Bad Harvest

[Greg Just]

I buddy of mine called me to see if I wanted some cherry, a Schubert Choke Cherry to be specific. The tree was blown down during a recent storm. I of course took the wood and when I started to cut it up, I saw for the first time the effects of wind shear. Almost all of the wood is not usable, maybe some of the crotch pieces. The 10 inch diameter wood has some really beautiful grain to it. I think I was lucky that the wood separated while cutting it and not when it was on the lathe. The lesson learned here is to inspect your wood as not all green wood it good for turning.

[Rich Aldrich]

I had a soft maple with bad wind shear a couple of years ago that ended up firewood. Also, watch for trees with a spiral lines in the bark. I had another soft maple with a line that spiraled up the log. It was a crack. There is a hard maple with one of these lines behind my shop. It will probably be firewood when I cut it.

[Doug W Swanson]

A little glue and it will be just fine!:)
It's good that you found it now!

[charlie knighton]

scary.....i have had cracks in cherry, but i have never seen anything like that seperation, thanks for sharing

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

You are correct not all wood is good for turning. However it's hard to turn down free wood, I always figure it can be fire wood if nothing else can come from it.

[Jim Underwood]

Is that wind shear or ring shakes? I always thought this defect was disused by freezing?

[Greg Just]

Is that wind shear or ring shakes? I always thought this defect was disused by freezing?

Jim - I'm not familiar with ring shakes. We have had a long, cold winter so I'm not sure.

[Roger Chandler]

A little glue and it will be just fine!:)
It's good that you found it now!


I wholeheartedly disagree with this ........wind shaken wood is one of the leading causes of lathe turning accidents. I have been hit pretty hard with a chunk or two over the last few years with windshaken wood.......mine was because I was ignorant of the issue...........I have learned better! I hope you will not use this with glue........glue joints......especially CA glue can be brittle.........nothing is worth a serious injury!

Be safe everyone!

[Greg Just]

I wholeheartedly disagree with this ........wind shaken wood is one of the leading causes of lathe turning accidents. I have been hit pretty hard with a chunk or two over the last few years with windshaken wood.......mine was because I was ignorant of the issue...........I have learned better! I hope you will not use this with glue........glue joints......especially CA glue can be brittle.........nothing is worth a serious injury!

Be safe everyone!

Roger - Doug and I are turning buddies and I know he was joking. This will make good wood for the smoker!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - Doug and I are turning buddies and I know he was joking. This will make good wood for the smoker!


I did not know that! Glad you two are working together..............glad you will make "good use" of that wood! ;)

[Harry Robinette]

I've always been told it's wind shake that comes from shear wind that hit the tree and there force twist the tree and causes the growth rings to separate.

[Rich Aldrich]

I've always been told it's wind shake that comes from shear wind that hit the tree and there force twist the tree and causes the growth rings to separate.

That is what I have been told as well.

[Steve Vaughan]

A few years ago I took down a large cherry, nearly 3 feet across the base. Massive limbs. I was excited as I hauled this tree - a full trailer and full pick-up load of it, even posted a picture here of all the wood. Sealed all the end grain. Luckily I got a few solid bowls out of it, but after it sat for a month or so I started noticing exactly what you have here. Every. Piece. Was. Splitting. UGH! There's a few crotch pieces I think I'm gonna get alright, but for the most part it's firewood.
I figured it was all due to years of storms/wind stress since it came off the banks of the Potomac River. It would have been beautiful though!

[robert baccus]

The timber industry calls that ring shake usually. I have also seen 20"+ very tall pines with vertical cracks 3 logs high without any external signs after tornadoe class storms passed.