Hey all! It's been a minute since I've posted a new thread. It's been a busy summer and the scrounging life continues. I was on my way home on Monday afternoon, and about six houses down the street from me there was a tree service taking down an oak. I drove up and asked if I could take some of the sticks if the homeowner didn't want them. They were happy to load up my truck with their machine and I was more than happy to take it! Yesterday evening I got around to bucking and splitting. I assumed this was red oak, as my neighborhood seems to be nothing BUT red oak. As soon as I got the maul through the first round it stunk to high heaven. It still has the telltale pungent red oak smell, but with an overwhelming musky manure-like odor along with it. This was a live, healthy tree as far as I can tell. I've just never experienced this kind of aroma coming from a tree before. Maybe not red oak? I dunno... my tree ID skills are lacking, and though my phone app suggested red oak I am taking that with a grain of salt. Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. Otherwise the stacks continue to grow. I have more ash and maple to split, and by October I'll be moving a couple of cords into the woodshed to burn, baby burn! The saws are running like champs, the axes are sharp, and the beer is cold. Scrounge on my friends.
Thats pin oak...variety of red oak. Typical red brown heartwood. Darkest of the red oaks IME. I does wreak like manure. Ive processed some good sized ones.
I've never had the opportunity to process pin oak but I've heard the hype. I've only ever had one bad experience with stinky red, it was a partially rotten/decayed trunk. I've been through a lot of it and I like the smell.
Pin oak is okay and yes, it is in the red oak family. A bit stronger in odor but as it dries you won't notice it as much and it will burn like normal red oak. It's good stuff.
Yup pin oak...good firewood! I personally don't think oak stinks...but I did cut a hickory one time that smelled like an old whiskey barrel!
