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Three Trees With One Blow

Started by WDH, June 10, 2007, 07:40:56 PM

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WDH

We had a lightning strike during a thunderstorm last week.  Found the evidence yesterday.  The lightning bolt nailed three trees, 2 white oaks and a pignut hickory.  The smallest white oak had all the bark blown off.  From the pic, you can see the two small white oaks on the left and the hickory on the right.  The middle tree, the smallest white oak, looks like the bark was skinned off.  The hickory is about 20" in diameter.



I don't care too much about the young white oaks, but the hickory is a fine tree.

I don't give the hickory much hope, but before I gave up on it, I thought I would ask about any similar experiences that y'all might have had.  Have you had any live that were struck like this?
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Radar67

Danny, I sure hope my woods look that good one day. :) As for the tree, I would think you should cut it down and make some lumber. I've not seen too many trees fair well after a strike. If it does survive, it is sure to have some serious damage inside.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Don K

Danny, What kind of treatment have you used to get those open woods. I know hardwoods don't do too well with fire.   Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

WDH

Stew and Don,

My home is located on a 10 acre upland hardwood site with seven species of oak, two species of hickory, ash, cherry, redbud, rusty blackhaw, persimmon, black gum, sweetgum, maple, hawthorne, etc.  Over the years (many  ;D), I have sprayed Garlon 4 to control the understory.  It has worked very well.  I have not had to spray for 7 or 8 years since the overstory has provided enough shade to keep the undergrowth down.  A case of a good bit of up-front investment that has paid out.  In the fall with the change in color, it is very picturesque.

I too fear that the hickory is a goner.  Rarely have I seen a lightning struck tree survive.  The first 20' is clear, and it is 30' to the first limb.  It will saw some fine hickory lumber, and the top will make great firewood.  Guess what my fall project will be ???.  I will most likely saw it 8/4 so I have some thick stock.  I would rather that it survive, but I am not too optimistic.

Since last year and his spring, I have lost 8 or 10 nice oaks to the drought.  Maybe more.  Most are not very good grade, but a couple are, so the little LT 15 will get a chance to shine :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

SwampDonkey

Here is your chance to make some hickory furniture instead of only looking at standing trees.  ;D 8)

Like the logger always said, 'I can't just cut the junk all the time'.  ;)  :D


cheers
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

SD,

I guess that with every problem comes an opportunity :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

metalspinner

How does lightening struck wood handle?  Is the log split fro the strike?  Does the wood stay together once sawn and dryed?0
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

WDH

Not really sure.  I think that the wood is OK.  I suspect that the lightning fries the cambium and kills the tree.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

tonich

Quote from: SwampDonkey on June 11, 2007, 06:18:34 AM
Like the logger always said, 'I can't just cut the junk all the time'.  ;)  :D

Hm,
That sound rather familiar to me – seems like all the loggers have studied in one and the same school.   ::) :D :D


Dan,
you’re surely a good woodlot owner – this is what the picture tells me, and not only this one… :)
But, are you sure the tree will die? And is worth dealing with logging/transport/sowing for a single tree?
This, will somehow make sense, if you do all this by yourself and if the sawmill is not remoted…

I have seen many spruce trees, nailed by a lighting bolt and almost all of them are in relatively good conditions, while only a few are gone dead. I’m sure this will be a very nice hickory furniture, though. Just make sure, keeping us updated!  8)

Dodgy Loner

I've seen a hickory survive a strike like that, but the wood where the bark was blown off had rotted pretty badly.  If you want any lumber out of that tree, it'd probably be best to go ahead and put the sawmill to work.  After all, I know how much you love sawing up hickory! ;D
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

Dodgy Loner

Quote from: tonich on June 11, 2007, 12:58:03 PM
Dan,
you're surely a good woodlot owner – this is what the picture tells me, and not only this one... :)
But, are you sure the tree will die? And is worth dealing with logging/transport/sowing for a single tree?
This, will somehow make sense, if you do all this by yourself and if the sawmill is not remoted...

That tree is only a short tractor drive away from his sawmill, so transportation shouldn't be an issue.  When you own your own mill, a single tree like that one is always worth it! 8)
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

WDH

Hickory lumber is OK if you don't have to plane it ::) :-\.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

So how long before you get a 4' drum sander and one of those fancy jointers with the spirally-arranged carbide blades?  That ought to make life a little easier. ;D
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

WDH

Been studying on that spirally arranged carbide jointer :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Radar67

Danny, what was the process for spraying the Garlon? Did you just walk through the woods and spray what you wanted to kill, or was there another method used?

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

WDH

Exactly, Stew.  I used a 3 gallon pump-up sprayer and meandered around and sprayed anything that was weedy, viney, or unwanted.  That includes the green brier, the grapevine, trumpet creeper and stuff up to waist high.  Green brier and grapevine especially contribute to the woods being unsightly and overgrown.  I mixed at a 3% solution in water.  Also added round-up in many of the tank mixes to get any grass and other weeds that I did not want.  As long as you don't soak the base of a desirable tree, there is no effect on the overstory.  I don't believe either round-up or garlon are soil active.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

Quote from: WDH on June 11, 2007, 05:09:50 PM
Been studying on that spirally arranged carbide jointer :D.

Me too. :P  Just wait 'til my income exceeds $1000 a month. :-[ ;)
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

SwampDonkey

 yikes_smiley yikes_smiley yikes_smiley AHHHHHHH!!

WDH is gonna kill my beaked hazel, striped maple, blackberry, raspberry, and bush honeysuckle.

yikes_smiley yikes_smiley yikes_smiley

whiteflag_smiley


Ok! I'm fine now.  ;D :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

Now now Swamp Donkey!  I never mentioned those fine species.  I was at Tcsmpsi's place and we were talking about controlling privet.  While walking near some of his yaupon holly, I mentioned that I was pulling the privet up by the roots with a tractor and chain.  Later, he said his little yaupons had been traumitized by my insensitive comments :D.

Whatever you do, don't tell the beaked hazel, striped maple, blackberry, raspberry, and bush honeysuckle about me walking around with a pump-up sprayer.  That is like the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" to a little tree or shrub :D :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

I'm pretty sure WDH's woodlot never contained 4 of those 5 species...but I do take issue with his disdain for trumpet creeper :o :D.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

WDH

Dodgy Loner, Campsis radicans just loves to climb up my pine trees.  The problem is that the mills hate vine covered trees.  They wrap around the tail sprockets of the bark chain in the woodyard (pulpmill).  In my days as a procurement manager for a pulpmill, there were some dire threats from the woodyard about vines, mainly trumpet creeper ;D.

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

Uh-oh.  Looks like we're in trouble when we sell our timber.  Campsis radicans, Toxicodendron vernix, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Vitis rotundifolia run rampant in our woods. :o
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

SwampDonkey

You fellers from the south are sure a tender bunch.  Ya's don't want any snow, now ya don't want no bushes either. ;D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

SD,

Vines ain't bushes :D. 

DL,

Campsis is far and away the worst offender.  It can completely cover a tree up, like Wisteria frutescens :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

You obviously haven't seen the Toxicodendron on our property.  Not only does it provide a lush groundcover throughout most of the forest, it completely surrounds a good percentage of our trees on all sides.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

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