What now?

[Ben V]

I will start by saying I am completely new to this world. A couple weeks ago my buddy called me at work and said he had a black walnut tree coming down that day and the arborist asked if he had anyone that wanted it. He knows me as mildly handy and owning a few wood tools so he asked if I wanted some logs.
Uhhhh.... Yeah, sure.
So when I got home they were dumped by my driveway. Google got me here and some other places and told me I should seal them so I bought some anchor seal and brushed it on within a couple days.
I figured there would be someone nearby with a mobile mill, but I haven't found one.
So my questions are:
A) is this really black walnut? I expected to see darker coloration in the heartwood.


B) are these logs worth milling or should they be made firewood?

C)does any one know of anyone doing mobile mill work in the Syracuse NY area?

D) what should I reasonably expect to pay?

E) if I have a very wooded acre and enough neighbors and friends with trees to potentially get my hands on a tree every few years, should I consider a big chainsaw and mill instead? Sounds like a good adventure, and it's always fun to own something loud.

Thanks!
Ben

 

[pond hopper]

Mill them. Once u start, it's an addiction that can't be stopped though

 

[BigOakAdot]

Those logs sure don't look dark enough to be walnut. I've never seen the butt of a walnut with anchor seal on it though. Maybe that lightened up the coloring of the wood.

Here's a pic of a couple nice walnut logs I grabbed that were on the side of the road for free.
Depending on how much wood you plan on milling will determine the next move. I've heard it's reasonably priced to hire someone with a band mill to mill up a bunch of logs.

If you plan on milling here and there and are on a tight budget I recommend a chainsaw mill. It also allows you to mill some larger diameter wood.

Hope this helped.

BOA

 

[babybart]

Mill em! Looks like walnut but that white stuff makes it hard to tell. Walnut will darken as the elements get to it. I bought a saw and a mill just for a 36" Poplar that I had to take down to make board and batten siding for a shed. Then another Poplar had to come down and milled that into true 2x4s, I always seem to need those. Now I am marking some Walnuts to mill down for flooring in one of the bedrooms. The Mrs had me mark some Hickory's for me to reface our kitchen cabinets with. Yeah, you get addicted, gonna have to look into a band mill eventually I guess.... Whoa is me.... !

 

[Ben V]

Thanks for the input,
I do have one photo they sent when they were still on the truck before the anchor seal and I guess the color is a little more promising.

 

[Timberframed]

Could be butternut. Lighter in color still juglans.

 

[lone wolf]

 

[lone wolf]

Mill it and paint the ends, store indoors, and put small pieces of wood between the planks so they can breath let it dry for 2 years.

 

[DonnerParty]

Doesn't really look like Walnut, but it's tough to tell sometimes. Definitely looks solid and straight enough to be worth milling. A chainsaw mill is a simple way to get started, and you can use the saw for other tasks. You're going to need a 90cc+ saw to mill those, though. I'm sure you can find someone on this forum in your area that would mill it for you and split the wood.

 

[Macman125]

I have seen some light colored walnuts around here. Couldn't tell you unless I was there though. I do know that walnut has a distinctive smell.

 

[babybart]

I have seen some light colored walnuts around here. Couldn't tell you unless I was there though. I do know that walnut has a distinctive smell.

Yup, smells like dog poop.

 

[Ben V]

I have plenty of dog poop, so it might not be that distinctive.

 

[BigOakAdot]

Always thought that oak smelled like dog **** but I guess it all does lol.

 

[babybart]

Always thought that oak smelled like dog **** but I guess it all does lol.

Everything but cherry now that I think about it... ha.

 

[Enrico Carini]

You're going to need a 90cc+ saw to mill those, though. I'm sure you can find someone on this forum in your area that would mill it for you and split the wood.

Here are some cuts I made with an MS290, just over 50cc's.