Oak Tree

[Elderthewelder]

If you all remember Wa state got hammered with a bunch of storms in Nov/Dec and many tree's went down, bad for home owners, great for wood scroungers. So I answer a craigslist add for some oak, he tells me he just has a few peices 12" to 16" long by 20" in Dia, well I go to the house and find this. 2 oak trees that came down into the house, tree service started sectioning them out and left a hell of a mess. I have hauled 3 loads out already and plan on getting a couple more. We do not have much oak in my area, so I am looking at a wood btu chart and see 3 types of oak listed Red, White and Bur. I am assuming this is red since it has a reddish tint to it. This is some heavy ass wood, takes everything I have just to pick it up and move it, glad most of it was cut to 12"

 

[Elderthewelder]

here are more

 

[Elderthewelder]

and more

 

[Todd]

Too bad for them, but good score for you! That red oak will be great for next season.

 

[par38lamp]

I know very little about tree identification, but to me, that looks like pin oak. I thought red oak has a more rough bark on the main trunk. Pin oak has a red center, but a smoother bark. Splits OK, just not as many BTU's as red oak.

One easy way to tell is pin oaks hold their dead leaves all winter and drop them when the new buds come out.

Heck, maybe I have red oak and don't know it!

Edit: After Googling red oak bark images, it seems I was thinking of southern red oak as having the rougher bark. Northern red oak (which I can only imagine you have ) seems to look a lot like pin oak.

 

[Roospike]

Great score , money in the bank , get that beautiful wood cut , split and stacked and keep it banked for next winter when the cold comes and the snow flies..

 

[Corey]

MMMMM!! - I see a toasty winter in your future. Get all of that you can haul...even the smaller limbs will be really nice for the 'only chilly' days. Definitely a treat if you are used to burning lesser BTU wood.

You may also want to cut some pieces really small so they season up fast and you can throw them on the BBQ this summer. Oak ranks right up with mesquite in my opinion, and both above hickory.

Corey

 

[redcoat]

It appears from this table that pin oak and red oak have the same btus: (broken link removed)

 

[par38lamp]

It appears from this table that pin oak and red oak have the same btus: (broken link removed)

Hmm. I see you are right. I looked up another document I had saved, and it listed pin oak as the same as red oak, too.
Cool! Lots of pin oaks in St. Louis.

(broken link removed to http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1554/build/g1554.pdf)

 

[DavidV]

Damned sure aint red oak. oak probably but not red. Don't matter though, it's solid, heavy and freeeeeeeeee!!

 

[keyman512us]

Nice haul..
Surprised a sawyer didn't grab it...looks like it would have produced a few board feet!
Not sure on the numbers but...a 36" diameter oak log (wet) is 500lbs/per foot. Oak is the most amazing species if you ask me...a fully mature (65 years or better) oak tree sucks over 55 gallons of water out of the ground per day! No need to wonder why it is so heavy...lol

Keep your eyes open for any "Ash trees"...makes for a nice fire.

 

[keyman512us]

If interested...(great info)

(broken link removed)

 

[begreen]

Elder, I suspect you'll be one of very few within a hundred miles that will be burning oak . That is one lucky score. Congrats!

PS: Let me know if it's just too much for you