Mega walnut tree in backyard

[rarefish383]

I just got off of a 13hr day and was a little cranky. That was my point, regional mindset. My family has been in the residential tree business for four generations. People always call and ask how much will you give them to take a tree down, nothing. The only value in the tree is after it has been cut and milled and dried. The process of doing that is the same no matter what the type of wood. So, if you call suppliers there is not that much difference in the price of the lumber. Is it a shame to split it up for firewood, sure. But, if the person with the tree had to pay to remove it, mill it, kiln dry it, store it, and sell a piece at a time over several years, they would have made more money if the just sold it for firewood. Just in the last year I've seen the timber market starting to improve a little, not much. There is still a glut in the market. People every where need some extra cash and are selling off stands of nice timber. They are not getting rich because every one is selling. The value of that tree, to me, is a nice big healthy tree in the yard. The OP asked if it was a "GOLD MINE". My point is, pay a tree company $1000 to take the tree down and leave the logs in 8'6" pieces. Put the logs on a CL add. Say you get $200 for the big one, is that the gold mine he was looking for. If he can cut the tree down himself and haul all the scrap to the dump, is the work he did worth the gold mine he got for it. No matter how much beautiful wood is under the bark, you're not gonna pay off the car or college loans with it.

I guess what this whole rant of mine boils down to is, this post has been up for 3 days on a world wide forum, how many people are standing at the front door bidding on the tree? Joe.

 

[TreePointer]

You might find a couple people to buy some blanks from that tree to make gun stocks and grips and maybe a few carving projects. Then you get to figure out what to do with the remaining 95% of the tree.

 

[SDB777]

You can cut it down and bring it to me, I'll only charge you Doyle scale to mill it.
Then you can take it some where to have it kiln dried. Or you can take a few years to air dry it in a spot in the garage.

Then, it might be worth a few bucks per boardfoot....just saying.





Scott (good luck with your goldmine) B

 

[Dave Boyt]

Woodchuck, for a first post, you've stirred up a lot of opinions. You haven't posted anything else, so I hope all this controversy hasn't scared you away. It is, as they say, regional. I know a cabinet maker who will buy all the walnut I can cut, so the tree would have value to me, and I would risk a few blades for the wood. I do not, however have a market for armadillos, so their abundance or scarcity is a moot point. All of the opinions expressed are based on experience, and different sawyers have had different experiences, which is what makes this forum so valuable (and often entertaining). I hope you'll keep us updated on what you decide to do, and post again. But if you hang out here too much you might just decide you need a sawmill of your own!

 

[rarefish383]

Your right Dave, if we are going to argue about things we should start a new thread. Keep the answers for the OP polite and to the point. We can have different opinions and cat fight about them later. As an Arborist in MD, my vote is the tree's value is as it stands. If the OP was in your town, and you were trying to get him top dollar for a tree like that, what would you guesstamate on it. Back here it's a shame most of the Walnuts I see go to firewood. Sorry if I was rude, Joe.

P,S. I have a very good friend from MO, I'll have to ask her if she knows your town.

 

[Dave Boyt]

If the OP was in your town, and you were trying to get him top dollar for a tree like that, what would you guesstamate on it. Back here it's a shame most of the Walnuts I see go to firewood. Sorry if I was rude, Joe.

P,S. I have a very good friend from MO, I'll have to ask her if she knows your town.

Let's see... 13' circumference is about 4' diameter, 48" by 10' long, comes to about 650 board ft. On the stump in the forest, it might go for around $.50 per board ft, or $325 for the tree. There is a "cat face" (from an old branch) on the left side, evidence of rot, and the crotch looks like it will have bark inclusions, so we're talking grade lumber. Though the branches are big enough to mill, the wood is too unstable to be worth milling. From a yard, a commercial mill wouldn't touch it, but I would, since I have a fairly consistent market. It would be worth it to me to drive, say, 20 miles and pay the $325. Under no circumstances would I try to cut it if it were near a building or power lines, so the owner would have to assume the risk or hire a tree company to cut it down. Short answer, it is not a gold mine, but it isn't worthless, either. The tree is increasing in value, though. If it has a healthy crown, give it another hundred years or so, and ask me again.:msp_rolleyes:

Neosho is 20 miles south of Joplin in the southwest corner of Missouri. In these parts, we call armadillos "possum on the half-shell."

 

[discounthunter]

i would say the nut crop will get you more value for now until,nature takes out the tree or you find a buyer.

 

[johncinco]

I milled up a yard walnut this spring. I lost 2 bandsaw blades to metal and crap in the wood. They each cost me about $18 with the shipping. I sold 3 thick planks out of it for $250, $350, and $400. I sold a bunch of 6/4" planks for anywhere from $2.50 to $4 a bf. I sold a bunch of limbs cut up from $25 to $50. Yeah, I'd cut up a yard log again.

 

[Dave Boyt]

I milled up a yard walnut this spring. I lost 2 bandsaw blades to metal and crap in the wood. They each cost me about $18 with the shipping. I sold 3 thick planks out of it for $250, $350, and $400. I sold a bunch of 6/4" planks for anywhere from $2.50 to $4 a bf. I sold a bunch of limbs cut up from $25 to $50. Yeah, I'd cut up a yard log again.

John, let's say you made $1,200 on the wood from that tree (nice haul by the way). The question at hand is, taking the risks, investing the time and equipment, taxes & insurance, and time spent finding buyers, how much would have you been willing to pay the owner of that walnut tree? Would it have been enough to even cover the cost of having a tree service put it on the ground? We on the forum are used to looking at things from the sawmill side, but the original poster is approaching the question as the owner of the tree.

 

[axetree]

Sure that's not an ash tree?

 

[buzz sawyer]

Sure that's not an ash tree?

Had the same thought. I assumed the OP or neighbors confirmed the presence of walnuts.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I was just going to ask if it was an ash tree. The bark and growth looks more like ash than walnut.

 

[thewoodchuck]

Looks like around 750 board feet in the main log. After cutting into nails, wire, bolts, an ax head, and cement, I'd throw that one on my Norwood mill in a heartbeat. The only thing that tree could possibly have in it that would surprise me is clear boards. I used a cobaltized (bi-metal) sawmill blade to mill this walnut that I knew had fence wire in it. Actually created some pretty grain, and the blade was still cutting fine after slicing through at least 50 strands of wire.

View attachment 312169

Where in Kansas are you? I'm 20 miles south of Joplin, MO, and often work in the Pittsburg, KS area. Do you want the lumber, or looking to sell?

I am located in Emporia, KS. I am looking to sell if the price is right.

 

[thewoodchuck]

Here's a better look at it. Also looks like some missing bark on the left side? That is a 2x4 leaning against it, right?

The bark is there my best guess is maybe lightning? The board is an actual 4x4.