Interesting grain patterns and tree anatomy observed while splitting wood

[Del_]

Note the small shed branch that closed over years ago. Other dark areas are ant gallerys. No ants were found in this area and it could mean their entrance was closed over years ago??

 

[Arbor Vision]

Thanks for sharing the pictures. Rep sent

 

[Del_]

I was struck by the swirls in the grain. This was a branch attachment point.

 

[Del_]

Tramp metal.

The mark inside the tree where the metal was embeded. Decay around this metal was very limited.

 

[Del_]

Another enclosed branch. No pruning evident and very small amounts of decayed wood found enclosed. The photo is disorienting due to being of a split piece of tree trunk. The center of the trunk would be to the right in the photo....but not included in the photo. These small enclosed branches put on quite a show as the trunk section is being pulled apart by the splitting action of the splitter. Details in real time of how trees are held together are not captured in still photos. Had to be there.

 

[Del_]

This is a narrow crotch where two limbs diverged from a larger vertical limb. Note the pith trail....which would continue on in each of the two limbs. The structure of the growth rings are very interesting. I should have photoed the other side but it was lost in the wood pile.

 

[Del_]

These two pieces of wood are from inside of a large piece of trunk section. The one on the right is an old branch stub that died and to the left is the socket from which it was pulled. Small amounts of organic matter and a touch of wet wood on the tip of the stub. The 'socket' side is closed over on the outside by several years of growth but did leave a blemish in the bark. Wish I had flipped the one on the left over for a photo! I did in photos later to come of another section.

A closer photo:

 

[Del_]

Another long gone branch stub with an interesting gain pattern. If I remember correctly this was inside of a large round.

 

[Del_]

Here is a branch stub that was closed over years ago. The top photo is of the branch stub and the socket that grew around the branch. The second photo is of the outside bark where the tree had grow over the old stub. No pruning evident and note the decay on the tip of the stub and deep in the socket.

 

[stihl_in_texas]

Most of the fire wood I've split has been Post Oak and I've seen a lot of the same thing you took pictures of, except the first set. Never seen Post Oak do that. Almost looks like a Live Oak. I split some of it for my neighbor a while back and I was beginning to wonder if my splitter was going to make it in one piece. Every piece had a wicked grain to it. I wish I'd have taken some pictures. I will next time I get some Live Oak, that's for sure. Thanks for posting the pics.

Steve

 

[PinnaclePete]

Very cool finds TreeCo. Did you ever go to one of Shigo's workshops? He would longituninally cut trees and open them like a book. And the tree would expose it's whole history to you. That's how we learned so much about CODIT. Check out his books, awesome stuff in there.

I still do that to this day, open up different pruning cuts, old wounds, different limb crotches, etc, and use them in training and customer contacts. Using a bandsaw produces finer cuts and more detail compared to a chainsaw or splitter. Still some very interesting things to be found.

 

[Del_]

Very cool finds TreeCo. Did you ever go to one of Shigo's workshops?

I've been to two Shigo workshops, have all of his books and heard him lecture about a dozen times. It is very interesting.... though the photos don't show it......is how the tree structure pulls apart and resist pulling apart under force.

 

[tree MDS]

What, did The Nuge quit, and leave you to the firewood splitting this year Treeco?

Just kidding. Good thread and pics.

 

[ropensaddle]

Yup wood is cool sometimes Last year I split a large white oak 57" diameter it was almost all borough wood. I had a cabnet maker tell me its big money cut into veneer.

 

[Del_]

Shown is a branch stub and associated branch socket that had closed over after what looks to be a pruning cut. Shigo goes into a lot of detail as to how the annual grown rings of the main limb grow over the branch rings locking them into place and making a very strong attachment. Much stronger than man made attachments. Seeing these pieces pull apart shows a lot of the structure that photos just don't capture.

 

[Del_]

Sorry for the out of focus shot. These very small ants had galleries in this piece of oak. They are the smallest wood eating ants I've seen.

 

[Del_]

Here is an elm branch and it's associated socket

 

[Del_]

More insect galleries, I believe made by ants.

 

[Del_]

A quite large insect gallery full of frass.

 

[Yoopermike]

you could have made some big bucks with that wood.. sell it to a person why makes bowls or spoons.. i bet that would have made some awesome wood prod!