Shingle oak any good for turning?

[William C Rogers]

My neighbor has 8 trees dead or mostly dead coming down. One is a Shingle Oak about 24" in diameter. I couldn't find anything referencing turning this wood.

Other trees are several Shagbark Hickory 24"+ in diameter that I don't want any part of because it is so hard and cracks, a small pin oak 14" in diameter, and a cherry 30"+ in diameter that I will get a lot of.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Once you turn the cherry all the rest will feel like concrete. Sometimes we're better off not being greedy?

[daryl moses]

Shingle oak is a member of the Red Oak family. If you turn it be prepared for rust on anything metal it touches especially if it still has moisture in it.
I've turned Red Oak before but much prefer White Oak.

[robert baccus]

Dry hickory can be very hard-true but has some very beautiful wood inside. The dark hardwood is a stunning brown--cuts great green by the way and the cracking can be easily contained by use of endsealer.

[John K Jordan]

Hobbithouseinc lists Shingle Oak (quercus imbricaria) under Pin Oak
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...oak,%20pin.htm
He gives a list that "includes most, but probably not all, of the Quercus species that go by the name pin oak" and quercus imbricaria one of them. There are pictures of some turnings at the bottom of the page.

Also this page lists nine common names associated with Shingle Oak:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...kBOTANICAL.htm

Based on all that I would certainly try turning it. I find oak in general nice to turn but then dry, hard woods are my favorite. Sharp tools and good tool control make oak, hickory, dogwood, lyptus, and others quite workable. Green oak is relatively easy to turn although it will turn your lathe bed black.

I have turned a lot of oak over the years. Some has beautiful figure. I found this wood while splitting firewood:

whiteoak_bowl_02.jpg

I think Hickory/Pecan is also a good turning wood. I occasionally saw some and dry blanks for tool handles and other things I want to be strong. If you cut spindle turnings squares instead of bowl blanks they seldom if ever crack.

shovel_handle.jpg handle_shuffle_hoe_comp.jpg

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

The Shingle Oak is in the Red Oak groep, has a rather coarse wood and splits easily, the reason it was used to make shingles, I would say there are better woods to turn than that, certainly not like a White Oak wood.

Red Oak burl bowl.jpg White Oak.jpg

I would rather turn the Hickory, I have turned a bunch of Hickory and never had a problem with splitting of my rough turned pieces, or after that.

The Hickory does shrink quite a bit, so either turn it to finish when just cut down, and it turns quite nicely like that, or rough turn with at least a 10% wall thickness, and yes it does get hard when it is dry.

Nice enough looking wood though, and all these where returned when very dry, like after 20 years of sitting rough turned in my shop on the highest shelf, the WHY is another story .

Hickory platter.jpgHickory tray.jpgHickory bowl 1.jpgHickory bowl.jpgHickory knitting bowl.jpgHickory happy sock.jpg

[William C Rogers]

Ok, so much for the shingle oak. Firewood. I'll keep some Hickory and a lot of cherry.
The cherry tree has four large branches coming off the trunk. The trunk is about 8-9 feet before separation. Suggestions on the best way to cut the crotch?
IMG_1026.JPG IMG_1027.JPG

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I would probably take this part (red) out and then cut in two by sawing through the 3 piths to get the woods figure that is there, good luck, be careful for falling branches (it looks like)

Cherry.jpg

[William C Rogers]

I would probably take this part (red) out and then cut in two by sawing through the 3 piths to get the woods figure that is there, good luck, be careful for falling branches (it looks like)

Cherry.jpg

Thanks Leo, pro's are going to take it down, falling branches are a concern. One was down before I cut grass and one fell before I finished cutting. Fortunately not on me.

[John K Jordan]

If the three piths are not in the same plane you might have to compromise and choose between the largest/best two.

I occasionally cut a crotch a different way although it wastes half. The best figure is right in the centerline of the plane of the piths. I want that figure to show on the bottom of my platter or bowl. Since the turning exposes the wood some distance away from the best figure due to the holding method and the thickness of the piece, cutting just to the side of the plane of the piths can put a little more figure where it can be seen. Can be tricky since you still don't want pith in the final piece. The "wasted" half usually still has good flame but just not as much.

Of course, if turning wood was hard to come by I might do it differently. When drowning in wood it is easy to throw some away. For every crotch I save to turn probably 99 rot in the woods or go up in smoke.

JKJ