advice for harvesting black walnut tree

[cedarhollow]

I've got a very tall straight black walnut tree that i'm planning on taking down after the first frost. the top is dead and fungi is growing out of it at about 60' up but below that there are branches with live leaves. Anyway I've been told if I get it milled properly I might be able to sell the wood for enough money to buy a new tractor. Could this be true?
what is the best way to proceed. there is a very large maple not far from it that has the same problem with the top being dead. Neighbor said it could be from the drought we had three years ago.

 

[cuinrearview]

Proceed carefully. It's highly valuable.

 

[ATH]

Thousand Cankers Disease was raging in NE TN a couple of years ago. Make sure you aren't violating any quarantines with that.

If you want a new tractor from that, you best bet would be to harvest it, saw it, find a high end client and make custom furniture out of it.

It is pretty tough to sell one log to a veneer mill. Hard to justify moving trucks for one log and have much left for you. Veneer logs can sell for $10-$15 per board foot....but those logs are relatively rare, that is why they are worth so much.

Buy a new tractor?...maybe a small lawn mower. Maybe.

 

[grizz55chev]

Here we go again!

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Highly valuable? Where?
I wanted some taken down in my yard and the local mills wouldn't touch them because they were in a yard.
We cut them ourselves and tossed on brush pile.
Same issue with pecan and hickory trees in my yard.,, not only could I not give it away, I had to pay to get rid of them.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Here we go again!

I'd forgotten all about this - love it!

 

[grizz55chev]

I own a Mobil Dimension mill and I’ve had many people ask about milling up a log or 2, they have no idea what that involves, they think they’re doing me a favor ! We’ve had a catastrophic die off of ponderosa from drought and bug infestation, after the first 6 months, the market was saturated with blue stain pine, highly desirable, until it wasn’t! There’s somuch of it now that you can’t give it away, you only have about 6 mo. to a yr before it’s punky, can’t even use it for firewood! One or two trees doesn’t even pay to move the mill!

 

[benjo75]

We also have a Mobile Dimension mill. We don't move ours out anymore. We just leave it set up and let them do all the driving. Specialty jobs we just charge by the hour that way we can afford to cut just one small log or whatever they want.

 

[grizz55chev]

Same here, it is Mobil, but it takes a lot of time and energy to move and reset it up, not worth it unless the conditions and volume plus the ability to move the logs are all present. You bring the logs to us and we’ll cut them, move them onto the mill and send you home with beautiful lumber!

 

[Henry3120xp]

Here we go again!

That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a very long time. I think I met with her husband a couple of weeks ago.
Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[The Singing Arborist]

I'd get a chainsaw mill and mill it up yourself. It can be some hard work but it is certainly addictive to see what comes out of every board.

I have been milling with my chainsaw for about a year now, just cutting up the stuff I'm asked to take down. Some is getting dry enough to work with now. To date, I have yet to sell any of it. It is possible to sell it locally however. I have mostly made stuff around the house with it.

If you do this, make sure you have a dry, flat area to stack it and leave it for 1-2 years.

 

[benjo75]

We have a gas line that splits our property. It runs north and south so there is always a breeze on it. We have stacked lumber on it for 30 years and it dries in a hurry. We're building a kiln right now so that will save some time.

 

[Henry3120xp]

I've got a very tall straight black walnut tree that i'm planning on taking down after the first frost. the top is dead and fungi is growing out of it at about 60' up but below that there are branches with live leaves. Anyway I've been told if I get it milled properly I might be able to sell the wood for enough money to buy a new tractor. Could this be true?
what is the best way to proceed. there is a very large maple not far from it that has the same problem with the top being dead. Neighbor said it could be from the drought we had three years ago.

Ok I did the math and to get a new tractor you will need a 10 foot diameter log about 35 feet long.

 

[grizz55chev]

Ok I did the math and to get a new tractor you will need a 10 foot diameter log about 35 feet long.

Lol!

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Short answer,

No.

If it's a yard tree, no mill will want it. If you want cash, you'll make more if it's cut and split for firewood. No money in logs, it's all in transport, processing and retailing.

Take Care

 

[Marley5]

And as firewood there's not much worse than black walnut......it's an early fall wood at best.

 

[bowtechmadman]

I have a niece (in-law) that is convinced that two yard black walnut tree's she has (small lot in the city of Pontiac) will probably be enough to purchase a new car. Of course they are 15' from power line, 20' from two houses and 8' from a fence. My two brother in-laws and I all told her it better be a matchbox car she intends to buy. She is convinced otherwise even after two tree company's told her nearly 5K to remove.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

I have a niece (in-law) that is convinced that two yard black walnut tree's she has (small lot in the city of Pontiac) will probably be enough to purchase a new car. Of course they are 15' from power line, 20' from two houses and 8' from a fence. My two brother in-laws and I all told her it better be a matchbox car she intends to buy. She is convinced otherwise even after two tree company's told her nearly 5K to remove.

Experience is usually a good teacher but rough at times.

 

[Leeroy]

I own a Mobil Dimension mill and I’ve had many people ask about milling up a log or 2, they have no idea what that involves, they think they’re doing me a favor ! We’ve had a catastrophic die off of ponderosa from drought and bug infestation, after the first 6 months, the market was saturated with blue stain pine, highly desirable, until it wasn’t! There’s somuch of it now that you can’t give it away, you only have about 6 mo. to a yr before it’s punky, can’t even use it for firewood! One or two trees doesn’t even pay to move the mill!

Hey does Shell make those dimension mills too? Sorry @grizz55chev I had to!

I've had luck selling Walnut, curly maple, cherry and other odd logs to guys with portable mills that in turn sell to local craftsmen. $1.50-$2.00 per bf. loaded on their trailer.
I'd call around if you are cutting it anyways. Might be able to get a few hundred, no?