Fresh Red Oak STINKS....Literally!
Peter Teubel
Oak. Man, that stuff stinks! Almost makes me want to give up on all
that free wood.
Is this normal or do I have a diseased tree? Looks healthy, other than
the fact its dead ;)
- Pete
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Leon
smell. ;~) Over the past 20+ years I have come to like the smell. Oddly,
for the first time today I cut some red oak that smelled like cotton candy.
I had to look at it twice to make sure it was Red Oak.
"Peter Teubel" <pte...@spamNOT.mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:utg35u09ict0fbpmd...@4ax.com...
Jim M
Do you know where the tool came from? Granted each type of wood has a
particular odor almost unique to that wood. Some smell pleasant while
others - Zebra wood comes to mind, and I think they named it for the Zebra's
hind end....
Anyway, I've never known oak to smell that terrible. But depending on
where the tree grew could make a difference. Often as turners we end up
getting free wood from friends and neighbors who cut down a tree. If a tree
has grown near a sewer, leech field or drainage system it's going to be
wicking up water (containing minerals) from that drainage waste water. And
yes, it will get a smell to it.
--Jim
Peter Teubel
<removespa...@swbell.net> wrote:
>Red Oak has its own distinct aroma. It does not have a particularly sweet
>smell. ;~) Over the past 20+ years I have come to like the smell. Oddly,
>for the first time today I cut some red oak that smelled like cotton candy.
>I had to look at it twice to make sure it was Red Oak.
No, this stuff smeels like sh*t. When my wife came home, she
immediately told me to get rid of that stuff. Yes, its that bad.
Another interesting note: The bowl I turned developed blue/black spots
almost immediately. That stuff got on my hands and it simply will NOT
come off. No solvent or even an SOS pad will remove it. Its almost
like a dye.
Peter Teubel
wrote:
>Pete,
> Do you know where the tool came from? Granted each type of wood has a
>particular odor almost unique to that wood. Some smell pleasant while
>others - Zebra wood comes to mind, and I think they named it for the Zebra's
>hind end....
> Anyway, I've never known oak to smell that terrible. But depending on
>where the tree grew could make a difference. Often as turners we end up
>getting free wood from friends and neighbors who cut down a tree. If a tree
>has grown near a sewer, leech field or drainage system it's going to be
>wicking up water (containing minerals) from that drainage waste water. And
>yes, it will get a smell to it.
It came from a swampy area, I know that much. I'll find out more
details tonight.
Jim M
collect water run off - often from drainage ditches, fields - cow pastures,
etc....
Even on its own, a swamp is like a chemical brew of fermenting material
breaking down. If you've ever spent time in a swamp (great places to hunt
deer - but watch out for the snakes) you would know what they mean by swamp
gas. The water is dark, black tea like, murky mineral rich full of silt.
That tree had been drinking all that stuff up over the years.
Jim M
about this tree already, it might be interesting to give it an exposure to
ammonia in an enclosed tent and let it fume, or when you are ready to finish
it, wipe a coat of ammonia on the bowl - (then wash it with water to
neutralize the ammonia), should turn the bowl a darker color.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/What_is_fuming.html
This might help even out the spots and color some for you.
Ken Bullock
occassionally.
As for the staining. I find that if I let the wet wood touch feris metal, it
will rust the wood. I think this has something to do with the tantic acid in
the wood sap. If I keep the wood off anything steel it will not rust.
I always finish with tung oil as soon as I have finished sanding the green
turning, that way I don't get any rusting.
--
Ken Bullock (Woodturner)
One of a Kind Woodturnings
http://www.oneofakindwoodturnings.com
"Peter Teubel" <pte...@spamNOT.mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:utg35u09ict0fbpmd...@4ax.com...
Tom Wicke
old oak tree. It was quite large, approx 4' dia at the base. He had a gut he
knew who was a logger come over and do the actual drop, but I helped in limbing
and sectioning the large branches, some over 18" in dia.
As soon as he started cutting into the trunk to make the directional cut we
noticed a VERY STRONG ODOR!!!!!! It smelled just like cow excrement. turned
out that this had been a pasture for over fifty years. and being the only tree
in the pasture all the cows came there to get into the shade when it was hot.
The farmer put the watering trough and feed trough close by as well.
Gee I wonder why that tree smelled like cow crap?
Environment has a lot to do with the end result.
We did get some fabulous boards out of it though. I talked him into quarter
sawing the main trunk.
Got some 12' lumber that smelled bad but looked great.
Tom in Oregon
Buddy Matlosz
the wood.
B.
"Peter Teubel" <pte...@spamNOT.mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:utg35u09ict0fbpmd...@4ax.com...
Neil Clark
I've found that when turning oak and walnut that black
tanic acid on your hands comes right off with lemon juice!
Neil Clark
Lyn J. Mangiameli
The lemon juice almost seems miraculous when you've tried scrubbing and soaking,
then just a little lemon juice, all gone.
Lyn
Peter Teubel
<amat...@optonline.net> wrote:
>Just to cover all bases, Pete, what did you have for lunch? Maybe it ain't
>the wood.
Funny guy! That day was a LUNCHLESS day, for the record. However,
after I cleaned and scrubbed my shop, my wife made me my favorite
dinner...chili-cheese dogs & beans.
So much for the fresh air in the shop...
Peter Teubel
wrote:
>Several years ago I had the opportunity to assist a friend in the felling of an
>old oak tree. It was quite large, approx 4' dia at the base. He had a gut he
>knew who was a logger come over and do the actual drop, but I helped in limbing
>and sectioning the large branches, some over 18" in dia.
>
>As soon as he started cutting into the trunk to make the directional cut we
>noticed a VERY STRONG ODOR!!!!!! It smelled just like cow excrement. turned
>out that this had been a pasture for over fifty years. and being the only tree
>in the pasture all the cows came there to get into the shade when it was hot.
>The farmer put the watering trough and feed trough close by as well.
>
>Gee I wonder why that tree smelled like cow crap?
>
>Environment has a lot to do with the end result.
>
>We did get some fabulous boards out of it though. I talked him into quarter
>sawing the main trunk.
>
>Got some 12' lumber that smelled bad but looked great.
Well, the lumber can dry out and get rid of the odor. But I'm not
turning anymore green bowls from that bunch of logs. No way. I'll
seal the ends, throw them behind my garage, and try turning them next
year.
Owen Lowe
<kbul...@nb.aibn.com> wrote:
> I have found that Red Oak often smells like horse piss. Not all the time
> but
> occassionally.
>
> As for the staining. I find that if I let the wet wood touch feris metal,
> it
> will rust the wood. I think this has something to do with the tantic acid
> in
> the wood sap. If I keep the wood off anything steel it will not rust.
>
> I always finish with tung oil as soon as I have finished sanding the
> green
> turning, that way I don't get any rusting.
Ever heard of staining in magnolia? I've been playing with a few chunks
recently from a neighbor's tree trimming and the bases of the turnings
take on a very blackened/dark gray staining that seems to wick up the
wood for an inch or two. Only happens on the chucked end... tho my
fingers will leave blackened marks if I'm not careful - maybe some metal
dust from sharpening?
_____
Member in good standing since Jan. 3, 2002
AAW Chapter:
Northwest Woodturners, Portland, Oregon
_____
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx
Darrell Feltmate
Welcome to wet red oak. It stinks but it is a great wood to work.
Thoughts:
1) the tannins rust tools like lathe beds. Wipe down with WD-40 or
similar after use.
2) it colors clothes/hands. Wear a smock or similar and wash hands with
vinegar or lemon juice.
3) the tannins color with ammonia. Put in an enclosed area such as a
garbage bag over a tent structure (cobble it together) one half cup of
household ammonia and a turned piece. inspect at regular intervals
until it colors the way you like.
4) part of the smell depends on the moisture content. The dried pieces
will be fine. If you let the log dry some before continuing turning,
part of the smell goes. It spalts beautifully.
5) when in doubt, lots of other turners will take it or trade for it.
Nice wood.
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS, Canada
Peter Teubel
<darrell...@tru.eastlink.ca> wrote:
>4) part of the smell depends on the moisture content. The dried pieces
>will be fine. If you let the log dry some before continuing turning,
>part of the smell goes. It spalts beautifully.
I've turned some logs that were cut and just sitting outside in the
woodpile..rotting for a few years. I had to cut the rot off the
outside, but the core was fine. Didn't smell bad at all.
Steve Houston
bacteria, and is more common in water oak around here.
Leif O. Thorvaldson
smell. *G*
Leif
"Peter Teubel" <pte...@spamNOT.mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:utg35u09ict0fbpmd...@4ax.com...
Arch
have had more soap ads than rcw rules allow. Even more than "As the
world TURNS" or "The young and the agressive" :-) Arch
Fortiter,
Leif O. Thorvaldson
WORD. Salvation for your bowls and vases is at hand and yet you castigate
me! Repent you boilers, sealers and m-wavers. Brothas and sistas reject
those prophets of false ways that lead on to cracks and warps and other
unseemly behavior of turned products. The Great Turner is watching you! *G*
Leif
"Arch" <al...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:11347-3C...@storefull-134.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
Kevin & Theresa Miller
So what shall we do Arch, rewrite the charter? Maybe we need to contact the
Securities and Exchange Commission to see if he doesn't own a bunch of stock
in the dishwashing companies - could be a cleverly "pump and dump" scheme.
About the time we all go buy a bunch of suds, the stock price goes up and he
dumps at the top, leaving the rest of us up to our tailstocks in bubbles!
Pretty heinous if you ask me...
...Kevin
--
Kevin & Theresa Miller
Juneau, Alaska
http://www.alaska.net/~atftb
James Hendrix
and it smells like cow poop while I'm turning it. However,
when I am finished, you can not smell it.
The wood I am using was grown inside the city and away from
any farm animals - guess it's the oak!
James Hendrix
Peter Teubel <pte...@spamNOT.mediaone.net> wrote in message news:<utg35u09ict0fbpmd...@4ax.com>...
Jim M
where that was coming from.... and god only knows what they ate.....