

Brian_Bailey · October 27, 2004, 06:09:49 AM

Bigdogpc,

Here's a link to an article from a past issue of Southern Lumbermans magazine.
Although some experts don't agree with the classification, it's an excellent read just the same

.

http://www.southernlumberman.com/vserver/hb/display.cfm?MagazineKey=3&IssueKey=293&SectionKey=536&ArticleKey=3764

Jeff · October 27, 2004, 02:50:25 PM

Live Oak: Is it a Red or a White

Ianab · October 27, 2004, 03:00:33 PM

QuoteWorldwide, the oaks--members of the beech (Fagaceae) family--can be separated into three groups: the live or evergreen oak group, the red oak group, and the white oak group. Although the species within each group look alike to the naked eye, they can be distinguished microscopically.

It would seem it's not actually either ???

Fla._Deadheader · October 27, 2004, 03:38:02 PM

HUNH, I thought sumbudy already said that :

:

;D ;D

ellmoe · October 27, 2004, 07:17:37 PM

Back in the dark ages at the U. of Fla. we were taught that the live oak was considered to be neither a red nor white oak. They were classified as a "carribean oak". However, if the customer says it's a red oak, then I'd say," yep, looks red to me." :D
Mark

pbottle · October 28, 2004, 05:52:11 AM

Be sure and let us know how the cutting goes, will ya?

Bigdogpc · October 28, 2004, 06:18:43 AM

Thanks for all the answers! Right now this minute I am WAY south (for me) down in Boca Raton. At home I have a 10' 6" long, 26" diameter at small end, log. Unfortunately it is perched on my poor little trailer (2000lb axle) and when I left it yesterday the trailer had a pronounced bow and one tire going flat. Once I get back home my immediate project will be to do something with log and trailer (if I don't look too foolish, I will post pixs). This log isn't live oak, probably a water oak. After I figure out the trailer/how to haul them issue I will post pixs on the cutting of the live oaks and hopefully some real numbers on blade life in live oak. I will be cutting with monkeys, new out of the box and try to tally how many feet before changes.

The weather is cooling down some so I expect John will be sawing again. I'll get some pixs.

Brian_Bailey · October 28, 2004, 06:40:22 AM

Kind of interesting that the National Hardwood Lumber Association's book, "Hardwoods of North America" lists 3 groups of oaks based on their microanatomy : the live or evergreen oak group, the red oak group and the white oak group. It even lists the mechanical properties of the commercial species in each group.
Quercus virginiana ( live oak ) is some how listed under the Live Oak Group ??? ??? :

:D.

This info can be found in the book "Hardwoods of North America", by Harry A. Alden. USDA, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-83.
Which is reproduced and distributed by the NHLA.

Apparently the researchers of this book didn't contact the right sources for information :D :D :

.

Fla._Deadheader · October 28, 2004, 09:50:36 AM

Live Oak never looses it's leaves all at one time. They constantly shed and regrow, thus the "evergreen" term.

Brian_Bailey · October 28, 2004, 10:14:44 AM

Quote Live Oak never looses it's leaves all at one time. They constantly shed and regrow, thus the "evergreen" term.

Okay. Now does any of the species in the red or white oak groups do the same?? ??? :P

crosscut · November 16, 2004, 08:44:31 PM

plant city huh not far from me maybe help ya haul them but as far as cutting them good luck only live oak i tried to saw on my circular mill warped so bad they weren usable at all but im willing to learn because the wood was absolutely beutiful and hard as iron but what i sawed was probably limb wood why it warped so bad. sure made my mill bog down i had to baby it thru and that was with new teeth

DonE911 · November 17, 2004, 06:03:52 PM

Bigdogpc,

Was that live oak actually down from the storms?? We were right on the eyeway on both storms and I have yet to see a liveoak actually down other than smaller one that were crushed by larger pines and palms... lots of water oaks down though. I have seen some nice live oaks cut down that were "to close to the house".

As for the red or white issue..... I don't know... it should be called heavy oak or maybe hardoak or wish it grew straighter oak. I've never milled any since I don't have my mill yet, so I can't comment on that either.

Someone here posted a link some time ago about the navy keeping a grove of it for the repair of old wooden naval vessles or something to that effect... anyone still have that link I've lost it.

DanG · November 17, 2004, 07:46:46 PM

Don, I remember that thread. It was a year or two ago. I know where the Navy's forest is, near Pensacola. I think one of our members actually did some of the work on Old Ironsides' restoration. I'm thinking it was Beenthere, but I ain't sure. ??? If you do a forum search on USS Constitution, it may turn up something.