Old oak found in lake or sea

[Tom Andersen]

Guys,

I have been offered some old oak that is all black after having spent many years under water. I don't know whether it is from a sunken ship or a log that fell into a lake at some time. I am sure that this type of wood has a special name in English, maybe someone can give the name.

My question is: Should I buy it? Is is ok to work with? Does it look good in furniture?

Thanks for any advice:)

Tom

[Chuck Fischer]

Norm built a table a while back out of oak that came out of a damn up north somewhere... It was called the ugliest piece he ever built by someone on one of the forums, but I thought it was pretty cool. Maybe check out the NYW website and see if you can find it, it was last season I think.

I'd get it, think about the rich blue/black next to the brisk white of a piece of ash, you could make some pretty cool looking stuff.

Chuck

[John Bailey]

I've read that long-time sunken wood is very good. Does anyone know the legalities of reclaiming this wood. During a kayak trip in Lake Huron this summer, I came across a small secluded bay, about 50 yds. x 80 yds. that was completely filled with lumber. These were not logs, they were lumber. The entire bottom was 3 and 4 deep with this. They were probably 2" thick, 6" to 10" wide and very long. Didn't think about it till now, but it might be worth alot if you could get it.

John

[Mike Parzych]

"Submerged" timber is a big industry in the upper Great Lakes area. The logs in the harbors, lakes, etc. are from the logging of virgin forest the settlers found. The thick canopy nature of the forest resulted in very slow growth so the growth rings are incredibly close, and the wood very dense - that's why so many sank while being floated to mills - it didn't take much water absorption to sink them. I've seen some and it's much more beautiful than the second or third growth timber.

As far as I know, the harvesting companies must be licensed to do so. But there's tons of it out there.

The stuff you saw in the shallow water in Lake Huron may not be as good. The best logs come from colder, low bacteria and oxygen water - Lake Superior for instance. Lake Superior is pretty sterile at depth and preserves the logs best. That's also why the lake "never gives up it's dead" - the lack of oxygen keeps the bodies from developing the bacteria that bloats them and makes them float to the surface.

Google "submerged lumber" and you can find some of the companies involved.

[Rick Whitehead]

Tom,
I think what you have is called "Bog Oak" in English.It is oak that has turned dark from being submerged in a peat bog.
The main question I would ask is:"Is it dry?". If it is, you shouldn't have a problem working with it. If it is still wet, then it will have to dry before you use it.
Hope this helps.
Rick

[Art Mulder]

Does anyone know the legalities of reclaiming this wood. During a kayak trip in Lake Huron this summer, I came across a small secluded bay, about 50 yds. x 80 yds. that was completely filled with lumber. These were not logs, they were lumber.

John,

Don't know the whole story, but I do know that in Canada the property rights stop at the water's edge. So it is likely a provincial jurisdiction ? (or state jurisdiction if you were on the US side.)

[Keith Starosta]

Norm built a table a while back out of oak that came out of a damn up north somewhere... It was called the ugliest piece he ever built by someone on one of the forums, but I thought it was pretty cool. Maybe check out the NYW website and see if you can find it, it was last season I think.

I'd get it, think about the rich blue/black next to the brisk white of a piece of ash, you could make some pretty cool looking stuff.

Chuck

Just as a clarification, the wood was reclaimed from the Rappahanak River, near the old dam, right here in Fredericksburg, VA. :) ;)

- Keith

[Frank Fusco]

I had a friend who as scuba diving in Lake Superior off of Wisconsin. He, and some friends, discovered some sunken ships loaded with very large oak timbers. He quit his job as an engineer and got fairly wealthy bringing up those timbers and selling to furniture manufacturers. Logs the size of what he found simply don't exist anymore.

[thomas prevost]

Some of the sunken woods are worth "their weight in gold". so to speak. Usually about 5-7X normal wood. It is hard to get here in eastern US.

Do you know where the wood came from? Black may mean it is from a marsh/peat bottom. I would buy it at the drop of a hat if the price is reasonable. It will make very unique projects.

If it is still wet you will have to air dry it for a year or so. Lots of weight on it so it stays flat. Caution, it may appear to be dry on the surface but still have 30-40 moisture in the center.

[Chuck Fischer]

Just as a clarification, the wood was reclaimed from the Rappahanak River, near the old dam, right here in Fredericksburg, VA.

Sorry about that Keith, I thought it was somewhere north, but I guess I was wrong. Well, guess I'll have to wait for that one to come around on reruns again and watch it more closely. Did you happen to get any lumber out of that dam? What did you think of that piece Norm built?

Chuck

[Tyler Howell]

Big business:cool:
Depending on the water and sediment it was resting in , may have some great patina.
Have a friend that said some reclaimed oak was hard on his blades because of the minerals it absorbed over the years, but worth the effort.

[Keith Starosta]

Sorry about that Keith, I thought it was somewhere north, but I guess I was wrong. Well, guess I'll have to wait for that one to come around on reruns again and watch it more closely. Did you happen to get any lumber out of that dam? What did you think of that piece Norm built?

Chuck


No problem, Chuck.....just adding some extra info. I did see the piece, and it really wasn't one of my favorite, but it didn't have anything to do with the wood.

- Keith