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Sawing lightning struck walnut

Started by DR_Buck, September 15, 2014, 06:46:29 PM

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DR_Buck


What is the potential for recovering usable lumber from a large walnut tree killed by lightning?   It is a yard tree, so other than the usual hardware in the tree risk, is there any other potential issues?   What should I look for, if anything, while looking at the logs?
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

POSTON WIDEHEAD

If it were a lightning struck Pine....I'd probably not even put it on the mill.
I honestly have never sawn a lightning struck Walnut but I would make an attempt to plane saw it and salvage what I could.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Tom the Sawyer

I have milled a couple of lightning struck walnuts because they had sentimental value to the client.  The better one probably had about 65% useable wood, the other was only about 20% useable and, once the outer boards were removed, it was scrapped for firewood.


 


 
07 TK B-20, Custom log arch, 20' trailer w/log loading arch, F350 flatbed dually dump.  Piggy-back forklift.  LS tractor w/FEL, Bobcat S250 w/grapple, Stihl 025C 16", Husky 372XP 24/30" bars, Grizzly 20" planer, Nyle L200M DH kiln.
If you call and my wife says, "He's sawin logs", I ain't snoring.

beenthere

Being the tree was only killed by lightning and blown apart by lightning may be two different things. Could be just killed and plenty of good wood. Bucking the tree into logs will be one early way to tell what is going on, with a disk or lilly pad or two that will disclose any internal failure of the wood.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

scsmith42

I slabbed one up earlier this summer.  About 80% recovery.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

dboyt

What size is the tree?  How long ago was it struck?  If there is a seam going straight down the log, you should be able to saw around it.  If the tree has spiral grain and the seam corkscrews around the log, not much chance for recovering much, if any wood.  If a customer wants you to mill it, you should explain that there is a chance that there will be little recovery-- and charge by the hour.

Also, be careful... the lignin in the wood can act like a natural capacitor and hold the electrical charge & zap you when you cut through it  electricuted-smiley.  Ok, I made that last one up. :D
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

mesquite buckeye

I think lots of good comments here. A recently struck tree that didn't get 'cooked' or exploded should be mostly good. Ones that are partly exploded will have cracks extending into the 'good' part and make less of it good. Rot will follow these cracks in with time. I think you will know pretty quick as you cut up the tree whether it is going to be highly valuable or not. ;D 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

bigred1951

we have a walnut tree in our yard that has been struck by lightning twice i think within the last 10 years or so. For the past few years after that it looked awful like it was dead or dying and then this year it came back full bloom walnuts all over the place.

5quarter

I have yet to saw a lightning struck hardwood that has not developed long splits in the air drying process. Perhaps its just my stellar run of luck... ;)
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

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