Huge white oak that needs to come down

[eichhoma]

At one of my rental houses I have a pretty big white oak. It has a lean towards the neighbors house that is a little concerning and probably needs to come out. That said, I have heard there is some desire for white oak... are there any options I should look into as far as getting it dropped and selling to a logger for stave wood? I was told I should look into this, but its only 1 large tree, is this worth looking into? Very new to this so any advice or feedback would be much appreciated.
Here are a few pics I snapped this morning. Thanks, Mark

 

[ropensaddle]

At one of my rental houses I have a pretty big white oak. It has a lean towards the neighbors house that is a little concerning and probably needs to come out. That said, I have heard there is some desire for white oak... are there any options I should look into as far as getting it dropped and selling to a logger for stave wood? I was told I should look into this, but its only 1 large tree, is this worth looking into? Very new to this so any advice or feedback would be much appreciated.
Here are a few pics I snapped this morning. Thanks, Mark

Stove wood not stave, stave wood would be osage orange,ash,hickory but your not going to get much for it even green. I mean stave wood in osage will only be good if end sealed and stored in a cool dry place 2 years or more jfyi

 

[ropensaddle]

Nice shade tree btw I dont think I would cut it

 

[TheJollyLogger]

As a rule of thumb, a tree is worthless, a forest has value. Most mills won't take yard Trees due to the risk of embedded metal, and they buy by the semi load. Now if it was Highly Valuable Black Walnut...

 

[Swamp Yankee]

No volume,

No mill is going to send a truck out for one tree. There is no money in it as Jolly Logger alluded too. There is also the factor of trying to get the truck in without damaging the yard or septic, and room to operate the grapple without interference from power lines or other trees.

You may advertise on CL once it's down and someone with a portable mill might show interest but isn't going to pay much. The logistics of getting it out or equipment in without tearing the yard to shreads is always an issue. Most professional services will put down a rigid ground cover to protect the yard and minimize damage.

The value in raw wood products is not large be it firewood or saw logs. The money is in the processing to achieve the final product, not the raw material. I see this all the time. Will look at some land clearing, tree removal, or top cleanup jobs and people think they have a gold mine. I just looked at a job removing 50 cord of tops. Landowner thought the wood should bring $12,500 because seasoned CS&D is selling for $250 per cord. He couldn't understand tops sell for $10 - $30 per cord depending on quality. In short I was a thief.

One last thought, should the tree be taken down, and you make arrangements to sell the wood, make sure there is a very clear understanding of who will be responsible for cleaning up the mess. Even if the removal company chips and hauls the brush, there will still be a lot of debris and sawdust generated no matter how the remaining trunk and limbs are processed.

Take Care

 

[eichhoma]

Thank you for the information gentlemen. Forgive me, I have very little knowledge on this type of thing.
Just did some reading that apparently white oak was in somewhat high demand around south / south west Missouri - something about wine or whisky barrels... not sure.
I have access to heavy equipment and a big truck could park right on the road about 40 feet from the tree... Was hoping there was a couple bucks to be made but likely not...The tree is going to have to come out to keep peace with the county, so it sounds like if nothing else, I should be pretty well set on firewood

 

[ropensaddle]

Thank you for the information gentlemen. Forgive me, I have very little knowledge on this type of thing.
Just did some reading that apparently white oak was in somewhat high demand around south / south west Missouri - something about wine or whisky barrels... not sure.
I have access to heavy equipment and a big truck could park right on the road about 40 feet from the tree... Was hoping there was a couple bucks to be made but likely not...The tree is going to have to come out to keep peace with the county, so it sounds like if nothing else, I should be pretty well set on firewood

Excellent firewood after seasoned. I'm not sure how high demand is on whisky barrel wood now a days. You could also have it milled for wood posts and such it does have good rot resistance.

 

[stltreedr]

White Oak timber is high in Missouri... believe I heard up to $300/mbf a few months ago. But, no mill is going to want it, even if you brought it to them. See previous comments...


On another note- The tree looks pretty healthy to me and I would not be concerned over a slight lean. Let it grow!


On another nother note- That Highly Valuable Black Walnut Video is priceless!!!! so funny and true...

 

[Marshy]

Thank you for the information gentlemen. Forgive me, I have very little knowledge on this type of thing.
Just did some reading that apparently white oak was in somewhat high demand around south / south west Missouri - something about wine or whisky barrels... not sure.
I have access to heavy equipment and a big truck could park right on the road about 40 feet from the tree... Was hoping there was a couple bucks to be made but likely not...The tree is going to have to come out to keep peace with the county, so it sounds like if nothing else, I should be pretty well set on firewood

Why is the county telling you that it should be removed? It looks perfectly healthy to me and as long as its not in danger of falling on your neighbors house I would leave it. A little lean isn't justification to taking it down IMO.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

As a rule of thumb, a tree is worthless, a forest has value. Most mills won't take yard Trees due to the risk of embedded metal, and they buy by the semi load. Now if it was Highly Valuable Black Walnut...

"Are you retarded?"

 

[eichhoma]

Why is the county telling you that it should be removed? It looks perfectly healthy to me and as long as its not in danger of falling on your neighbors house I would leave it. A little lean isn't justification to taking it down IMO.

Marshy, Well, the county is saying they would like me to take it down... I think that is a result from the neighbor worried about the lean and thinking that it will fall and hit their house... I'm not gathering from the county that I "have" to take it down, but they would like me to. Personally, I don't want to take it down - I hate the idea of cutting down a tree like that unless its dead, dying, or at really high risk of falling... this one is none of the above. I think I just have a neighbor that doesn't like a rental house next door but I am just trying to be neighborly.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Marshy, Well, the county is saying they would like me to take it down... I think that is a result from the neighbor worried about the lean and thinking that it will fall and hit their house... I'm not gathering from the county that I "have" to take it down, but they would like me to. Personally, I don't want to take it down - I hate the idea of cutting down a tree like that unless its dead, dying, or at really high risk of falling... this one is none of the above. I think I just have a neighbor that doesn't like a rental house next door but I am just trying to be neighborly.

You have homeowners insurance?
I wouldn't cut down a nice healthy tree because it "might" come down. What would make it come down?

 

[cuinrearview]

Stove wood not stave, stave wood would be osage orange,ash,hickory but your not going to get much for it even green. I mean stave wood in osage will only be good if end sealed and stored in a cool dry place 2 years or more jfyi

This is not true. A stave is one of the lengths of wood that make up the side of a barrel. Far and away coopers choose white oak to make barrels before any other wood nowadays, mostly for the production of wine and liquor. Maybe you're thinking of a different definition of a stave?

That being said, OP, for many reasons I would leave that tree standing.

 

[ropensaddle]

This is not true. A stave is one of the lengths of wood that make up the side of a barrel. Far and away coopers choose white oak to make barrels before any other wood nowadays, mostly for the production of wine and liquor. Maybe you're thinking of a different definition of a stave?

That being said, OP, for many reasons I would leave that tree standing.

A stave is a split out of osage to make a bow, I have made bows. We may both be right but I'm going to have to say that bow stave wood pre-dates barrels

 

[cuinrearview]

A stave is a split out of osage to make a bow, I have made bows. We may both be right but I'm going to have to say that bow stave wood pre-dates barrels

And you no doubt pre-date me. I guarantee you today(when the OP referenced the term) he was talking about barrel wood.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

The term applies to either usage. The word actually derives from the old English word that evolved into staff. Technically any long narrow piece of wood was referred to as a stave.

 

[ropensaddle]

And you no doubt pre-date me. I guarantee you today(when the OP referenced the term) he was talking about barrel wood.

Umm not sure of first but your likely dead on on last

 

[cuinrearview]

http://www.independentstavecompany.com

Look, I get it fellas. But C'mon, OP was talking white oak and staves. Are we purposely being obtuse?

 

[ropensaddle]

Now here's a fact

http://www.independentstavecompany.com

Look, I get it fellas. But C'mon, OP was talking white oak and staves. Are we purposely being obtuse?

No I was actually being more one minded I have zero experience with barrels but plenty with making a bow with a draw knife

 

[ropensaddle]

Actually bow stave wood if quality and stored proper can be high valuable wood