Making sure this is oak before putting it in my smoker

[stumpy75]

If you can't positively identify the wood yourself you shouldn't be using a smoker. Go to the bookstore and get a good educational book on identifying wood, not trees and learn how to identify correctly. Posting pictures is a horrible way to get a true identity. Also go to a wood store that has verified samples to compare to. There are lots of variations and can fool the common person. Most Arborists can identify 90% of trees but are clueless when it comes to identifying wood samples. As someone who has a Degree in Forestry specializing in wood products I can attest it isn't always easy to identify wood. I have a shoebox full of samples for comparison

The tree in the pic at the back of the house with no leaves has alternate branching. It's not a maple.

Yes, there are a lot of variations in wood. That's why you look at the bark, the cross section, a split and the shape/form of the tree. All tell clues as to what it is.

I have the same degree as you and the same shoebox too (but I don't own a soapbox).

 

[Jed1124]

The tree in the pic at the back of the house with no leaves has alternate branching. It's not a maple.

Yes, there are a lot of variations in wood. That's why you look at the bark, the cross section, a split and the shape/form of the tree. All tell clues as to what it is.

I have the same degree as you and the same shoebox too (but I don't own a soapbox).

Nobody is calling the tree at the back of the house maple, that's the elm.
The load of wood in the back of the truck is what is being speculated as maple.

 

[stumpy75]

Nobody is calling the tree at the back of the house maple, that's the elm.
The load of wood in the back of the truck is what is being speculated as maple.

Ok on what's in the truck.

But on the cross section pic of the tree behind the house, have you ever seen an elm with rays that distinct? If that came from the tree in the back of the house, then I think that tree is an oak, not elm...

 

[moondoggie]

You could possibly get discoloration from wet unseasoned wood with ferrous fastenings but it will not be anything like the way Oak turns black

That is false as well. Every single piece of wood my splitter touches turns black/dark. I will post some pictures in about 2 hours of oak with a piece of pipe in it. I just split it. I split about 150 true cords last year. This is the start of the seventh year I have done this. Believe me every species of hardwood I have split and or cut with steel in no it turns dark dark blue. No exceptions. I am not trying to be rude just don't want people thinking all Wood is oak with metal in it. Here is the pic of red oak with a piece of pipe it. will dig up some pics of Maple that is the exact same way.

 

[svk]

That is false as well. Every single piece of wood my splitter touches turns black/dark. I will post some pictures in about 2 hours of oak with a piece of pipe in it. I just split it. I split about 150 true cords last year. This is the start of the seventh year I have done this. Believe me every species of hardwood I have split and or cut with steel in no it turns dark dark blue. No exceptions. I am not trying to be rude just don't want people thinking all Wood is oak with metal in it. Here is the pic of red oak with a piece of pipe it.View attachment 615970 View attachment 615971 View attachment 615972 View attachment 615973 View attachment 615974 View attachment 615975 will dig up some pics of Maple that is the exact same way.

Moondoggie,

Just so I understand, the outside of your splits turn blue/black after splitting and sitting in the elements?

 

[svk]

That is false as well. Every single piece of wood my splitter touches turns black/dark. I will post some pictures in about 2 hours of oak with a piece of pipe in it. I just split it. I split about 150 true cords last year. This is the start of the seventh year I have done this. Believe me every species of hardwood I have split and or cut with steel in no it turns dark dark blue. No exceptions. I am not trying to be rude just don't want people thinking all Wood is oak with metal in it. Here is the pic of red oak with a piece of pipe it.View attachment 615970 View attachment 615971 View attachment 615972 View attachment 615973 View attachment 615974 View attachment 615975 will dig up some pics of Maple that is the exact same way.

Moondoggie,

Just so I understand, the outside of your splits turn blue/black after splitting and sitting in the elements?

 

[moondoggie]

Moondoggie,

Just so I understand, the outside of your splits turn blue/black after splitting and sitting in the elements?

The moment they touch the knife the first 1/4 " has the blue marks on the Wood. Each time the Wood is split. It happens immediately.

 

[moondoggie]

The blue marks from the above pics are from that pipe in that big oak round.

 

[moondoggie]

here is a fresh split from the knife on my splitter

 

[Jed1124]

Ok on what's in the truck.

But on the cross section pic of the tree behind the house, have you ever seen an elm with rays that distinct? If that came from the tree in the back of the house, then I think that tree is an oak, not elm...

Ok on what's in the truck.

But on the cross section pic of the tree behind the house, have you ever seen an elm with rays that distinct? If that came from the tree in the back of the house, then I think that tree is an oak, not elm...

Yes, Elm is ring porous like Oak.

 

[Little Al]

My great grandad grandad, uncles, & my dad owned a boat ibulding yard in Buckie ,Scotland they built Wooden fishing boats & trawlers 26' /65' mostly Larch planks on oak frames carvel construction the larch was steamed to bend & form to shape if ferrous fasteners were used (cost)on the smaller size boats the oak turned black but no stain on the larch or pitch pine or elm that was used in the build I also have a hydraulic vertical splitter with steel bed & wedge & also use saws with the paint removed from the guide bar & if cutting any wood other than Oak I get no staining on the cuts or splits the log/splits go discolourd/weathered after a couple of years of being stacked I v'e never had oak discolour immediately only after a couple of weeks with soaking wet wood

 

[moondoggie]

I made this amazing video today.
can everyone see the black marks on my trailer. The first picture is from where my wheel barrow rides upside down. The second pic is where this board set on top of the frame when it was flipped over the other way. I want to note the trailer deck is pine.

 

[NSMaple1]

The moment they touch the knife the first 1/4 " has the blue marks on the Wood. Each time the Wood is split. It happens immediately.

I don't think I see that in stuff I split.

 

[motolife313]

Moondoggie I haven't been able to whatch your video yet, not fast enough internet here.

So I looked up sugar maple and don't think it's that becuase those look like they have a lot of branches and branches close to the ground. This one only has a few branches and they were far from the ground. It didn't have a ton of leaves either. I got it April 22. And looks like a oak leaf on the ground behined my left rear tire. The tree was 20' behined my truck

 

[motolife313]

Heres the pic

 

[stumpy75]

Yes, Elm is ring porous like Oak.

While I agree that Elm and Oak can be ring porous, I was really referring to the Rays. They are different in Elm and Oak.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Little Al]

The moment they touch the knife the first 1/4 " has the blue marks on the Wood. Each time the Wood is split. It happens immediately.

The part I find confusing is if the metal the knife/wedge is made of reacts with the the wood forming a black/blue stain immediately on touching the end grain of the round why as it touches the round for it's length during the splitting process are there not stains on places on the length of the split? Can I ask also is the body of your barrow is galvanized ? The usual action twixt oak & ferrous takes days if not weeks or even longer to turn black & start degrading the wood corroding the metal. Many years ago on a course re determining the uses for various woods I was informed that oak contains an acid which is the reason for the distinctive smell when cutting working it green.

 

[moondoggie]

The part I find confusing is if the metal the knife/wedge is made of reacts with the the wood forming a black/blue stain immediately on touching the end grain of the round why as it touches the round for it's length during the splitting process are there not stains on places on the length of the split? Can I ask also is the body of your barrow is galvanized ? The usual action twixt oak & ferrous takes days if not weeks or even longer to turn black & start degrading the wood corroding the metal. Many years ago on a course re determining the uses for various woods I was informed that oak contains an acid which is the reason for the distinctive smell when cutting working it green.

It's a Jackson wheelbarrow. Like the one below. Expect mine has had splits Todd in it for 6 years.

http://www.jacksonprofessional.com/...Id=857&SubFamilyId=270&FamilyId=269&LineId=34

The steel in the splitters knife is AR 400 grade F

If I stop a split on the knife for any length of time whatever rocking the steel will turn darker

 

[buzz sawyer]

View attachment 615986 here is a fresh split from the knife on my splitter

I once made the mistake of leaving a green oak board on my table saw for about an hour. Stained the oak and the saw table.

 

[lone wolf]

OK so you're up to speed with identifying wood but others me included are a bit nearer the back row in this I thought your reply to Moto life was somewhat condescending & if in the future you require advice & an answer to a querie that res ponders if any treat you more kindly.I guess if you take that attitude to others questions it will possibly come back on you To me it wasn't what you said it was the way you said it, to a guy trying to expand his knowledge

He made a great point about if you don't know what it is dont put it in the smoker though!