Red Oak Died in the yard and had it taken down. It was dropping limbs on the driveway and overhanging it. Had the arborist lay the trunk down and save two 9 ft sections. I spent the last couple Saturdays clearing all the small stuff and prepping to slab these out (haul off was expensive, so I opted to do that portion myself).

Anyway, spent the better part of the day yesterday slabbing one of the logs out into 1 1/2" thick slabs, each between 20-28" wide. All good wood except for the very middle piece that had a pretty distinct seam running down the middle of it.

I've got one more piece of the red oak to go and then two smaller trunk sections of hickory (also overhanging the house) to do that are about 16" in diameter. I wanted to get it all done this weekend but man, for how sore and tired I am I just don't know about all that.

Plan is to make some boards to panel up my dad's barn and maybe make a bench or table or two when all is said and done.

If y'all have any suggestions on anything else that would be a neat project feel free to suggest.

Those slabs look good. Make sure it gets stacked correctly so that it doesn’t warp during drying. I’m sure there are folks on here that can give the right advice.

As said above stack it with weight on top. Blocks,tractor weight, metal. This will prevent warping. I have 1/2 inch x 1 inch strips between this walnut and off the ground. The wood will need to dry several months before using. Using as siding I think it can be nailed up green but still will shrink and warp some. Don’t let metal touch it the acid in the wood will gets stained from the metal it will not come out. You may of seen barns where around the nails are dark. You can also ratchet trap around them together with wood spacing them apart.

Project could be cutting boards with the live edge. Charcuterie boards Lazy Susan’s Benches

That seam down the middle of a slab is a dream piece for some folk. They clean it up and fill with colored epoxy resin to make some outstanding tables. Most don't want oak though. The grain normally isn't as good as other woods for a really outstanding product.

Example

What did you use to slab it?

Turkey calls

I bought an Alaskan mill a year or two ago and run an Stihl MS881 on it. I've got 15-20 other slabs at different places, mostly in my dad's barn stacked up with stickers like others have suggested. I have some oak and a good bit of poplar.

I've never slabbed Hickory though, that will be a new one. Usually that 881 will peel off strips and large chips, but this red oak and the hickory it looks more like normal sawdust, and that's with a brand new chain.

Nice work. Ive been cutting 9/4 slabs for counter tops and moving em around tough ! Got a purple finger to prove it..

Lot of work with great results