Dead Tree

[Dave Fritz]

A friend has a dead burr oak covered with burls. The fellow that cuts his wood for firewood said he'd drop it and help me cut it up however he has this winter and next winter's wood cut already so he won't be cutting again until spring.

I know winter harvested wood is best but what about trees that are dead? Does much sap be rising in a dead tree? Oak is hard enough to season without additional issues.

Dave Fritz

[Roger Chandler]

Just my take. IF you really want the wood and the tree is in a place where you can safely take it down, I would not wait. Wood deteriorates with time, and cutting it up now would be best if you are physically able and have the equipment to harvest it. I would cut the lengths a bit longer than I need and seal all the endgrain and leave the bark on as much as possible. Cut it up in blanks by cutting out the pith. Store on palette off the ground and cover with a tarp to keep rain/snow off.

I would begin to rough turn some, and seal to let them reach their equilibrium, for finish turning at a later date.......you will get much better turnings that way!

[Paul Williams]

I agree with Roger but wonder if the offer of a bowl, some pens, or other turning would help the firewood cutter take it down for your this winter.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

A friend has a dead burr oak covered with burls. The fellow that cuts his wood for firewood said he'd drop it and help me cut it up however he has this winter and next winter's wood cut already so he won't be cutting again until spring.

I know winter harvested wood is best but what about trees that are dead? Does much sap be rising in a dead tree? Oak is hard enough to season without additional issues.

Dave Fritz

Dave we had a 120 year old White Oak, between sewer instal and creek moving diggings, it killed the tree, it sat for a dozen years all the smaller branches and then the bark fell off the tree, sapwood started to deteriorate and finally the tree got cut over.

The heartwood was still like from a live tree, albite much drier, so don’t be to much in a hurry, Burr Oak is a type of White Oak and will not be damaged quickly, if the bark is still on, it’s just fine, after that only the sapwood is going to get soft but all of that takes years, HTH ;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dave, you don't list your location, so I don't know if the tree is subject to hot temps and high humidity which would cause the wood to deteriorate sooner than it would than in northern climates. You didn't include a photo of the tree, so I don't know if it is something huge or just a standing trunk. If it is just a trunk, I would probably take it down myself but if it is a full tree, then having someone who fells trees for a living would be worth waiting for!

[William Bachtel]

If you don't ask that girl out on a date, someone else will. Go get those burls now, or you take a chance of losing them.

[Dave Fritz]

Thanks everyone for your input. Steve, I live in Southwest Wisconsin so we'll have a cold snowy winter.

The folks that own the land are long time friends and the wood cutter is an employee of theirs. I'm not too worried about anyone else getting it.

We'll wait until spring.

Dave Fritz