Oak Crackling...

I have these oak logs sitting in my garage...been there about 2-3 months? I recently noticed that they constantly have a faint crackling sound coming from them...kinda sounds like dripping water from a few feet away but more "crackling" when up close...very strange. Anyway, I was curious if anybody knows what this is and if its normal...I thought maybe bugs but I don't really understand how bugs could make that noise...thanks for any input!!

not bugs....just drying.. i had a pile of oak lumber i was going to burn and it sounded like an army of rats scratching.....its the bark pulling away as the wood shrinks and expands. painting the ends with latex slows the drying down some.....or maybe its the wood spirits clawing there way out? that sounds more exciting.....kinda

haha! I like the idea of the wood spirits better :)

I put a coat of poly on all the ends so hopefully its delaying the process and preventing the cracking a bit.

Thank for the reply!

Nix,

Florida bugs love oaks. We had a 70 footer in our front yard until last year. I noticed the same sounds coming from the wood. It was beetles. Their larvae have serious appetites. Some pyrethrins will sort that out.

Sealing the logs only provides more privacy

Mc

McTiki! Hey thanks for the input...Hows the island treatin ya?

Hot as Haites! I got some stuff in the works though. It just takes alot more motivation to go out and work with sweat in your eyes. Took me 2 days to skin the latest log.

What are you using to carve the Oak?

Mahalo

McTiki

I think the "crackling" could be the wood curing, however, if it is more of a "ticking" or "scratching" sound then that is beetle larvae in the wood. If the wood was cut fresh and stored in your garage soon, then it probably isn't beetles. There are "live tree" beetles but any you might be hearing would most likely be "dead wood" beetles.

A treatment of Timbor can protect the logs from further infestation, and possibly kill any larvae if you can get the Timbor to soak deep into the log.

[ Edited by: TheBigT 2011-09-07 09:53 ]

[ Edited by: TheBigT 2011-09-07 09:56 ]

It certainly has been HOT! I cut my carving short yesterday for the same reason...think im gona invest in a shade tent...lol.

I haven't carved any of the oak yet...just letting it dry a little first. Not sure what to use or how to go about it but that's all part of the fun. Ill just dive in and figure it out as I go :)

Just dive in! Experience is the best teacher.