dstimber
TreeHouser
I got into a discussion with my grandfather yesterday about ring shake. We mainly see it in some of your hickorys, sweetgum, and sycamore is by far the worst. Occasionally we will see some oak saw logs with that problem.
I've always assumed the wind causes it by twisting the trees. I started a heated argument when I said improper harvesting techniques was the culprit.
I told him that by cutting out the oaks, walnuts, poplars, ash, etc etc. and leaving the sycamores gums and hickorys (lesser value timber). They allowed those species to take off and grow faster. And without the help of all the other trees there to help fight off the wind it allowed the trees to twist enough for the rings to separate.
We only see shake in heartwood. It's very rare that we see any in the living tissue of the trees we cut.
Anyway he seems to think it's a disease of some type. But I've never seen any evidence of it while sawing the logs.
My theory.... after a select cut. The remaining trees take off and grow faster, resulting in wider more flexible rings? Then the wind comes in and the earlier growth is tighter, and brittle and doesn't flex with the newer growth. So the rings begin to shear apart?
Sometimes it isn't noticeable until the logs sit on the yard for a few weeks. And is always worse when it's hot in the summer months.
I could be completely wrong but it made for a good argument lol. Anyone else have any input?
I've always assumed the wind causes it by twisting the trees. I started a heated argument when I said improper harvesting techniques was the culprit.
I told him that by cutting out the oaks, walnuts, poplars, ash, etc etc. and leaving the sycamores gums and hickorys (lesser value timber). They allowed those species to take off and grow faster. And without the help of all the other trees there to help fight off the wind it allowed the trees to twist enough for the rings to separate.
We only see shake in heartwood. It's very rare that we see any in the living tissue of the trees we cut.
Anyway he seems to think it's a disease of some type. But I've never seen any evidence of it while sawing the logs.
My theory.... after a select cut. The remaining trees take off and grow faster, resulting in wider more flexible rings? Then the wind comes in and the earlier growth is tighter, and brittle and doesn't flex with the newer growth. So the rings begin to shear apart?
Sometimes it isn't noticeable until the logs sit on the yard for a few weeks. And is always worse when it's hot in the summer months.
I could be completely wrong but it made for a good argument lol. Anyone else have any input?