Strange looking WO

[WH_Conley]

I have one white oak that I have not seen another like it. Got bumps and limbs. No, honest I have not been drinking.
The tree seems to be in good health, approximately 3 ft diameter, but it has swells on from top to bottom, no limbs but the swells has small limbs, about the size we were familiar with as children when we got caught at something. Strange looking. It is out in the middle of a woodlot, not exposed to any more sun than the other trees around it. One question before I grab the chainsaw, could this indicate any kind of special figuring or would it be some fluke bacteria or disease. I have lived on this place 8 years, the tree seems to do fine every year. Can't send picture, haven't figured the camera yet

[Ron Wenrich]

It sounds like catfaces to me.  There can be a lot of catfaces under the bark of white oak.  Sometimes they send out shoots, but usually there is some sort of sunlight involved or there is major stress.  It could be drought, or the tree is just getting ready to cash it in.  

All those catfaces are considered as defect for graded lumber.  They should be tight, and would yield interesting paneling.

There is an outside chance that its curly, but I wouldn't bank on it, especially with your description.

[Jeff]

A picture would be very telling and very interesting.

[WH_Conley]

Jeff, I'll try the picture thing tommrrow, might have to get you to give me alttle help.

[Jeff]

can-do.

[WH_Conley]

With all this rain looks like spring before I can get back over to it, creek up about 8 feet this morning. Guess I should have waited and got pics before starting this thread. Sorry for the trouble guys, Thanks.

[Ron Wenrich]

Well, you can either use a telephoto lens or wait until the river freezes.  

We'll be here when you get it taken.

[CHARLIE]

Don't forget the woodturning market. Well figured wood is sought after by woodturners because it makes beautiful bowls, vessels, etc.  If the wood is well figured, you could cut it up into bowl blanks and sell individually. You can even take small chunks of figured wood and cut to size for pen blanks, bottlestopper blanks, etc.  Just be sure to seal the wood well so it doesn't crack.

[Ironwood]

W-H Conley, In my experience the oaks tend not to burl with quality. It is typically a shallow dish type graining that tends to flake out in thin structurally unsound way, having said that I did have one salvagable burl but it took gallons of epoxy to stabilize the dormant bud pockets. So don't get your hopes up as to what may lie with in. Reid