A Fast Growing Red Oak

[Magicman]

Today, I sawed a 31" butt Red Oak that had 21 growth rings.    Over 1" apart.  The customer remembered that the tree was just a sprout when his Grandson was born.  That same Grandson was my helper.  Sadly the rings did not show up on a picture.

Apparently the roots were under the little house with the moon on the door.   ;)

[bandmiller2]

Magic,how did the log cut anything different from normal red.?? Frank C.

[Magicman]

Obviously, that was a "pasture" tree that had grown with no competition.  There was only one 8' log before it limbed out.  The amount of heartwood was small compared to a normal Red Oak that size.

There was no reaction or stress related problems when sawing.  The customer wanted mostly 1X8's so to prevent splitting the pith, I sawed down to my mark from each side. then sawed through on the center cant.  The side lumber was then edged to 12" or less.

The lumber was nice but obviously showed a minimum of "wood grain".   Very strange looking at best.

[mikeb1079]

wow.  nearly 3' diameter in 20 years is crazy.  i wonder if you're customer will experience any stability issues when drying with the humongous growth rings....

[Ianab]

From what I have read the width of the growth rings alone has little effect on the stability as long as the grain straight, and away from the pith of the log. A fast growing "Pasture" tree may have issues if it hasn't shed lower branches normally, or could contain tension etc.  But if it's a good clean log I would still expect good stable lumber from it.

Ian

[SwampDonkey]

The fastest hardwood ring growth I've seen up here was a black cherry I cut from an apple orchard. It had 54 rings on the stump , from pith to bark and was 54 cm, so averaged 5 mm wide rings. Had it milled to. The rock maple I had removed this spring had similar growth. I know the tree was no older than 85 years because of a photos with dad and family with the tree in the picture. It was 36" on the stump when cut.