Live oak??

[FISH BAIT]

Have any of yall ever milled and dried live oak. I have worked with white and red oak but never live oak. I recently milled up some nice slabs but am concerned how they are going to turn out several years from now. When I split the drops and a few logs that weren't fit to mill that was some gnarly stuff. The wood grain in the logs looked like huge twists of braided yarn, actually broke a couple of grade 10 bolts on the log splitter. I'm afraid the slabs are going to look like cork screws by the time they are done drying.

Thanks
FB

 

[SeMoTony]

Have any of yall ever milled and dried live oak. I have worked with white and red oak but never live oak. I recently milled up some nice slabs but am concerned how they are going to turn out several years from now. When I split the drops and a few logs that weren't fit to mill that was some gnarly stuff. The wood grain in the logs looked like huge twists of braided yarn, actually broke a couple of grade 10 bolts on the log splitter. I'm afraid the slabs are going to look like cork screws by the time they are done drying.

Thanks
FB

I don't have as much info as you'd like. Standard is prolly as you have done sealing end and couple weeks re-sealing,Sticking and stacking, I stack the edge pieces facing each other and follow with the closer to the center till the quarter sawn bits are on top. Tendency is the slice furthest from the pith cups down the length, facing each other places tension in one plank fighting with tension in the other. Center pieces, with the grain perpendicular to the face of the plank have moved the least ,if at all. Word of warning , I've not worked with live oak yet. Saw safe and good fortune to you

 

[FISH BAIT]

Yep they are stacked, stickered, and end grain sealed. I also band them on each end and in the middle. I guess we shall see how they turn out. Oh well if they are too bad for my woodwork I'll have some finely cured BBQ wood!

FB

 

[Mad Professor]

Keep it covered on top and in the shade, you want it to dry slowly

 

[FISH BAIT]

I actually keep all of my slabs stacked in a warehouse out of the weather. They probably dry way more slowly than necessary due to the lack of air movement.