The Forestry Forum

On red & white oak thats been laying on the grown for a 1 & 1/2 yrs. Logs are cut 14 & 16 ft long, how far in will the checking be. The logs are 20 & 24 inch dia.
EZ

I'll give you the most precise answer possible.  It depends.  It depends on the location, relative humidity, highest temperature, amount of sun to hit the ends of the logs, etc.  End checking occurs when the log loses moisture out the end faster than out the sides, causing the cells to shrink and pull apart because they are attached to cells inside the log that still have most of their moisture.  If the logs lie where hot sun will beat down on them, checking might occur on the sides of the logs too. :(

Minnesota-Boy,
The logs have been laying in a open field, last summer we had a dry spell for 3 months. These are not my logs, this guy that has them, knows about the checking thing and wants to cut the ends off so he dont have to pay me for the bad ends. He ask me how far he should cut off, and I said, with all the knowledge of a want-to-be sawyer, I dont know. ::)
EZ

I'd let him cut them back till he was happy, and then saw 'em up. ::)