oak score

[mcp9]

my neighbor had his oak tree cut down yesterday. i mentioned to him to throw me some over the fence if he remembered. had a huge stack waiting for me when i got back from work. i figure i will be able to use it about the beginning of the year. just so i know, the bark is ok to smoke right?

 

[flash]

Well, it really depends on the oak in question. Lots of oaks out there. The deeply furrowed bark, I would want to peel off. This oak can get bacteria, lichens, bugs, all types of stuff in the crevices of the bark. Other oaks with smooth bark, I would not worry about.

 

[mcp9]

i have run into a small problem. i moved the wood inside my garage and i noticed a lot of black ants all over the wood. i did not notice any on the ground or around the wood. suggestions?

 

[bbrock]

Nice score on the wood...I have lucked up and ran into a deal with apple wood like that..

 

[billbo]

Those would most likely be carpenter ants. Don't move it into the garage or you risk infesting your house! Stack the wood outside and remove the bark if you can. The ants are most likely in the bark layer. If they are throughout the wood itself you may not have such a great score as you thought. Look for little holes in ther bark and wood.

 

[rickw]

Not good. Those ants can ruin your garage given time. They are some destructive little buggers.

Look at some of the pieces and see if there are any holes in the middle of the wood. I had a maple tree that the darn things burled a freakin hole straight through the middle of the branch. They are also hard to get rid of once they get a home.