Selling small number of trees

[Woody912]

Brother needs to clear a small area which includes 2 walnuts of 74" and 88" dbh circumference, at least 16' of clear log and straight as an arrow. He has the ability to haul them, question is how do you market them? I believe they are veneer grade so if he drives to a sawmill and they unload and then offer $50 what do you do? Not enough volume to get someone to come after them. Buddy just completed a sale, his share of one tree is $1700 and it is not as good as either one of these.

 

[ArtB]

FWIW
If my brother had those trees he would mill them himself (or ask me to 'help'), let dry for a few years, and build some furniture to become family heirlooms.

My most cherished pieces of furniture are black walnut that my grandfather and great grandfather made from BW they felled, sawed, and built furniture from.
My grandparent house had an attic floor of 4/4 BW 8" wide my grandfather had felled and sawn circa 1906 and just laid in the attic to dry, not nailed. I used that in 1969 to make the 4 ft by 10 ft dining room table. (brother still has that house, I took the attic floor )

Perhaps once in a lifetime opportunity for you and your brother to create something unique and lasting ? If you cannot mill yourself, should be someone you can find to mill it onsite for you with a bandmill?

 

[square1]

Why do you believe they're veneer? If they are, potential buyers would have no problem visiting to give you prices. Contact local saw mills.

 

[Woody912]

Why do you believe they're veneer? If they are, potential buyers would have no problem visiting to give you prices. Contact local saw mills.

tall, straight, no external signs of knots, symmetrical growth so the pith should be centered. IMHO, all the visible signs that a buyer in the woods would see. If we cut them outselves the buyer would have the add'l advantage of actually seeing that before they fork out the money. There is an Amish outfit logging close by, have suggested my brother ask them to take a look and get a quote for delivery to their mill but they are probably just resellers. Have done biz with sawmill who does a lot of export sales, thinking they are best best but don't think they will after 2 logs, they are way behind getting to my buddies 460 tree sale due to local weather conditions.

 

[Woody912]

FWIW
If my brother had those trees he would mill them himself (or ask me to 'help'), let dry for a few years, and build some furniture to become family heirlooms.

My most cherished pieces of furniture are black walnut that my grandfather and great grandfather made from BW they felled, sawed, and built furniture from.
My grandparent house had an attic floor of 4/4 BW 8" wide my grandfather had felled and sawn circa 1906 and just laid in the attic to dry, not nailed. I used that in 1969 to make the 4 ft by 10 ft dining room table. (brother still has that house, I took the attic floor )

Perhaps once in a lifetime opportunity for you and your brother to create something unique and lasting ? If you cannot mill yourself, should be someone you can find to mill it onsite for you with a bandmill?

all require tools, time, storage space and knowledge we do not have

 

[square1]

If those trees are veneer and 24" + dbh a buyer will come out for just the 2 of them from what I've experienced here. The Amish in this area won't give you veneer prices. I'd convince the exporter you know to stop by when he's coming through enroute to somewhere. You're going to deliver them so he's not out anything to scale & grade them.

 

[madhatte]

I'm just gonna let this thread speak for itself. I recommend that you read the whole thing for the full effect.

TL/DR? Watch this at the very least.

 

[Huntaholic]

My buyers would come for 2 trees IF they are veneer grade trees. Unfortunately Im in TN not IN. Do some research, ask around, find out who buys veneer in your part of the country and call them. If youre capable of cutting them by all means do so. No buyer is going to pay top dollar for them standing, they have to be able to see the quality. DO NOT buck into logs! Let the buyers show you where they want them cut! Also, go to Lowes and get a dozen or so truss plates. As soon as they are on the ground put those plates across the cracks and checks, if they are veneer, you will have cracks. That's about all the advice I can give from 2 states away.

 

[Woody912]

I'm just gonna let this thread speak for itself. I recommend that you read the whole thing for the full effect.

TL/DR? Watch this at the very least.

I have participated in a couple timber cruises so I know what a commercially valuable log looks like

 

[Rob Stafari]

You can try contacting Price Lumber 5137221200 They are a mill near me northeast of Cincinnati. They are one of the top exporters of black walnut in the country. I know they send their falling crew up to Michigan. Of course that is for more than two logs, but it never hurts to ask. We take logs there on occasion, but never giant straight clear walnut. I did see the one log the owner said the paid $6000 for. Was the only log that came off that semi. Impressive to say the least. I do love visiting the yard and their mountain of logs. Chinese folk picking out the walnut and ash they want loaded into shipping containers to be sent across the pond. If I had some nice walnut logs, that is where I'd take them. I'm lucky though and they're in the same zip code.