Ever pay for logs or trees?

[DaltonPaull]

Has anyone here ever paid for a log or tree? How do you come up with the value of a log?

This walnut tree was posted on the local craigslist. The owner claims that the largest trunk is over 24" in diameter and straight for 30 feet and already has an $500 offer for the tree. Seams a little steep to me - could be quite a bit of sapwood in there.

How much would you pay (if any?)

 

[deeker]

Has anyone here ever paid for a log or tree? How do you come up with the value of a log?

This walnut tree was posted on the local craigslist. The owner claims that the largest trunk is over 24" in diameter and straight for 30 feet and already has an $500 offer for the tree. Seams a little steep to me - could be quite a bit of sapwood in there.

How much would you pay (if any?)

Way too steep, it is a yard tree. And he will tell you he knows for a fact their are no nails in it. BS, at best. Got dozens of band-saw blades the prove yard trees are loaded with nails. Metal detectors don't find all in logs, but the blades do.

Either firewood, or run the odds with blades.

Good luck

Kevin

 

[olyman]

if someones going to pay him 500 for that tree--its the day two fools met---

 

[BlueRider]

Is the $500 offer what he will have to pay to have to tree removed?

I have never payed gor a log and I have never dropped a tree. I get trees offered to me all the time, even walnut. At most I will offer a bit of the wood back but even then few ever take me up on the offer.

 

[DaltonPaull]

So far I've got all my logs for free as well but very little walnut. Seams to be at a bit of a premium here in Portland - I've seen several adds on craigslist for "free removal of walnut trees" or walnut wanted etc.

Obviously a log has some value - even as firewood - but we would rather get them for free. I'm not about to compete with his $500 offer, but it would be nice to have some method to estimate what it's really worth.

BlueRider - He really told me someone is willing to pay him $500.

How did you get so well connected to have frequent offers for free logs? I usually jut keep an eye out and reply to free wood postings on craigslist.

 

[BobL]

At most I will offer a bit of the wood back but even then few ever take me up on the offer.

Thats what I usually do as well.

The most I "paid for a tree" was I turned a platter/bowl and made some cheese knife handles from part of an Apricot tree for the family that gave me the tree. This involved ~half a day's work but I got a very special tree in exchange.

Cheers

 

[BC WetCoast]

So far I've got all my logs for free as well but very little walnut. Seams to be at a bit of a premium here in Portland - I've seen several adds on craigslist for "free removal of walnut trees" or walnut wanted etc.

Obviously a log has some value - even as firewood - but we would rather get them for free. I'm not about to compete with his $500 offer, but it would be nice to have some method to estimate what it's really worth.

BlueRider - He really told me someone is willing to pay him $500.

How did you get so well connected to have frequent offers for free logs? I usually jut keep an eye out and reply to free wood postings on craigslist.

Talk to several tree care companies.

 

[oldsaw]

Has anyone here ever paid for a log or tree? How do you come up with the value of a log?

This walnut tree was posted on the local craigslist. The owner claims that the largest trunk is over 24" in diameter and straight for 30 feet and already has an $500 offer for the tree. Seams a little steep to me - could be quite a bit of sapwood in there.

How much would you pay (if any?)

I agree with the other guys, see if the $500 is the charge to take it out or what he is getting paid. As a lumber tree, there isn't much value there due to the very high probability of an off center pith in every trunk. If it was a freebie, I'd do it, but I wouldn't pay for that one. He could pay me $500 to take it out and I'd leave it with three stumps a couple of inches high and a few leaves and sticks on the ground.

Mark

 

[redprospector]

I have to pay for log's all the time. Average price for Pine & Fir around here is about $200.00 a thousand board feet. I try to save as many from my thinning job's as I can, but the trees are getting smaller & smaller on the thinning job's.
The most I ever paid for a tree was $100.00 for a 30" DBH Native Walnut. It was already laying on the ground & limbed when I bought it, but I told him I'd buck it to the lengths I wanted when I picked it up.
I made out like a bandit on that one, Walnut's not too common around here.

There are a lot of rotten logs laying around here because people just knew that their timber was worth a lot more than it really was.

Andy

 

[DaltonPaull]

I'd have no problem paying $100 for a 30" walnut log - I use a lot of walnut in my woodworking projects and the going rate around here is between $5-$9 a board foot - I've paid $100 for a single board before. It would be a dream come true for me to find a defunct orchard like the one BlueRider is working on. There's enough wood there to keep me going for a long time!

 

[Backwood]

If he can get 500 bucks he should be looking no further.

redprospector, that 200 bucks per thousand cant be in log form can it ? There are sawmills here that sell walnut for 1.75 already sawed.

I have been lucky and got most all my walnut's for free too but "if" I had to pay for that one I am thinking 50 bucks, if he gets it on the ground. If I was going to pay top dollar I would want it to come from the middle of the woods. The probablity of metal would be much less plus the growth rings would probably be closer together.

 

[redprospector]

If he can get 500 bucks he should be looking no further.

redprospector, that 200 bucks per thousand cant be in log form can it ? There are sawmills here that sell walnut for 1.75 already sawed.

Yep, 200.00 per thousand/.20 per bd ft. I don't know how it could be logged, and delivered for any less. I'd like to see it, but I don't see how.

If that walnut is 1.75 per bd ft, that would be $1750.00 per thousand. I don't know what the log's cost them but I bet the loggers were making more than loggers around here.

Andy

 

[spankrz]

go there and measure the tree, how many 16 foot logs you can get that are atleast 8" on the small end. you will need to measure the whole tree up, then go home and look up the current hardwood prices... then just do the equasion to figure out how many useable board feet there are in the tree. this will give you the lumber value.

 

[oldsaw]

go there and measure the tree, how many 16 foot logs you can get that are atleast 8" on the small end. you will need to measure the whole tree up, then go home and look up the current hardwood prices... then just do the equasion to figure out how many useable board feet there are in the tree. this will give you the lumber value.

With walnut, you have to measure the heartwood to estimate value. I figure 12" on the small end is as small as you can go to be worthwhile. That will usually get you one 6" board and a couple of 4".

Again, keep in mind that the big one might get you some lumber, but the two on the side are leaning too far over and the wood will have a lot of tension in it. Mostly firewood, and walnut is just decent for firewood.

IF I pay for a log, it's going to be a nice one.

Mark

 

[Backwood]

Yep, 200.00 per thousand/.20 per bd ft. I don't know how it could be logged, and delivered for any less. I'd like to see it, but I don't see how.

If that walnut is 1.75 per bd ft, that would be $1750.00 per thousand. I don't know what the log's cost them but I bet the loggers were making more than loggers around here.

Andy

oops, friday night math. For some reason I was thinking 2.00 instead of .20

200 mbf is a good deal. Cant even blame it on being drunk

 

[deeker]

I agree with the other guys, see if the $500 is the charge to take it out or what he is getting paid. As a lumber tree, there isn't much value there due to the very high probability of an off center pith in every trunk. If it was a freebie, I'd do it, but I wouldn't pay for that one. He could pay me $500 to take it out and I'd leave it with three stumps a couple of inches high and a few leaves and sticks on the ground.

Mark

Tension wood, is okay for small stuff. But not all the time. Picture frames and sawing for grade. The pith being off center, means trouble.

Had a guy bring a small straight walnut today for free. Will open it when the rain quits. Rings are even, might be good for small furniture.

 

[Backwoods]

I just bought my first logs, and they were three nice Black walnut trees. The tree service charged her to take them down. I paid $200 for the lot when they were on the ground. I rented an excavator to haul them out of the back yard and to load them. A neighbor a block away flagged me down and gave me a three log maple attached to a 3,500 lb burl. Total cost including tow labors was $600. With the maple it will be about brake even in the end. The next logs I buy I will include delivery. +$200 for the logs -$400 for equipment, fuel, and labor. I have a couple of firewood cutters cards that I can hand out if they want it removed on the cheap.
I just had a customer bring me in a little over 2,000 bft of the nicest Myrtlewood that I have cut. His cost $150 in gas $300 in milling (5 hours @ $60 hr.) and a week of bed rest.(Myrtlewood is heavy)

 

[carvinmark]

I usually buy a few saw logs but most are free. I just ordered six 12"X8' basswood logs that I will slab out for future carving projects. I do hate paying for them but it seems to be getting harder to get the free ones around here.

 

[redprospector]

oops, friday night math. For some reason I was thinking 2.00 instead of .20

200 mbf is a good deal. Cant even blame it on being drunk

200 mbf is a good deal if you have a market.
One of my buddies that builds log homes, and usually buy's 6x8's from me just told me that a mill in Arizona just offered to sell him 6x8's delivered to his planer mill for .45 a bd ft. I told him he should jump on that before they come to their sences.

Andy

 

[Backwood]

yea, its somebody nearby advertising his 4/4 pine and poplar for .45bf. and he buys his logs