Shopsmith Forums

Had a quickie little thunderstorm yesterday. My wife said that the rain looked like it didn't know which to fall. She said that it went left and then right then straight at the window. This is the result just down the street.

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Note the table in the tree! No one knows who owns the table.
The weather folks suspect a small rope tornado.
Bill V

glad you're ok Bill. I grew up in Tampa and only remember one tornado in that time. Hurricanes, yes, tornados, no.

Forrest

We've been getting our fair share of rain as well. The grass isn't dry enough to mow yet. To make matters worse, the back axle (screw?) sheared off when the rear wheel was tightened due to wobbling. The rain has been enough to make me wonder if rice might be something to grow. At least the rain has allowed me time to work in the shop.
BPR

Glad you fared better than that tree.

Table noted; but what're the two (?) frames sitting in front of the tree — windows? Doors? ... How and/or why are they there?

They are decorative panels that were ripped off the house next door and were found in the street.
Bill V

Glad no one was hurt.

Never ring a tree it prevents surface roots that hold the tree during storms from growing. That concrete ring kept the roots in a root ball which you can see pulled out of the ground.

If you have to replace the tree plant a Shag bark elm instead of the Oak. It will grow slower but I have never seen one blown down.

Look on the bright side now you have some wood to work with.

Ed,
I don't do oak!! Bad turning wood. Good burning wood!!
Bill V

The Live Oaks and Water Oaks that grow in the northern portions of Florida are not much for woodworking unless you are building ships. When you cut the wood, it splits, warps, twists and contorts. And, the root systems are very shallow. You can have a tree that is huge, 200+ years old and the root system won't be 24" deep. When hurricanes come, they topple easily with the roots stuck up just like this. A pine tree will snap and twist off, but mostly that stump will stay put, unless the ground is saturated from hurricane rain. Black, red and white oak is what you wish to use for woodworking. These huge southern oaks are not much good for woodworking are easily toppled.