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Need advice on cutting spaulted wood.

Started by derhntr, May 22, 2006, 07:48:11 AM

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derhntr

I had to cut a 9 old cants sized 8x8 to 10x12 of oak, maple, ash. While not a true cant as they were all squared only on 2 sides. They were cut 4 years ago.

All were spaulted, about made me sick to cut them in to 4x4's to stack stuff on.

Now the bright spot, there are a bunch more that he has given me. What size should I cut them. Oh they are only 6' 6" long.

I have some time before I have to cut them so any advice would be help full.

Thanks
Brian
2006 Woodmizer LT40HDG28 with command control (I hate walking in sawdust)
US Army National Guard (RET) SFC

jkj

Spalted wood, especially maple, is in high demand by woodturners.  The bigger the chunks the better - I've seen 8x8x8" chunks of spalted maple selling for $50.  A spalted holly or cherry or figured maple log can be a goldmine.  I haven't heard of much demand for spalted oak unless it's highly figured.  Some people will pay big money for even larger chunks, say 16" (no pith), spalted or not.

The probem, as ususal, is connecting with the market.  Depending on your location, there may be a specialty dealer or a woodturning club nearby which may provide leads.  Even our local Woodcraft strore will take turning blanks on consignment.  Also, you might check on the Turning forum at  http://www.woodcentral.com/newforum/turning.shtml

Shipping is a problem as well, due to the weight.  Some turning blank dealers ship all over the country, cutting blanks to fit into the fixed rate USPS boxes.  BTW, most turners expect big chunks to be sopping wet green wood, coated all over with Anchorseal to slow cracking.

JKJ
LT-15 for farm and fun

twoodward15

How much would a small block of spalted holly be worth?  Let's say it's 8X8X8.
108 ARW   NKAWTG...N      Jersey Thunder

Ironwood

JKJ,

I have had TONS of cool turning wood and have had very little luck selling to turners. We have a local turner group in Pittsburgh, no luck there (or at least little luck). Check the for sale section for my two OUTSTANDING dorment bud cherry burls. For me at least it seems senseless to cart even the best stuff out of the woodlot. Oh well.
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

getoverit

I cut down 2 holly trees today and cut the logs into 6 foot sections. The logs are about 6" in diameter and straight as an arrow..... I have 4 of these logs. any idea what they are worth?

I also cut down a cedar tree today... the first 20' of the trunk had no limbs, and it was 19" on the small end.  The butt rot was very small, about the diameter of a golf ball. I dont expect that it went very far as the wood was still intact but just discolored in that area. I cut the first log 20' 8" long. The second log had all of the limbs, and it is at least another 16' long and will be around 12" on the small end. I also cut down a wild persimmon tree and got 3 sections of trunk about 6" in diameter and 8' long.

Coming from this same property will be a bay magnolia tree with a trunk about 40' tall and 24" dbh. The trunk is pretty straight with little taper. There is also a sweet gum tree about the same size as the bay tree along with numerous oaks. These trees are coming from an old growth swamp. I dont expect that they will have any metal in them as the land is just now being developed for housing.
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I work all night and sleep all day

Tom

Totally a specialty wood and used mostly for inlays.   It 's a "ask for what you can get" wood.   If not handled properly and not dried quickly, it will lose its white color and will have practically no value.

Ironwood

Tom ,

For clarity, you mean the magnolia? Reid
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

jkj

Quote from: Reid Crosby on May 22, 2006, 09:07:13 PM
...have had very little luck selling to turners.

Reid,

As mentioned, the real difficulty is finding (and delivering to) the market.  I know of several people who sell to woodturners by ebay and word-of-mouth reputations.   One local wooddealer took a 24-27" dia 6' sliver maple butt log from me, cut into two 3' sections, and sold it to a woodturner.  However, he had to deliver it to another state, fortunately on a trip combined with other things.  He easily sells wood like holly and osage orange when he can get it.  He told me the best market is in highly populated areas where people have more money than access to wood.  Where we live, East TN, there is an overabundance of free wood so the wood has to be pretty special to be worth much.  Even burls are often free.  (One local sawyer I visited throws burls in a corner in case anyone wants to haul them off.)

My wooddealer friend seems to do a  pretty good business at the various turning symposiums.  However, he said it is difficult to sell anything unless people can see what they are getting.   The more processing, the more value.  I cut one figured maple log into big blocks and coated with anchorseal and he sold every one.  He also sells crotches, split down the middle.

Do you still have the cherry burls?  I can ask the guy if he thinks he can sell them.  Again, shipping something like that is a huge problem, but I may be driving up to Pittsburgh again this summer.  (I grew up about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh)

I am personally not interested in retailing wood - it's too much work!  I think you have to be pretty big to make it worth the time.  For example, a guy we know from WoodCentral ships tropical woods to the US and does a good business, most of it in turning blanks.  (I've gotten several excellent turning blanks from him.)  But to get an idea of the size of his operation, check out his website: http://www.exoticwoodworld.com/  He currently lists 1186 turning blanks in inventory, each cut, wrapped, and photographed for the website!  He maintains full-time staff  both in Peru and the US.  Interesting story - he once mentioned that the most expensive and sought-after wood in Peru was knotty  pine from the US!

As for holly, most of it is too small - diameters (such as 6") are not very useful since once you cut away the pith there is not much left for turning.  I've seen (unspalted) 14-18" diameters cut into firewood-sized lengths sell for $20-$30 each.  Some woodturners love the way it cuts and looks.

JKJ
LT-15 for farm and fun

Ironwood

JKJ,
 
  That is exactly my issue( not a problem), I have too much other good paying work and only so many hours in each day. I just hate passing on the really cool smaller stuff that has great value. I don't even have time to market it. Yes, the two cherry burls are still available. They are anchorsealed and in "cold storage" in a cooler on my property. Reid
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Tom

I was talking about Getoverit's Holly.


QuoteI cut down 2 holly trees today ......... any idea what they are worth?

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