+- Woodnet Forums (https://www.forums.woodnet.net)
+-- Thread: really hard red oak (/showthread.php?tid=7183798)
really hard red oak - Cooler - 01-04-2016
I bought some 1" x 2" nominal red oak from Home Depot the other day to use for face frames which I pocket screw for assembly.
One of the pieces was a darker color than I am accustomed to seeing and had a black vein running through it. I was nearly impossible to drill the pocket holes into it and when I tried to drive the screws (genuine Kreg screws) my drill first stalled and then the wood split open.
I made new pieces from another section of material and no problems at all.
Has anyone ever seen red oak that was exceptionally hard, dark and with black veins?
Re: really hard red oak - Stwood_ - 01-04-2016
It could have mineral streaks in it.
It could be case hardened from the kiln drying.
With an oddball darker color, I wouldn't have used it on a face frame with the other lighter wood.
Re: really hard red oak - Cooler - 01-04-2016
Stwood_ said:
It could have mineral streaks in it.
It could be case hardened from the kiln drying.
With an oddball darker color, I wouldn't have used it on a face frame with the other lighter wood.
I would not have either but I am painting my old oak kitchen cabinets, and I was making a filler shelf to go with it. So I wanted the oak grain, not the oak color so it would match the re-finished cabinets.
Re: really hard red oak - Edwin Hackleman - 01-04-2016
That reminds me of pin oak heartwood. It's so dense that even when dry it may not float in water.
Re: really hard red oak - Cooler - 01-04-2016
Edwin Hackleman said:
That reminds me of pin oak heartwood. It's so dense that even when dry it may not float in water.
When I get home tonight I will cut off a piece and see if it floats.
Re: really hard red oak - jteneyck - 01-04-2016
I don't know of any oak that sinks in water after it's been dried. Nor any native wood, for that matter. Link And a link specifically to Pin Oak
John
Re: really hard red oak - Cooler - 01-04-2016
jteneyck said:
I don't know of any oak that sinks in water after it's been dried. Nor any native wood, for that matter. Link And a link specifically to Pin Oak
John
If the specific gravity is greater than 1.00 it is supposed to sink. There were 3 or 4 on that list that tipped over that number, but oak was not on that short list. Hickory is over 1.00 and it is a wood workers species. The others I am not familiar with.
Re: really hard red oak - MichaelMouse - 01-04-2016
Stwood_ said:
It could have mineral streaks in it.
It could be case hardened from the kiln drying.
With an oddball darker color, I wouldn't have used it on a face frame with the other lighter wood.
Mineral stain - normally calcium oxalate (kidney stones!) can dull edge tools, so it might be the culprit.
Case hardening probably won't do that. Does the stuff pinch the riving knife or spread as you rip? Two of the most obvious indications that case-hardening hasn't been properly relieved in the kiln.
The oxalates tend to accumulate in areas under limbs and places where circulation is pinched to a crawl.
Re: really hard red oak - jteneyck - 01-04-2016
Cooler said:
[blockquote]jteneyck said:
I don't know of any oak that sinks in water after it's been dried. Nor any native wood, for that matter. Link And a link specifically to Pin Oak
John
If the specific gravity is greater than 1.00 it is supposed to sink. There were 3 or 4 on that list that tipped over that number, but oak was not on that short list. Hickory is over 1.00 and it is a wood workers species. The others I am not familiar with.
[/blockquote]
You are looking in wrong column. The left column is green wood. Look in the right hand column for dry wood. No native wood exceeds 1.0 s g. after drying. Darned few woods from anywhere do.
John
Re: really hard red oak - FS7 - 01-04-2016
Cooler said:
I bought some 1" x 2" nominal red oak from Home Depot the other day to use for face frames which I pocket screw for assembly.
One of the pieces was a darker color than I am accustomed to seeing and had a black vein running through it. I was nearly impossible to drill the pocket holes into it and when I tried to drive the screws (genuine Kreg screws) my drill first stalled and then the wood split open.
I made new pieces from another section of material and no problems at all.
Has anyone ever seen red oak that was exceptionally hard, dark and with black veins?
Yes, I have seen this. There are a lot of pin oak trees on my property and certain parts of the crotch or knots are extremely hard and have even broken a chainsaw chain before. They burn long and hot too.
That said, what I have noticed is that it happens when the tree grows at an odd angle (like 90 degrees). I'm not familiar but I would think that those trees wouldn't end up getting milled like that. They also have extremely dense grain (visibly dense, not like any other red oak).