Turkey Oak - What is it good for?

[Al North]

I have been offered an oak tree free of charge so had planned to mill a large proportion of it. Unfortunately when I have got a proper look at it I believe it is actually a Turkey Oak. A quick look through various woodworking websites seems to show that it is very poorly rated for just about anything. I was thinking of making some bits of rustic furniture from it.

 

Does anyone have any experience of it?

[Benhudson]

Yes - I did a massive Ine a few years ago -

Xits and bows badly - ok for small items of furniture...

[Benhudson]

Splits that is

[HuntingHicap]

Its terrible stuff, good for sleepers and not a lot else. we had a big one to mill years ago the sawmill (Serra Bavaria) hated it and refused to cut straight. its not even much good for firewood as its a sod to split and it blunts chains.

[Benhudson]

It's very hard

[SteveA]

Are you sure it's Turkey Oak?

If it's a cross pollinated Turkey Oak with eg, Sessile Oak it may be fine.... assuming it has plenty of heartwood.

 

I found the most accurate way to tell if it is Turkey Oak is by the buds.

In our woods I found other oaks that have red/orange streaks in the bark (like Turkey Oak) but normal oak buds, ie not wispy. They are probably hybrids & are usable.

 

Here's the genuine Turkey Oak with hairy/wispy buds I found in our woods. The tree also had a long straight stem and a small percentage of heartwood. I chopped it up and use it to level out a ditch, now buried under soil for bugs to munch.

cheers, steve

 

[spiral]

Not much use to modern industry & methods.

 

Historically cut or cleaved very thin on the true quarter & used for panels {Wainscote} in English country houses. Very wide rays...

 

Great firewood when dry as long as you waiste off most of the sapwood. {Just done it obce for are own firewood of a standing dead one that was no longer standing.} So no good for fast turnaround commercial Id guess.

 

Smells really strong & Ive still got bit of steel in my leg from splitting a knotty piece with steel wedge & cheap sledgehammer.

[treesrus]

i've put some on the lathe, lovely markings and works quite well.

[Brushcutter]

I've herd due to its very poor burning characteristics its used for making fire doors and other things in Oak that need to have a good fire rating.

 

Other than that it stinks when you cut it. Its heavier than you think it otherwise would be. It has a lot of sap wood, it doesn't burn very well. It always seems to cut on the wonk. Oh and did i mention that it really smells when you cut it?

[spiral]

  Brushcutter said:

I've herd due to its very poor burning characteristics its used for making fire doors and other things in Oak that need to have a good fire rating.

 

 

That cant be right, when central heating house dry {Is that 10% or something less?} it burns really really well.

 

it does smell though.....