hewing white oak

[Papa]

wanting to hew some white oak beams and was wondering if it would be best to hew them green or after they have air dried for some time, and does it matter what time of the year you cut the tree or what time of year is best? Would sealing the cut ends with latex paint help prevent some splitting as they dry?

[Brad_bb]

Do it Green.  Much smoother and softer to cut.  The moisture acts like a lube.  With Dry, you're more likely to splinter or get chip out. 
Don't bother with the latex, get Anchor Seal end grain sealer.  I think the lowest is 5 gallons.  If you cannot use that much,  mix it good and pour off into gallon jugs and sell to other sawyers.

[Chilterns]

Hi,

Just saw this post on hewing (white) oak on the Oxfordshire Woodland website that features Axel Weller and Jack Wheeler converting oak for a traditional timber frame building project by hand and in particular using Japanese Maebiki Oga hand saws to horizontally rip hewn baulks into large slabs.

Pretty awesome stuff.

Chilterns

[Dave Shepard]

Hew it green. And I mean GREEN! Possibly while it's still alive and attached to the stump. :D It will be like trying to hew a concrete bridge abutment if you let it dry.

[razor]

I concur with the green. Also, as far as end sealer goes, Lee Valley sells an end grain sealer in smaller quantities. As little as a litre I believe.

[Papa]

thanks for the advice

[Brad_bb]

Rockler also sells green end grain sealer in gallon and quart size.  I wouldn't be surprised if it were Anchorseal.  It seems like it.