Willow Oak

[MarvinWatkins]

The house, yard and woods that I grew up in during my school years is slated to become part of the highway loop they are 'still' planning around Winston-Salem. It will actually be part of the median of the highway according to current plans.

While I was home recently, I was reminded that there are four 50 year old willow oaks in the front and back yard. These trees are easily three stories tall and about 3' in diameter. I started thinking that it would be a shame to have such nice big trees just become landfill. I also thought that it would be nice to use some of the wood in various project. A small way to have a reminder of that place and time after the place has been bulldozed.

Am I correct in my reading that Willow Oak is a form of Red Oak? What are peoples thoughts on milling 'yard' trees? There were only two families that lived in the house and I don't remember us putting (m)any nails in these trees.

Would it be worth trying to find a sawyer to handle these and get the wood? Would they likely shy away from it because they are 'yard' trees? Do (m)any sawyers work like the old millers used to work, paid in a percentage of the wood?

Any thoughts will be appreciated!

 

[DaveO]

I do believe that Willow Oak Quercus phellos is classed with the Red Oak grouping. There is nothing wrong with urban harvest or "yard trees", but there is always the danger of embedded metal. But if you hire a bandsaw sawyer, they usually only charge $20-40 per blade which is a small fee for the wood you can get. I am sure that some sawyers exchange milling for lumber, but most like cash:-D .
It would definitely be worth having those trees milled, especially if they have some significance to your family. Ever read "The Giving Tree"
http://www.banned-width.com/shel/works/giving.html.
My .02, Dave

 

[Canuck]

DaveO

You continue to amaze me!!! Where in the world do you find the time to find these great links? (Your Favourites List must be a mile long at least!!!)

Thanks for the tree story. That one I am going to hang on to ....if you don't mind!

Wish I had some trees like those to harvest!! Willow Oaks are really pretty trees. (Just wish that progress would stop leveling these beauties!!:-x

 

[clowman]

I know there are a couple of members here that have big saws for that. Maybe one will be interested.

 

[McRabbet]

Marvin, you might want to contact Jeff... on this site to see if he would be interested in sawing it for you with his Woodmizer LT40. He lives in Granville County.

Rob

 

[DaveO]

DaveO

You continue to amaze me!!! Where in the world do you find the time to find these great links? (Your Favourites List must be a mile long at least!!!)
Thanks for the tree story. That one I am going to hang on to ....if you don't mind!

Google is my friend :icon_thum I just like trees. Here's another one you might like:
http://www.bartleby.com/104/119.html

You can hang on to both of them...their not mine:-D

Dave

 

[MarvinWatkins]

Thanks guys for your input and the story and poem. When we finally get closer to the point of selling the property I will definitely be looking for someone to mill these. Now I just need to convince my parents that its a GREAT idea!!!

Have a great day!

 

[DaveO]

Now I just need to convince my parents that its a GREAT idea!!!

Have a great day!

That shouldn't be too hard, just show them the beautiful furniture or cabinets you will make them out of the wood. And show them the costs of wood, vs. what it will cost to have those trees milled...it will be an easy sell.
Dave

 

[jeff...]

When your ready to make some willow oak lumber, send me a private message and we can discuss details...

Thanks

 

[cskipper]

Kyle might be able to help out too. It would be a shame to waste the wood! When are they coming down?

 

[MarvinWatkins]

Thanks for all the suggestions and offers.

Winston-Salem is still hashing out the details. I think we are talking about a year or two until things acutally start moving.:-? I just wanted to get some ideas to talk with my parents about. These four trees are the the four out of six around their house. They are the ones that provide shade from the morning and evening sun. Won't want to take them down prematurely.:eusa_naug

Thanks again. Until then, I can think of all of the possible projects hidden in those four oaks.

 

[cskipper]

Us too! :lol:

 

[NCPete]

is that tree related to the weeping willow? I grew up in a house with more than a few of those trees in northern NY. messy, messy, messy! and it seems one could not kill them!

 

[Gofor]

As DaveO doesn't seem to be online, and he's the expert, my research shows Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) is a member of the red oak family . The link Kyle gave us http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/specialcollections/forestry/hough/common.html
has a picture of it (Plate 271) that appears to be a lot like southern red oak in grain and texture, but a little different coloration.

The strength table at : http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/strength_table.htm shows it to be about the same as White Oak or Pecan, a little stronger than Southern or Northern Red Oak.

HTH:lol:

 

[DaveO]

Expert:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Great answer Go

Dave

 

[NCPete]

but are willow oak and weeping willow related?

 

[DaveO]

No, not what so ever, except they are both dicots, angiosperms and trees. Weeping Willow is Salix babalonica and Willow Oak is Quercus phellos completely genuses.

Dave

 

[jeff...]

Actually the last willow oak I sawed up (28" dia), looked more like white oak than red oak. The grain pattern was wide and not very much variation, not much color variation either (light red). Looked rather boring, almost to perfect if you know what I mean.

But I do know one thing it's freaking heavy at 5/4 x 24" - 12', I got about 6 boards off the cant and hit 2 nail's. The cant came off the mill and went on the fire wood pile. I really didn't want to mess with it further. It was the last log of the day and it just seemed to be more trouble than it was worth... (Maybe it was just me?)

At first I was going to quarter saw it, but not knowing what it looked like, I figured I would scab a few boards off first to see how the lumber looked. To be honest, I don't think it would have made any difference flat sawn or quater sawn, As it's gain pattern was so freaking wide, I don't think it would show the "rays or flecks" typical of QS oak very well.

Before you commit too have them sawed, you may want to find someone who has some willow oak lumber for you to look at. It may help you answer your question, should I decide to slice and dice or not?


Here's a link to common forest trees of North Carolina - some good info...

http://www.ibiblio.org/pic/nctrees.htm

See ya Later...
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[jeff...]

As DaveO doesn't seem to be online, and he's the expert, my research shows Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) is a member of the red oak family . The link Kyle gave us http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/specialcollections/forestry/hough/common.html
has a picture of it (Plate 271) that appears to be a lot like southern red oak in grain and texture, but a little different coloration.

The strength table at : http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/strength_table.htm shows it to be about the same as White Oak or Pecan, a little stronger than Southern or Northern Red Oak.

HTH:lol:

Man the willow oak I had on the mill, looked nothing like the pictures Kyle provided. If it would have had even a hint of character, I might have considered it worth chain sawing a chunk out around the nails, throwing a new blade on the mill and continued to saw up the rest of the log.

I'm 100% certian it was willow oak, cause it came off my dad's place...

 

[MarvinWatkins]

Last year my folks had these trees pruned back some. The branches where cut up into logs and piled in the back field. I have asked my brother to bring two or three of these logs to me next week so I can saw them up on my bandsaw and see what some of the wood from the bigger branches looks like.

If you are going to mill small logs on your bandsaw, any thoughts on which is the best blade to use? These logs should be fireplace sized.

I'll let you know what I see. Hopefully they have not all rotted.:-?