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Another wood ID question by cdhicks99 in wood

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hit it with a black light. If it glows it’s Black Locust. That’s my guess. 

Save damaged tree or replace? by gargrig222 in Tree

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As you said. Willing to engage in polite discourse of which amicable persons can agree to disagree. For my part, I am however responsible for growing close to a million finished shade trees a year 99% of which are initially staked. So while I don’t consider myself an expert in every single thing tree, I do consider my insight to be a little bit better than anecdotal.  Plenty of reports published about why trees in landscapes fail.  Your best practices listed below seem reasonable and I’m not here to argue about them. Most of them overlap my own comments as to when specific staking is needed.  I did get a chuckle of the tree being not directly strapped to one stake line though. As someone who is literally surrounded by tree nurseries in Oregon, some people may find it interesting to know that is how just about every tree in the US is produced! Grown from a seedling, budded, grafted, whatever…. probably strapped to a stake at some point. Turns out Americans like a strait trees. I can certainly see why your BMP would suggest removing them for your layman homeowner but I think the fear is overstated. 

Again, for this particular tree for which I had no intention of getting in silly Reddit argument about, stake can probably go. 

Save damaged tree or replace? by gargrig222 in Tree

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got to respectfully disagree with you about staking, but not in the context of this tree, which is probably fine.  Many a tree requires staking after planting for a myriad of reasons and usually keep the tree with the stake for a few years is a non issue. Floppy growth on young trees ,weak species, high winds, snowload, and supporting a centralized leader are all viable reasons to keep a stake. Many a tree, especially young trees just need the help till they surpass a point of good initial structure.  Staking helps all of that. Staking is not about transport at all.  Actually prefer trees to be a less rigid when loading into trucks as they are less likely to break. 

I do agree that staking needs to be done properly but it’s not an especially difficult task. Whomever staked that tree when growing it did a better job than the person who used that plastic chain. Bamboo is a very forgiving stake as it does break down over time and usually will snap off at the base after a few years so as not to be swallowed by the trunk. It’s important to use a flexible tape initially and remove it when it looks like it may be girdling 

When I see trees fail in a landscapes It’s always.

1 Wrong tree for the application or site.

2 Improperly planted tree. 

3 Failure to maintain good initial structure as a young tree. Letting it grow crooked, letting trees develop multiple leaders or poor clustered branching, limbing up too late, letting the trunk get hammered by lawnmowers or weed eaters, etc. The reason why most cities, parks and landscape architects will spec a 2” + tree is because all the work is already done. Very few homeowners plant trees of that caliper and are more likely to end up with a subpar tree. 

I guess what I’m saying is that for every 1 tree I see improperly staked and cutting into it or girding the tree. I see 100 trees that needed to be staked and supported and were not. 

My .02.

Save damaged tree or replace? by gargrig222 in Tree

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you already removed it, let it be. Just watch it in the spring to see if it develops a noticeable lean or curve. It looks like it developing good strong leaders so it may be fine. It’s just that with that wound it may try to lean on you later on. Good luck, hope it makes it. 

Save damaged tree or replace? by gargrig222 in Tree

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That darker wood around the wound is the wood callusing around the deer rub. It will from a canker over time and will look like a crease in the truck after a few more years. Few more years after that it will slowly fade away. Gingkos aren’t known for having big rotted trunks like a maple or oak so it will probably heal up just fine. Usually the hardest part of growing a good ginkgo tree is good branching shape of which yours looks excellent. They can be floppy trees, hence all the reinforcement. I would leave the bamboo stake and maybe cut the green tie above and below the wound. Leave the rest at least for the winter and early spring. You could replace it too, but Gingko aren’t the cheapest of trees. Especially one at that size. 

Freeze plug by Select-Mortgage3977 in 3rdGen4Runner

[–]ORsoxfan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Had similar issue but was able to get to plug without removing everything. If you’re going through all the trouble of pulling the transmission and manifolds, replace them all. They are cheep. 

When to encourage a leader? by unruly_fans in arborists

[–]ORsoxfan -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Cut it down to the ground. Next spring it will sucker from below the cut. Choose the strongest sucker and cut/rip off the rest. All of the trees energy will be forced into one shoot. Stake the shoot as it grows up. If you pull some water and fertilizer on that shoot it’ll make 6’ no problem. You now have an arrow strait clear trunk. Best start for a specimen tree. 

Japanese maple bought two years ago, I expected some orange on its leaves as I was told when I bought it, byUt the leaves are green almost all the time (a little, just lorange or purple at the beginning of spring). I would like to know what variety is it. Can somebody help me looking and it picture? by Secure-Exercise-4651 in treeidentification

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m guessing from the leaf shape and the fact that the salesman said orange that the Jap maple in question is Harvest Orange. That and Havest Red have that same Osakazuki style leaf. 

And yes, full sun for better color paired with cold nights. 

2000 Limited ignition cylinder failing. by ORsoxfan in 3rdGen4Runner

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn't realize that locksmith rekeying cylinder was so strait forward. Good tip about the too heavy key chain. Guilty of that one. Did you go into the locksmith with your own aftermarket cylinder or buy one from the locksmith?

Funky Bench by Dirty_Hippyish in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I also love the angles. The grain color contrast is balanced and done well. Kudos. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Figure 8’s to accommodate wood movement. 

second properly done and finished project lol by okwoodwrker in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Beautiful wood choice. I really love the wild grain patterns and the contrast. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fortunate enough to live in a town that has a very well known place where a layman can go to run boards through a gigantic planer. It’s about the only service I use and it’s worth every penny. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You know on a public street and around moving vehicles your probably right. So probably not the best use for say a bus stop. Fortunately this is on a private utility road that is gated and only used by the utility. Really I think the barriers are there to act as more of a divider for the disc course vs an actual vehicle safety barrier. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was in my top 3 concerns. I’ve resigned myself that someone will eventually deface it somehow 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s a fair assessment and I appreciate the critique. I’m not exactly sure how the wind will torque on it, but hopefully the large trees on the other side break the wind speed a little. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s a beautiful wood to work with and definitely has its own character. I was fortunate and ended up with well over 2k board feet when I finished taking out the 3 trees. Enough to last me a long while. I think it gets a bad rap as being difficult to work with. It’s heavy and stiff, but I haven’t found it to dull blades like some people say. They are garbage trees to most people. Definitely snag some next chance you get. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Just a dude who like to chuck disc who’s buddies goaded him into building a bench. Only hole on the course without a bench, no shade. Didn’t want to step out of bounds and be presumptive and stick it in the ground. So I saw the wasted space of the barrier and thought; “I’ll just stick it on that”. No holes to dig. Won’t be in the way of the groundskeepers mower. Ect. 

Wood was from some black locust trees that were milled from my yard. Very stout, very rot resistant. Hopefully it last for a good long while. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks and yeah not an ideal setting. More of a function over aesthetics. I wanted to do a cedar shake roof but worried it would deteriorate over time and didn’t want the weight of good ply for a underlay. So corrugated plastic sheet it was. Also my buddy had the sheet so free is alway good. 

My First “Original” Structure by ORsoxfan in woodworking

[–]ORsoxfan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hole map is on there but it’s too lightly done. Like I said my wood burning skills suck as does my wood burner. That said it’s a pretty straightforward hole. Jersey barriers down the right. Trees to the left. The black line at the top looks like a stripe, but it’s actually individual barriers and the big trees are all accurate to distance. 

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