Sw

"SwampBug"

18/02/2004 1:55 PM

oak, or not. . .

that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of around
a buck a bdft.
I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business replies
were all but meaningless.


--
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


This topic has 17 replies

Sw

"SwampBug"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

18/02/2004 5:04 PM

Sorry Charlie. . .red oak. I was quoted for Southern Red oak 1 face 1 edge
clean, $1.90/bdft, for Appalachian it was around a buck more/bdft. It isn't
much either way and I may go with s4s but I was genuinely curious as to the
difference in the two 'flavors'. <s>

--
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> SwampBug asks:
> >that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
> >Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
around
> >a buck a bdft.
> >I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
replies
> >were all but meaningless.
>
> What kind of oak? Where it grows MAY (and may not) make much difference in
the
> way a wood looks or works. Appalachia, anyway, is mostly in the south (I
know,
> I know, it does continue on up to where I am now and into Pennsy). For the
most
> part, it's a claim that mountain grown wood is better than that grown on
the
> flatland. I've never been able to tell the difference, but that may be me.
I
> wouldn't pay nickel one extra.
>
> Check and make sure that you're getting the same type of oak, though. Red
oak
> and white oak are quite different in both appearance and working
qualities, and
> the price is also different (white oak is normally higher).
>
> Charlie Self
> "Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

Sw

"SwampBug"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 6:12 AM

I hear ya. . .that is why I am curious about the the diff in the two
mentioned 'flavors'. This is S2S lumber.
I have not seen it yet.


--
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


"Tom Kohlman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Forgetting all the interim chat...$1.90/bdft???
>
> ...pack the kids...I think I gotta move...
>
> "JohnV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:XuTYb.553450$X%5.328574@pd7tw2no...
> > Someone can correct me if I am wrong but as I understand it trees in
> colder
> > climates have slower growth and hence smaller, tighter growth rings,
> making
> > for a slightly denser wood. I have a nice red oak in Alberta, that is
20
> > years older than one my brother has in his back yard in Ontario and his
> tree
> > is almost double the size. Same species from what I can tell by the
> leaves.
> > and wood grain pattern. Also affected by the height above sea level.
> > Higher up, slower growth. Don't know if this is a realistic comparison
> > though. Just my two cents. I think I remember reading it somewhere
> though.
> >
> > John V
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "SwampBug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so
called
> > > Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
> > around
> > > a buck a bdft.
> > > I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
> > replies
> > > were all but meaningless.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > SwampBug
> > > - - - - - - - - - - - -
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Sw

"SwampBug"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 12:01 PM

Interesting, I have surfed the net for examples of those two 'flavors' and
have yet to see a pic of either. I was beginnng to wonder if they were real
'flavors'. <s>

--
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


"John McCoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "SwampBug" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so
> > called Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a
> > difference of around a buck a bdft.
> > I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
> > replies were all but meaningless.
>
> The problem with oak is there's about a billion different species,
> all of which get lumped into either "white oak" or "red oak". I'd
> guess your "southern" oak is from one of the several species of
> evergreen oaks (turkey oak, pin oak, water oak, etc). These tend
> to produce astoundingly hard, dense, and rather ugly lumber.
>
> For furniture or cabinetry, I'd go with the Applachian, unless I
> could see samples of the southern first.
>
> John

Sw

"SwampBug"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 2:54 PM

Well, I would prolly pick some up but Fla. is a bit too far, even for cheap.
. .er. . .I mean, 'inexpensive' quality oak. <s>
Culling is what I have been doing with so-called swamp cypress. If I cut it
, I better be ready to nail it down or else it turns into a pretzel or some
such! Just thought I'd try some better wood. Seems I may have to keep
looking and fatten up the piggy bank! <g>
--
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


"Gary Greenberg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> SwampBug wrote:
> > What is the difference, if any, between so called
> > Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
around
> > a buck a bdft.
>
> If I can add my useless thoughts to this conversation: I've heard some
> folks 'round here refer to Southern Oak as Swamp and/or live oak
> (non-technically). I went to one place here in Florida where they ship
> hundreds of thousands of BF of oak to Pennsylvania furniture
> manufactures each year. They had live oak in the stacks.
>
> When I asked the owner why such a large furniture manufacturer
> (with a good reputation) would buy live oak, he answered, "At $.90/BF they
> can afford to throw the bad stuff away and it's still cheap to them."
>
> <cheap Plug>
> Anyway, I've got a bunch of 4/4 Appalachian air-dried red & white oak for
> sale at $1.25/BF [all FLAT-SAWN] if anyone wants to pick some up from me.
> </cheap Plug>
>
> Cheers,
> Gary

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

18/02/2004 10:18 PM

SwampBug asks:
>that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
>Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of around
>a buck a bdft.
>I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business replies
>were all but meaningless.

What kind of oak? Where it grows MAY (and may not) make much difference in the
way a wood looks or works. Appalachia, anyway, is mostly in the south (I know,
I know, it does continue on up to where I am now and into Pennsy). For the most
part, it's a claim that mountain grown wood is better than that grown on the
flatland. I've never been able to tell the difference, but that may be me. I
wouldn't pay nickel one extra.

Check and make sure that you're getting the same type of oak, though. Red oak
and white oak are quite different in both appearance and working qualities, and
the price is also different (white oak is normally higher).

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

TK

"Tom Kohlman"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 1:50 AM

Forgetting all the interim chat...$1.90/bdft???

...pack the kids...I think I gotta move...

"JohnV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:XuTYb.553450$X%5.328574@pd7tw2no...
> Someone can correct me if I am wrong but as I understand it trees in
colder
> climates have slower growth and hence smaller, tighter growth rings,
making
> for a slightly denser wood. I have a nice red oak in Alberta, that is 20
> years older than one my brother has in his back yard in Ontario and his
tree
> is almost double the size. Same species from what I can tell by the
leaves.
> and wood grain pattern. Also affected by the height above sea level.
> Higher up, slower growth. Don't know if this is a realistic comparison
> though. Just my two cents. I think I remember reading it somewhere
though.
>
> John V
>
>
>
>
> "SwampBug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
> > Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
> around
> > a buck a bdft.
> > I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
> replies
> > were all but meaningless.
> >
> >
> > --
> > SwampBug
> > - - - - - - - - - - - -
> >
> >
>
>

gG

[email protected] (Gary Greenberg)

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 10:26 AM

SwampBug wrote:
> What is the difference, if any, between so called
> Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of around
> a buck a bdft.

If I can add my useless thoughts to this conversation: I've heard some
folks 'round here refer to Southern Oak as Swamp and/or live oak
(non-technically). I went to one place here in Florida where they ship
hundreds of thousands of BF of oak to Pennsylvania furniture
manufactures each year. They had live oak in the stacks.

When I asked the owner why such a large furniture manufacturer
(with a good reputation) would buy live oak, he answered, "At $.90/BF they
can afford to throw the bad stuff away and it's still cheap to them."

<cheap Plug>
Anyway, I've got a bunch of 4/4 Appalachian air-dried red & white oak for
sale at $1.25/BF [all FLAT-SAWN] if anyone wants to pick some up from me.
</cheap Plug>

Cheers,
Gary

JM

John McCoy

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 4:51 PM

"SwampBug" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so
> called Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a
> difference of around a buck a bdft.
> I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
> replies were all but meaningless.

The problem with oak is there's about a billion different species,
all of which get lumped into either "white oak" or "red oak". I'd
guess your "southern" oak is from one of the several species of
evergreen oaks (turkey oak, pin oak, water oak, etc). These tend
to produce astoundingly hard, dense, and rather ugly lumber.

For furniture or cabinetry, I'd go with the Applachian, unless I
could see samples of the southern first.

John

Jn

"JohnV"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 12:32 AM

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but as I understand it trees in colder
climates have slower growth and hence smaller, tighter growth rings, making
for a slightly denser wood. I have a nice red oak in Alberta, that is 20
years older than one my brother has in his back yard in Ontario and his tree
is almost double the size. Same species from what I can tell by the leaves.
and wood grain pattern. Also affected by the height above sea level.
Higher up, slower growth. Don't know if this is a realistic comparison
though. Just my two cents. I think I remember reading it somewhere though.

John V




"SwampBug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
> Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
around
> a buck a bdft.
> I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
replies
> were all but meaningless.
>
>
> --
> SwampBug
> - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>

jJ

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

19/02/2004 5:20 AM

> > > that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
> > > Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
> around
> > > a buck a bdft.
> > > I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
> replies
> > > were all but meaningless.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > SwampBug
> > > - - - - - - - - - - - -
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

From what I have seen, the northern species of hardwoods are much more
suited for furniture making than the southern ones. Southern being
Savanna, GA or so. Logging companies down there will not use large
oaks for furniture, saying the wood is only good enough for pallets or
rail road ties, the reason being that it is too soft. Hardwoods are
shipped in from more northern areas of the country.

From the other posts, I too have read somewhere that the colder
climates make for a better hardwood.

Jeff

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to [email protected] (Jeff) on 19/02/2004 5:20 AM

19/02/2004 2:07 PM

jeffro writes:

>From what I have seen, the northern species of hardwoods are much more
>suited for furniture making than the southern ones. Southern being
>Savanna, GA or so. Logging companies down there will not use large
>oaks for furniture, saying the wood is only good enough for pallets or
>rail road ties, the reason being that it is too soft. Hardwoods are
>shipped in from more northern areas of the country.
>
>From the other posts, I too have read somewhere that the colder
>climates make for a better hardwood.

It does grow more slowly because of the shorter growing season. That tends to
make it a bit more dense.

But there's also a good chance those guys down in 'Bama and surrounds are
hitting what we call scrub oak, basically ye olde garbage trees that are a poor
quality tree to start with, and get really bad when summers are really hot.

I'd look at the wood and get a couple sample pieces to play with before I'd
fork over a buck a board foot difference.

As an incidental point, red oak makes absolutely shitty railroad ties. From
what I've seen, most bridge timbers and railroad ties are SYP in the south.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

jJ

[email protected] (JMWEBER987)

in reply to [email protected] (Jeff) on 19/02/2004 5:20 AM

19/02/2004 8:57 PM

>From the other posts, I too have read somewhere that the colder
>climates make for a better hardwood.
>

Recently read that the latest theory about the quality of older european
violins, (Strads, ect) is that the wood the old master luthiers used, grew in a
"mini ice age" that occured in europe in the century before that did their
work. Overall temps being much lower than normal trees grew more slowly. So,
the wood from these trees, had grain more dense than on trees that grew later,
producing superior quality sound. Historically, the quality was attributed to
the finish appled, the formulas of which are unknown. Just thought some might
find this interesting. Mike in Arkansas

jJ

in reply to [email protected] (Jeff) on 19/02/2004 5:20 AM

20/02/2004 5:12 AM

[email protected] (Charlie Self) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> jeffro writes:
>
> >From what I have seen, the northern species of hardwoods are much more
> >suited for furniture making than the southern ones. Southern being
> >Savanna, GA or so. Logging companies down there will not use large
> >oaks for furniture, saying the wood is only good enough for pallets or
> >rail road ties, the reason being that it is too soft. Hardwoods are
> >shipped in from more northern areas of the country.
> >
> >From the other posts, I too have read somewhere that the colder
> >climates make for a better hardwood.
>
> It does grow more slowly because of the shorter growing season. That tends to
> make it a bit more dense.
>
> But there's also a good chance those guys down in 'Bama and surrounds are
> hitting what we call scrub oak, basically ye olde garbage trees that are a poor
> quality tree to start with, and get really bad when summers are really hot.
>
> I'd look at the wood and get a couple sample pieces to play with before I'd
> fork over a buck a board foot difference.
>
> As an incidental point, red oak makes absolutely shitty railroad ties. From
> what I've seen, most bridge timbers and railroad ties are SYP in the south.
>
> Charlie Self
> "Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html


I think it was "water oak" or something. I am not sure of how great
it is, but that is what they said they were doing with it all. Mostly
pallets though.

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to [email protected] (Jeff) on 20/02/2004 5:12 AM

20/02/2004 2:09 PM

Jeffro writes:

>
>I think it was "water oak" or something. I am not sure of how great
>it is, but that is what they said they were doing with it all. Mostly
>pallets though.
>

Arkansas oak, or Quercus arkansana. Not durable, so not suitable for ties,
though it could be treated. Otherwise, pretty much like other red oaks in
classification, and probably not easily separated after it is milled.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

EJ

"Eric Johnson"

in reply to "SwampBug" on 18/02/2004 1:55 PM

18/02/2004 11:11 PM


"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> SwampBug asks:
> >that is the question. What is the difference, if any, between so called
> >Appalachian oak and Southern oak. I have been quoted a difference of
around
> >a buck a bdft.
> >I googled it but since I am not nor will be in any forestry business
replies
> >were all but meaningless.
>
> What kind of oak? Where it grows MAY (and may not) make much difference in
the
> way a wood looks or works. Appalachia, anyway, is mostly in the south (I
know,
> I know, it does continue on up to where I am now and into Pennsy). For the
most
> part, it's a claim that mountain grown wood is better than that grown on
the
> flatland. I've never been able to tell the difference, but that may be me.
I
> wouldn't pay nickel one extra.
>
> Check and make sure that you're getting the same type of oak, though. Red
oak
> and white oak are quite different in both appearance and working
qualities, and
> the price is also different (white oak is normally higher).
>
> Charlie Self
> "Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html


FWIW an old mentor of mine preferred northern hardwoods in general as he
thought the winter freezing cycles made for more interesting figuring of
grains, rays etc. His spin was based on the idea of wind "exercising " a
frozen tree during winter made for better growth cycles. But you must keep
in mind those conversations were generally held over a beer..

EJ

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to "Eric Johnson" on 18/02/2004 11:11 PM

19/02/2004 12:05 AM

Eric Johnson responds:

>
>FWIW an old mentor of mine preferred northern hardwoods in general as he
>thought the winter freezing cycles made for more interesting figuring of
>grains, rays etc. His spin was based on the idea of wind "exercising " a
>frozen tree during winter made for better growth cycles. But you must keep
>in mind those conversations were generally held over a beer..

Or six. Winter freeze cycles may affect the tree's growth and figure,
but...it's generally dormant during winter, which also reduces the chance that
freezing in winter makes for better growth cycles, I would think.

When I was a kid, I recall some nights cold enough for the sap to explode in
the trees, creating all sorts of messes, from minor to major. But I don't think
it really improved the figure.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

EJ

"Eric Johnson"

in reply to "Eric Johnson" on 18/02/2004 11:11 PM

19/02/2004 1:45 AM


"Charlie Self" muttered:
Or six. >>> teen I was referring to carpenters after all.....

EJ



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