OAK - COMMERCIAL WOOD Botanists recognize some fifty species of oak in the United States, all but a few of which attain tree size, while many are among the largest and finest hardwoods. With such a wealth of species, it is impossible to get statistics upon the consumption of the separate kinds with any degree of accuracy. Moreover, most of the oak is marketed under the general names of "white oak" or "red oak," without further specific distinction.
Of the white oak group, the most important are the true white oak (Quercus. alba), bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), post oak (Quercus minor), cow oak (Quercus michauxii), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), overcup oak (Quercus lyrata), and Oregon oak (Quercus garryana). Of the red oak group, the most useful species are the true red oak (Quercus rubra), Texan oak (Quercus Texana), chinquapin oak (Quercus acuminata), yellow oak (Quercus velutina), scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), turkey oak (Quercus catesbaei), Spanish oak (Quercus digitata), pin oak (Quercus palustris), shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria), and willow oak (Quercus phellos). The white and red oak groups supply about equal amounts of lumber. Two other important species which belong to neither group are live oak (Quercus virginiana) and California tanbark oak (Quercus densiflora).
The wood of nearly all the oaks is heavy, hard, strong, and tough, with the characteristic figure which has always made oak a standard cabinet, furniture, finish, and flooring wood, in addition to its great usefulness for vehicles and in other places where strength is essential.
There is, of course, considerable variation in the strength, hardness, stiffness, weight, and other properties of the oaks, as is shown in the chapter upon the properties of wood. Among all the oaks, the live oak leads in strength, hardness, and toughness. In the days of wooden ships, it was especially in demand. The supply of live oak timber is much less than that of many other oaks ; and at present but little is manufactured into lumber.
Without regard to species, the factory uses of oak are summarized in Table 94.
Table 94 Factory Uses of Oak Purpose Per CentFurniture and Fixtures 32 Mill Work 25 Car Construction 15 Vehicles 11 Agricultural Implements 3 Boxes and Crates 3 Ship and Boat Building.. 2 Refrigerators and Kitchen Cabinets 2 Musical Instruments 1 Sewing Machines . 1 Other Uses 5 Total 100The many specific uses for white oak are illustrated by the following list of articles in which this wood is used in the factories of Illinois: Altars (church) Card tables Art lamps Cases (medicine) Axe handles Cases (railroad ticket) Backgrounds (display Casing windows) Caskets Bail racks (pool and billiard)* Chair frames Balusters Chairs Barber chairs Chairs (adjustable) Barber furniture Chairs (invalid) Bar fixtures Chairs (office) Bars (wooden harrows) Chairs, official (lodge room) Baseboards Chairs (rolling) Basket parts Chairs (stenographers) Beams (plow) Cheval mirrors Beds Chiffoniers Beds (cot) China closets Beds (folding) Church pews Billiard (tables) Cigar wheels (wheel-ofBinder parts chance) Boat parts (row) Clay gatherers (machine Bobsleds parts) Bolsters (heavy vehicles) Cleats (wagon boxes) Bookcases Coffins Book racks Colonnades Bottoms (baggage trucks) Columns (porch) Bottoms (delivery wagons) Consoles Braces (railway car frames) Cores (veneer doors) Brackets Corn binders Brake beams (heavy vehicles) Corn grinders Brush blocks Costumers Buffets (exterior) Couches (folding) Bumping posts (railroad) Counters (bar) Butter churn bodies Counters (store) Butter churn bottoms Cradles Cabinets (dental) Cue racks (pool and billiard) Cabinets (filing) Cultivator handles Desks (electric switchboards) Cabinets (music rolls) Desks (house) Cabinets (parlor) Desks (office) Cabinets (phonograph Disc drill parts records) Disc harrow parts Cabinets (toilet) Door frames (Ry. box cars)
Cabinets (towels) Doors Cabins (boats) Doubletrees (farm Capitals implements) Doubletrees (vehicle) Hatracks Drags (farm implements) Hay baler parts Dressers Hayrake parts Dressing tables Horse powers Drill parts (farm implements) Hounds Drum lagging (hoisting Hubs (heavy vehicle wheel) engine) Hulls (boats) Edge-tool handles Hydraulic jacks Electric cars (interior finish) Interior finish Elevator cages Keels (boats) Eveners (farm Implements) Keels (motor boats) Felloes Keyracks File cases Kitchen cabinets (exterior) Finish (boats) Kitchen cupboards Fixtures (bank) Kitchen safes Fixtures (barbershop) Ladders (gymnasium) Fixtures (display window) Launch parts Fixtures (laboratory) Lawn swings Fixtures (soda fountain) Leaves (table) Fixtures (store and office) Legs (piano) Flooring (hardwood) Library cases Folding beds Lodge furniture Folding screens Machine handles Frames (couches) Mandolin bodies Frames (davenports) Mantels Frames (dummy carts) Manure spreaders Frames (electric cars) Merry-go-round parts Frames (freight cars) Mirror cases Frames (light vehicle bodies) Mission furniture Frames (lounges) Molding (house trimming) Frames (motor boats) Molding (piano) Frames (upholstered Molding (stairwork) furniture) Mug caseS (barbershop) Frames (vessels) Music cabinets Frames (window) Necktie racks Furniture Newels Gear woods (light vehicle) Oil well machine frames Grilles Organ cases Guitar bodies Ornaments (furniture) Hall racks Outer cases (caskets) Hammer handles Panels (veneered) Handles Paper racks Hand rails (stairwork) Parallel bars Harrows Parlor cabinets (exterior) .