Fresh oak and maple staves...

[Cloudfeather]

Got it covered. Learned my lesson the hard way about not sealing up ends and backs with some black locust I cut before. I'll probably rough out one of the maple staves in the near future. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Thanks again.

[tanner]

I think they already answered, but definitely red oak. I have quite a few on my place. They should have really fat acorns that extend quite a ways down from the cap (little cap, big nut). The bark and pointed leaves though a dead ringer.

[Crogacht]

I find the bark orientation to be a bit hit and miss. I tend to look for the shape of the trunk more than the bark. Unless the trunk is perfectly round, you can see ridges/bulges/valleys etc spiral lengthways up the trunk if it has prop twist.