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what is Walnut logs or stumpage going for in your area?

Started by oakiemac, December 28, 2007, 07:27:59 PM

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oakiemac

I had a nice order for 3" square walnut blanks. Good I thought, I'll just buy some walnut logs and saw them then dry it and make a little money to boot.
Well, I priced the job thinking I could get walnut logs, fairly decent, for $1-1.20/bf. Now when I went to buy the logs every logger I know is selling it to buyers from China for $2.00 for the average log and up to $5 for the saw logs and higher for veneer. :'(

This just a Michigan thing or is it similar else where?
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

SwampDonkey

Are your loggers going through wood brokers?

I know hard maple and yellow birch logs are from $0.35-$0.55 per bf delivered to mill. I don't know about veneer, I think price has dropped some. Just guessing around $0.90 - $2.25 per bf. The bigger price for 14" + stuff.

Walnut must have jumped a bit. How close are you to an Ohio source? Can you buy walnut off state or federal logging contractors? If your state has a value added policy for public owned logs, maybe you can find some there. Sometimes finding a supply of desired logs is a pain but everyone wants the best price, including me.  ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

J_T

Yep 14" and up 4sc in white oak, walnut and cherry is real good  ;D Sold some not to good small walnut for 1.40bf in the log  :o I sell to a exporter
Jim Holloway

Ron Wenrich

Yep, walnut has taken off and we might be seeing a bubble.  Or, it may be a new normal price for walnut. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Gary_C

One recent Minnesota DNR action listed 3.37 MBF of walnut at $1680 opening bid and it sold for $3528 per MBF. It consisted of eight trees uprooted in the flood this summer.

Another marked sale had 23.93 MBF of walnut listed at 70 % veneer and it sold for $3267 per MBF.

Yes walnut has been very high lately.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Larry

Competition for walnut has been intense in the last few years.  The big mills like Midwest Walnut up in Iowa, American Walnut in north Missouri, and Missouri Walnut (China) in south Missouri keep the price up.  The small 60mbf/week mills help keep the heat turned up.  Steamers, over-run, grade, and Brewco re-saws are the name of the game.  Even the loggers are pimping...I've seen signs posted every mile or so on secondary highways "Walnut Wanted".

Walnut has it own unique set of grading rules, completely different from any other wood in the NHLA book...the influence of the walnut barons is truly amazing and awe inspiring.  No such thing as low grade.

Walnut is my favorite lumber to saw...except for specialty retail cuts the money is in wholesale.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

SwampDonkey

What Larry said is what I've been told as well. But junk is junk no matter what color and grain.  ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Norm

Walnut is the one hardwood in our area still strong in price. I dropped by my loggers yard the other day and he had walnut logs laid out for the buyer. I was amazed at the scrawny junk that in earlier years would have never been hauled in. I asked what they were getting for them but that's like asking a farmer how his yields were.  ;D

Veneer was supposedly going for $4-$7 the scrawny stuff was getting $1, not bad for a tree that grows like a weed on our place.

Kansas

Things have changed a lot in the walnut log market around here the last 8-12 weeks. Veneer logs are still strong, but basic lumber logs are dropping every week. The guy I usually sell to has cut for the big outfits in iowa and missouri, and they have cut his lumber prices heavily over that time-especially on shorter lengths. I talked to a log buyer out of missouri several weeks ago that just had their prices cut-they ship a lot of shipping (saw)logs to china. Now the rumors are starting to fly-the major buyers across iowa and missouri are going to stop buying after the first of the year. I know logs I was getting 2 dollars for earlier in the year now bring no more than 1.50. 6 and 7 foot lengths plus the small logs have been cut in half or more. Around here, 1.00 to 1.50 will now get you some nice logs, with the junk bringing 20-50 cents.

Skip

Kansas is right Around here it started dropping about 2 months ago . Veneer is always high .Saw logs are down about 25%from their high. Locally the Amish had quit sawing cherry and it took a nose-dive when walnut was up, I noticed last week when i went over to get my sawblades sharpened that they are starting to saw cherry again. I was talking to one of the local loggers and he said he "lost" $3,000.00 by holding on to walnut 2 days too long. Just like playing the stock market.

inspectorwoody

We have sawn more Walnut over the last year than anything...millions of bf!  :o

We have been buying Walnut lumber from other mills also.

Veneer yard has been crammed full since early fall. One container truck after another leave for the shipping yards loaded with some very nice logs.  ;)

Every bit of Walnut lumber is hot right now and has been. IMO,it is the only market that has stayed pretty constant and increased in value in the six years I have been inspecting. We do push our 2com and have not had any complaints but when the market becomes flooded and there becomes so much of it,buyers will tighten up on their specks at which time we will have to tighten up also.

I look for it to start tapering off in 2008 but I don't think it will crash no where near what the Red Oak did.

A guy is going to have to pay $2-3/bf in the log if you want some decent lumber/product. At a $1.00 or so, your going to see some very ugly stuff.  ;)




thedeeredude

I suspect the high price of walnut is due to the recent influx of yard trees available for free if the logger cuts them down.  The price of walnut would be even higher if they had to pay the land owner to cut the yard tree down for them and take the wood.

thedeeredude


J_T

Around here you can't give away yard trees  ::)Lots of mills won't buy from just anyone and if they hit sompthing in a log they will be looking for you  :'(
Jim Holloway

cedarponds

Steve,
I have a 400-500 bf of walnut logs I can sell you cheap or I can saw them to you specs?  Let me know what you are looking for.  You have my phone #.  Phil

Ironwood

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

oakiemac

Reid- leave cedarponds alone he is my man ;D

I'll give you a call, phill.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

Ironwood

Michigan, is too far w/ gas and diesel so high. Ironwood
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

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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