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What to do with a 54 inch dia. Walnut?

Started by cptbob06, February 10, 2011, 09:58:09 PM

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cptbob06

I met a lady a couple weeks ago that said they have some large walnut trees behind the barn that they want to get rid of because they drop a lot of branches, leaves and nuts that are a pain to clean up. I was skeptical about what large meant until she said her husband measured one of the trees at 54 inches in diameter. That would be an awesome tree to saw up. I just don't want to suggest to them that I can cut it up into lumber when maybe they could get more value elsewhere. I told her I would check on the Forestry Forum as there are a lot of smart people on here.

laffs

are they giving you the logs? or are you sawing for them ? if their giving you the logs and you want to show your thanks then you could build them something. like a table. other than that i dont have walnut up here so i dont know nothing about it.
Brent
timber harvester,tinberjack230,34hp kubota,job ace excavator carpenter tools up the yingyang,

r.man

Are you sure they know what diameter means?
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

beenthere

Might be worth a visit to see if it is really that size. Not that it couldn't be.  ::)

Can you get a picture or three?  

Maybe will be something like this...



Stumpy is tryin ta convince da Burlkraft to just saw it up, it'll be easy.  ;D ;D
And I want all clear boards 10' long too.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

woodpeckerlips

Man if that's a walnut it must have been planted when they started the pyramids. I've been around and I've never seen one that would make 36" probably not even 30". You better go look and make sure its not a big ol pecan or sweetgum or some thing. What state is this tree in?

Ianab

Got anyone local with a Peterson or Lucas chainsaw slabber?

A big walnut log like that is just crying out to be sliced up into big live edge table tops, and those can sell for top $$.

Otherwise you are probably stuck with having to split it with a chainsaw to get it on a normal mill and just cutting boards as wide as you can.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

pyrocasto

Quote from: woodpeckerlips on February 10, 2011, 11:21:50 PM
Man if that's a walnut it must have been planted when they started the pyramids. I've been around and I've never seen one that would make 36" probably not even 30". You better go look and make sure its not a big ol pecan or sweetgum or some thing. What state is this tree in?

My buddy lopped down a 60" walnut here in NC. Little rot in the middle but his largest good slab was 12/4 58" at the wide end, 52" at the small.  :o

woodpeckerlips

Holy moly pyro,
  That's a huge walnut.  I wonder how old that tree was?

terrifictimbersllc

Cptbob06, where are these trees located?  From the state forestry department you can probably find out measurements of record size trees in the area.  The owners may reconsider if it is one of them.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Dodgy Loner

Until I saw the tree with my own eyes, I would be skeptical that they aren't confusing the diameter with the circumference of the trunk. Don't get too excited until you see the tree in person.

FWIW, I used to live down the road from Georgia's champion walnut tree. DBH was just shy of 70 inches.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

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Wrangler55

Quote from: woodpeckerlips on February 10, 2011, 11:21:50 PM
Man if that's a walnut it must have been planted when they started the pyramids. I've been around and I've never seen one that would make 36" probably not even 30". You better go look and make sure its not a big ol pecan or sweetgum or some thing. What state is this tree in?

Here's a 35" walnut that's in my front yard. There are even bigger ones in the woods on the back of my pasture field.

I'm so covered with sawdust, my nickname should be dusty...

Ironwood

Yeah, go look. I chased a few 6' diameter cherry ::) :-\. Geometery class escapes many and they confuse diameter and circumference. I usually try to ask if

1. will your arms fit around it if you "hug "it.

2. is it bigger around than a 5 gallon bucket (or toilet lid, etc...)

3. How long is it? I have gone to look at large walnuts and chestnuts, that I forgot to ask about length. great firewood size ::) guy said, well thought you could still use it ::) duh.



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

SPIKER

old farmer down the road behind my brothers old place has some monsters his grand dad & dad planted them when his dad was a boy.   seed stock from the home country he said.   he was in his 60~70s there are 40+ trees back in the swampy area 100' high & 4' easy one would take 3 people holding finger tips around to hug that tree!   heck that might have been the seed stock 4 the other  trees.   he wont sell any but dont mine em blowing down & rotting.   

Mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

clww

You might want to check out "Why the big saws" under the "Chainsaw" thread on here. There are some whopper trees some of us have posted there, which will give you some idea on how big those trees were on the ground. I can tell you this: it is a LOT of dangerous, heavy work! I'm doing an oak section that is 60 inches diameter X 12 feet long.
Black Walnut is gorgeous lumber.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
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troutcreekman

Cut up a 60"diameter Black walnut last year in Oregon it was planted in 1896. Big Tree, lots of great lumber. looking for the pics.

cptbob06

I haven't gone to look at it yet. She said it is too big for three people to put their arms around it. I have asked her for some pictures and will post them if I get some. Thanks for all the good responses.

Ianab

Well, three people to reach around, that puts it up over 4foot diameter then  :)

Anyone with a chainsaw slabber in the area?

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

terrifictimbersllc

Where is this tree?  I've got a slabber and "heaps" of chain ready as Weisy says.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

mad murdock

Before moving out to the tree farm, we lived in town with 5 decent sized Black Walnut trees in front.  How far from the ground to the first limb? If it has alot of heartwood, the value is much greater.  The tree will also bring more money, if it is a sound trunk, when the rootball is left intact, i.e. don't cut it off the stump.  The big $$ gunstock material comes from the rootball where you get the nice burl in the grain.  If the thing is solid with lots of heartwood, the rootball alone could bring some major$$ cut into high grade gunstock blanks.  The clear section wil yeile some high grade lumber and if it is truly as big as advertized, you could get some nice pieces from milling the junctions at the major branches as well.  It will all depend on how it is sliced up.   Hope it is as big as she said, that would be a nice tree for sure :o
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

sigidi

Always willing to help - Allan

Gary_B

Yeah Ive ran into the same situation, Last August we had a wind storm take down a walnut that must be atleast 50 inch diameter, the problem is it is right on our property line and the tree fell on the other property owners field, he has cut off most of the limbs now Ive got to go talk to him about the log......When it comes to property lines....they can be frustrating.....The first 8 ft is 50" or so then it tapers off to a nice 10' log that I would be able to handle on my mill and of course it has several burls protruding out of the log.....

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