Several days ago there was a storm at the farm that my brother and I share, a large decaying white oak tree came down during the high winds, about half the tree was in the soybean field so we decided today was the day to cut it up. started with a small limbing saw to cut up smaller limbs. After cutting up the decayed limbs, started on the seasoned but not rotten limbs. Wow, this stuff was hard. Chain didnt last long on this. Then picked up an 026 Stihl with 18" bar and cut all limbs down to the logs. By this time this chain was shot too. Next saw was an Stihl 362 with 20" bar. while cutting up logs in lengths I could handle the logs were smoking from the sparks coming off the chain. We had to pour water on the log cuts to stop the smoldering . My brother tried to cut out the smoldering wood with a razor sharp hatchet and it just bounced off. Verified this was due to sparks coming from chain as i saw them visually during cut. Chain super sharp when started . Been around chainsaws for probably 50-55 years and never have I encountered wood so hard it would try to start burning just from a chainsaw making a cut. Any of you guys ever encountered this before?
Cutting up white oak tree
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Ken
Veteran Member
When a teenager would use a wood crosscut saw to cut large oak trees to make whiskey barrows. My older brother was on one side I on the other and quickly cur the trees. to 36 inches then split to quarter round the tree and load onto a truck. one tree usually one load. at the same time, Dad had a sawmill so other types of trees were cut into ties for railroad or lumber. we use kerosine to keep the saw from sticking in cuts, and the slabs from trees were cut into firewood size and stacked in the shed for winter use. One winter someone stole the slab wood overlooking dried white oak stacked and split. Hope they stayed warm with the bark wood we enjoyed the clean-burning oak wood. ken
ponytug
Super Member
Short answer: yes white oak can be that hard, especially if it is dry. Par for the course.
All the best, Peter
All the best, Peter
4570Man
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If the chain itself is getting hot enough to start fires the chain is definitely dull. But I’ve had the saw muffler catch logs on fire especially dead ones where the outside is crumbling. And by fires I really mean smoldering.
/pine
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It's better than treated lumber for many applications...
There are cemeteries around here that have below grade crypts made from white oak that are well over 100 years old and there is no sign of rot or decay...!
There are cemeteries around here that have below grade crypts made from white oak that are well over 100 years old and there is no sign of rot or decay...!
Larry Caldwell
Super Member
White oak has to be cut and split while it is green. Let it dry and it becomes very hard to deal with.
You might file down the rakers on your chain so it takes a deeper cut, but watch out for kickbacks.
You might file down the rakers on your chain so it takes a deeper cut, but watch out for kickbacks.
oosik
Epic Contributor
The only type trees around here - Ponderosa pine. The bark on the ancient pines is loaded with volcanic ash - Mt St Helens, 1980. This will cause the chain to "sparkle" and become dull very quickly.
The answer - debark the tree prior to making the cut. I know - it's a PITA - but not so much as frequent resharpening of the chain.
The answer - debark the tree prior to making the cut. I know - it's a PITA - but not so much as frequent resharpening of the chain.
thclimer
Veteran Member
White oak is used for wood working and its dried for that purpose. Most of the wood working saws use a carbide cutter so maybe a carbide chain for your saw would work better. They are more expensive but if they last longer it might be worth the price difference?
oosik
Epic Contributor
STIHL does make a carbide toothed chain for their chain saws. It's designed to be used by emergency/rescue folks. I checked last year - the chain was about 50% more in price. The major down side - special sharpening equipment and longer times to sharpen.
Local Stihl dealer says - fire/rescue folks keep several carbide chains - don't fiddle with sharpening - bring dull chains to him for sharpening.
Local Stihl dealer says - fire/rescue folks keep several carbide chains - don't fiddle with sharpening - bring dull chains to him for sharpening.
Oaktree
Super Member
I wonder if there are different varieties of "white oak". I had some at my former property, don't recall it being any more difficult to cut than any other hardwood. Then again, I did generally cut and split it green.
WVH1977
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I would also make sure the oil is coming out onto the bar. Sometimes the little oil hole can get plugged up. Usually when I see smoke and heat like that, the oil is not lubing the bar correctly. When I cut somewhat dry white oak, I usually pull the chainsaw apart several times and clean it. I also pull the bar off and clean it as well. It gets gunked up real good when cutting hard wood. The worst/hardest wood I have dealt with is black locust. That will mess the chain up in a heart beat.
LS Tractor Owner
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White oak is hard! A few years ago, I installed some unfinished white oak flooring (of course it was kiln dried).... talk about being hard! It was only about 600 sq ft. I dulled two 80 tooth carbide saw blades. Then when sanding with one of those big sanders, went through a multiple sanding pads.
I have dropped tools on this floor and not a mark is left.... it's HARD!
I have dropped tools on this floor and not a mark is left.... it's HARD!
When I was growing up I would help my dad cut firewood and sometimes we would drop a standing white oak. Even green this firewood was a lot more difficult to split than the other species we would cut. This tree yesterday was just beyond belief how hard it was. Very old tree I am sure, maybe 100 years. Trunk measures around 48" or more. Had to leave last few cuts. Left my 24" bar and chain at house so going to let it set for a while and see if it will decay some.
ROUSTABOUT
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I'm thinking the only harder available wood is south America mahogany. White oak is an available wood. Black locust is not. We cut a lot of wood.
ROUSTABOUT
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I cut a 7' one few months ago. About 10' up it turned into a V and broke in a storm. One side fell right in line with the fence, had cows. Cut it up in big chunks and moved with a backhoe with forks. Other side fell on a sawmill junk pile. The sawmill was 100 yards or so away.
CobyRupert
Super Member
I’m confused too. If your cutting and it’s heating to the point that the wood starts burning and needs water poured on it, I think something definitely went wrong.
I’d be worried that the saw’s chain would lose its temper if it’s been heated to that point.
I wonder what the sawdust looked liked. Powder or shavings?
I once had a huge oak fall over. It was so big I went and bought a 28” bar for my 57cc saw. I was worried that the oiling capacity on that little saw wouldn’t keep up on a big bar when bucking up the huge trunk. I’d stop time to time to feel the bar temperature, it did fine.
Sawdust looked like always. Chain sharpened this week and no cuts since sharpened. Oiler on saw cranked all the way up. Cut four logs and two of them were smoking at saw cut. As far as temper on chain. dunno. Sharpened it late yesterday and filed ok, did a trial cut and seemed fine. Not sure trying to cut concrete instead of this tree would have been much different.
Wow. no way I could handle a tree that size. my loader only rated about 1200 pounds. Felt rear tire bouncing on rough ground moving logs around. That was with filled tires and 220 ponds of suitcase weights on 3pt. hitch. had to cut logs about 6-7 as they got larger diameter. probably the other logs will have to be 4-5 foot as diameter increases
skipmarcy
Veteran Member
I have no facts to back me up but I think that the oaks are notorius for drawing minerals from the ground and having it throughout the wood. I have heard a few loggers and sawyers around here mention trees that had a lot of mineral in them and the sawmills sometimes won't even take them. I have experienced some veins of mineral in some of the oak I have had sawn from my property here in years past. Some of it you can clearly see in the wood as striations of different colors, especially in white oak but have seen it in my red oak and post oaks too.
Egon
Epic Contributor
There will be technical data backing up your thoughts.
