Pin Oak for Timber frame?

[exSW]

Well,would they work?I've got a few that are serious in size and grew in a dense lot so they really aren't "pinny". 

[beenthere]

When you want the design values for your pin oak, what species are you going to use?

[exSW]

I'm not talking pins I'm talking A variety of tree we call Pin Oak.Low value compared to White and Red Oak.

[Ianab]

I believe it's a type of Red Oak, and can be used as such. The low value is generally because of the poor form of the tree (lots of limbs and defects) which means you can't saw much high value clear wood from it. But for larger posts and beams a few small knots don't have any serious effect on the strength, and are only a cosmetic (non-)issue.

A "good quality" Pin oak is perfectly OK to use as you would any other species of Red Oak, it's just that good ones are not so common, hence it's reputation as low value. If you happen to have some better quality specimens they should be fine.

Ian

[mesquite buckeye]

I would guess  the strength would be close to black oak if you can't find pin oak in a strength table.

[exSW]

I just surfed around and did some research on this tree and I'm going to get a better id on it.I was told it was a PinOak by an Amish faller that wouldn't take it.Basically he stated that he'd spend all day felling,limbing,bucking and skidding it to get about 200 bucks.I didn't argue.This thing is an honest 3' dbh and scales 32' to the first branch.It has grown in a dense lot with a multitude of companion species of which it is the dominate.The trunk to branching shows no signs of major shed limbs.I've spent more than a little time around a mill(dad had one when I was a kid) and I know trees can fool you(both ways).It sure looks like it would saw up well.

[Ianab]

What you will probably find is that inside the log there are more small and grown over branches / knots, compared to the better oak species. So after sawing a few relatively clear boards you quickly get into knottier and lower value boards. This is why the logger / mill don't want to mess with it.

But for cutting large timbers this isn't such an issue, as long as the knots are small the beam still has 90% of it's strength and will be OK.

Ian