# Wood Stability



## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I've cut some firewood recently from a Red Oak tree. I won't go into why I didn't have it sawn into lumber; too long of story. Anyway, I want to cut some bowl turning blanks fron the straighter pieces, but I have a few concerns about the soundness of the blanks while turning. Every piece I put on the splitter would split along the same lines. The crack would split around the rings toward the center, not across the center. I realize this is a weak area, is this due to wind shake or something like that? Would it separate at other rings farther out from the center? Are the black rings and stripes running down the log due to a particular species of R. Oak or is it like rot in between the weakened rings? I'm afraid it might blow apart on the lathe. I'm not really trying to save the pieces, you'll probably just say when in doubt, pitch it. But your response would be more for my education. Plus it would be nice to save something from a tree that wasn't suppose to be cut.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Looks like that RO was a standing dead, or in the process of dying. Oak wilt has hammered the RO species here in Texas and in other areas around the country. I've cut a bunch of standing dead red oaks and when you get it befoire it gets too far gone you can get some really beautiful spalted wood. AFA it blowing apart on the lathe, if the ring separation is significant it could very well do so. 

Might better go the turning forum also and ask if anyone has experience turning blanks they got from standing dead RO. I know it'll make some pretty items once turned.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Thanks TT,
so the blackness in the grain is due to some sort of rot? By the way, I already had posted in the "Wood Turning" sections for any turners to take a look at this post, but none has replied so far.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

djg said:


> so the blackness in the grain is due to some sort of rot?


It's a fungus, which causes rot.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

*Bbq*

Do you have a smoker?
That looks like prime cold smoker wood to me. If it can't be used for a woodworking project that is. :yes:


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