chestnut log

[chickenknife]

I have been excavating on a job site in Indiana and have found an old windfall tree. It is quite weathered but after moving it around I have found it to be sound and heavy. I considered it to be an old white oak but after sinking my backhoe teeth into it and knowing how most common trees rot on the ground I have a feeling it may be something I haven't seen before. The sap wood is mostly rotten but the limb sites are remarkably strong. It doesn't have the characteristics of most rot resistant wood like walnut. I was ready to trash it but decided to cut into it to see what is inside. Could a chestnut have survived on the ground for years and years without turning back into dirt or will I be wasting my time?

 

[ShaneLogs]

I have been excavating on a job site in Indiana and have found an old windfall tree. It is quite weathered but after moving it around I have found it to be sound and heavy. I considered it to be an old white oak but after sinking my backhoe teeth into it and knowing how most common trees rot on the ground I have a feeling it may be something I haven't seen before. The sap wood is mostly rotten but the limb sites are remarkably strong. It doesn't have the characteristics of most rot resistant wood like walnut. I was ready to trash it but decided to cut into it to see what is inside. Could a chestnut have survived on the ground for years and years without turning back into dirt or will I be wasting my time?

Sounds very interesting, Do you have any pictures of this log ? I sounds like a Chestnut to me.

 

[2dogs]

On those rare occasions when am teaching someone how to use a chainsaw I stress the operator needs to learn the local conditions. I guess this is a hold over from my time as a firefighter where ignorance of local conditions such as winds can get a person killed.

I have come across many redwood logs, old growth only, where the sap wood has rotted but the heartwood was sound. This usually means a short log that was worth nothing to the loggers an was left behind. They are real treasures.

Chestnut? I don't even know what a chestnut log would look like. I also have no idea if chestnut would be sound after years on the forest floor but a local guy might know that. Ask around and report back.

 

[hammerlogging]

It could be chestnut indeed. The job I'm on now there's quite a bit if it lying around from when it was logged out from the blight. The grain is unlike anything you'll find standing, see if it splits super easy down the grain, and is reddish colored (gray on the weathered side), and is particularly lightweight. Most of what I find is shards of solid amongst rot, it'd be more suited to milling on a tablesaw than a sawmill.

Maybe take a picture?

 

[chickenknife]

It could be chestnut indeed. The job I'm on now there's quite a bit if it lying around from when it was logged out from the blight. The grain is unlike anything you'll find standing, see if it splits super easy down the grain, and is reddish colored (gray on the weathered side), and is particularly lightweight. Most of what I find is shards of solid amongst rot, it'd be more suited to milling on a tablesaw than a sawmill.

Maybe take a picture?

I am genuinely intrigued by this log. The poor thing deserts to survive to some useful fate. I have moved it enough times to know its solid even the limbs. I will cut tomorrow and report back

 

[chickenknife]

I think its chestnut. I have zero experience with it but it is reddish brown light weight and HARD. Now what do I do? I know the only answer is to get it to the band saw and open it up. Its well infested with carpenter ants but after making a few exploratory cuts off the butt end it started getting solid. I will try to down load some pictures later if I can figure out how.

 

[sinawali]

It is possible.
Chestnut has a high resistance against weather influences, because it has a high tannin content.