# Leaning Oak Tree



## Prezidint (Dec 17, 2011)

Hey guys. I see tons of experience and I was hoping I can just drop right in with nothing to contribute, hat in hand, and ask for advice.

1st issue - I own a bunch of acres with a bunch of good timber on it. My buddy owns a brand new saw mill. Today we sawed up a 10 foot tulip poplar, about 24 inches in diameter, that had been laying on my property for 3 years or so. Other than some outside issues (bit of softness and some shrooms), the wood was solid an nice. We cut them as 16" wide boards, 1" thick, 10' long. I plan to install them in a barn loft.

1st Question - Do you think the poplar is going to shrink much? I have a moisture meter - at what % moisture or less can I install these wide boards and not have to worry too much about ghastly cracking? They will be in a barn loft, and I don't care to much about looks, but I'd rather not have all sorts of irregularities on the surface.

2nd issue - I have a red oak that needs to come down, as it's shading a 3" sugar maple that I'd like to tap before I die. It's about 22" in diameter, I'd guess, and has a nice, straight trunk for 20 feet or so. Potential problem is that it's leaning - maybe 20 degrees off vertical.

2nd Question - Is it worth cutting this tree into boards? I would use the boards for baseboard trim and trim around windows inside my house, not furniture. Is it a waste of time and money?

Thanks far any thoughts


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Prezidint said:


> Hey guys. I see tons of experience and I was hoping I can just drop right in with nothing to contribute, hat in hand, and ask for advice.
> 
> 1st issue - I own a bunch of acres with a bunch of good timber on it. My buddy owns a brand new saw mill. Today we sawed up a 10 foot tulip poplar, about 24 inches in diameter, that had been laying on my property for 3 years or so. Other than some outside issues (bit of softness and some shrooms), the wood was solid an nice. We cut them as 16" wide boards, 1" thick, 10' long. I plan to install them in a barn loft.
> 
> ...


BTW, welcome. I'm relatively new here (and to sawing) myself but I think you will recieve some more (better) advice from the ones here who know.


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## wood player (Jan 21, 2011)

congrats on the tulip poplar that is some nice wood to work with. The oak should work well. When sawing first saw into a cant to releave some of the stress then if they start doing weard things rotate the log and saw off oposite sides see if that saves your boards.


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