I'm a chainsaw carver/sculptor by trade and also produce my own beams/joists/door surrounds/posts and huge fire surrounds. The whole idea of using green oak is that you want it to move, shake, split or do whatever it wants to do! Yes in a structural situation it's important that you visually 'stress grade' , or read the timber, for example avoiding old wounds or dead knots that could affect the structural integrity of the timber. I cut all my timber by chainsaw and shape it all by hand, I now supply artisans both here and back in the UK (but I do very much limit the work I do!). Obviously you wouldn't use green Oak where you would require stability, floorboards or doors for instance. The most important aspect of working with green timber is simply to go with the flow and try not to control mother nature too much, 'cos she always wins in the end! As for Sweet Chestnut....use it and enjoy it! It is a lovely timber, either green or seasoned, very durable and reasonably resistant to fungal and bacterial pathogens. My website is www.chrishead.net if you want to peep? There's not much reference to what I'm talking about but we've decided to build more pages to include what I've talked about above. Please feel free to contact me. I'm happy to talk to anyone who cares about the aesthetics of their exposed timbers and I'm willing to help folk who wish to make their own timbers. Oh and guys and gals, don't sweat the small stuff.....and it's allllll small stuff!!! Regards to all, Chris
