Planing Live Oak

[Steve Kirincich]

Has anyone had any experience hand planing live oak? I have a lead on a thick slab that might make a good table or bench top, but based on its density and hardness, am I asking for trouble? Thanks.
Steve

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Never used it, but.....

On the Tommy Mac Team Blog, he mentions the wood (because he used some to build a flag case..... he only used it for the splines in the case). He states this:


"it is not best-suited for furniture making as it has a tendency to warp during the drying process."

Nothing is stated about workability on his blog. From what I can tell (by reading), however, live oak is that your tools will dull quickly so it will be prone to burning (on power tools). The wood is also prone to splitting (because it is hard).

Remember that entire prone to warping thing. That is because it usually has wild figure so it may look pretty nice when you are finished.

Not about working it, but, interesting link

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?9802-What-does-your-live-oak-look-like

[Steve Kirincich]

Hi Andrew,
I suspect that Tommy Mac and I are talking about the same live oak timbers that had, until recently, been sitting in the Charlestown shipyard near Boston for a long, long time, and are being sold through a local lumber salvage business. This business originally thought that 3" thick live oak slabs might make for good countertops - until they factored in the weight - too heavy for stock kitchen cabinets. Not sure if I am crazy. Thanks.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

If you do something with them, would LOVE to see some pictures...

[Jamie Buxton]

There are many oak species called "live oak". One that grows in California is called Coastal Live Oak -- Quercus Agrifolia -- and it machines just fine. It is also very pretty, with a stronger ray fleck than red oak. The one that grows in the Southeast is called Southern Live Oak -- quercus virginiana. It has a short trunk and big branches. If you try to make lumber from the branches, they'd likely have a tendency to move when you plane or resaw the lumber because of the built-in stresses. But if you're thoughtful about it, you should be able to make a fine slab table top.