Black Walnut buyers?

[Jack]

I've cut down two rather decent black walnut trees down in my yard. I can't tell you how many people have told me they would buy this wood if I decided to cut these trees down over the two years that I've lived here. And now that I've paid to have them cut down ive lost my contacts book. The tree man said they were worth about two thousand for the two of them. My neighbors said the guy before me had them appraised at five thousand. And some random passer by buy told me they they art worth much at all but he would haul them of for 100 bucks.

Is there anyone here that could give me some insight on how to value them, or even better someone that may be willing to give me a fair price for them.

Here is a photo of the trees in question.



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[otnman]

I had 2 at a house that we now now rent out. A lot of people talked about how much they were worth. That is till it came time to pay up. Finally found someone that came and cut down and hauled off for free. They did give me a couple of boards from them. I was just glad not to have sounds of ww3 anymore when I mowed around where they used to be...

[frankmako]

They are worth a good bit of money several years ago. But today nobody has free money to buy. Have them cut into beams. They will sell better that way. You might have to hold them for some time while you find the right person.

[Jack]

I hear ya on that. I tried for the longest to have someone get them down and take what they want and leave the rest for me to clean up. No one obliged. Cost me me quite a bit to have these cut down and two others trimmed up. Was hoping to recouped some of the cost. These two were right over my house and near powerlines so one couldn't simply fall them.

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[Lumber_Jack]

Chances are they are worth about $1000-1200 together. This is not woodworking or specialty pricing but true log prices. This is if you loaded them on a trailer and drove them to the mill yourself. Hauling would deduct up to $200 from the total price. Of course sourcing a mill or log buyer is the hardest part.

I will look tomorrow when I'm at the office (TN Div of Forestry) and see if there are any mills in the region and you can call and see if they can help.

[Wingshooter]

Interesting thread. I have several of them on my land. I always wondered how much they are worth. I hope you get top dollar!

[swim615]

Most mills won't buy them if they are from a yard or house area. They are worried about metal tearing up the saw blade.

 

At least that's what my local mill told me.

Edited December 16, 2015 by swim615

[TnShooter83]

The 2 I cut last year were not quite as big as yours.
I couldnt give them away. Not until I had them cut up in 20" stacked in the front yard.
Then everyone wanted it. For firewood. For free of course.
I just hauled it to friends house and gave it to him.

Anyways. Pretty much everyone wanted it until it was time to pay or work for it.

I hope you fair better than I did, it cost me money.

[Lumber_Jack]

The main issue is logistics. Getting 2 trees to the mill costs time and money. So if the mill is paying 2.50 a board foot and it costs the log buyer $400 to come out, cut to length, load, haul to the mill. Sometimes it's more trouble than it's worth. He needs to pay himself and you. So if it's $1000 he has to spend $400 to split $600. Or the landowner takes less and he breaks even and you get $300. I don't know many people that spend a whole day to break even.

But if there is a guy who owns his truck, works for himself, it could work. Edited December 16, 2015 by Lumber_Jack

[Mike.357]

LJ knows what he is talking about.  No one wants to dick around with two trees.   Everyone thinks at least it is worth something as firewood at least.  It's not.  

 

I have had a lot of tree work done the last couple of years and the only price break I ever got was to let them leave the wood here.   I am lucky I have a place they can pile it,  or several places as the case is.  If anyone wants some wood to split they can contact me and have all they want.

[Jack]

Thanks for the imput. I have already trimmed them down to just the stalks. There is a mill about 3 or 4 miles from me, When I i got to the entrance it was loaded with no trespassing signs so I didnt feel like pressing my luck driving the Scion.three brothers running the place and they are quintessential good ole boys. I've been told by several people that "know" them tat I should not be bothered by the signs, Maybe ill load up the ranger with my dog and give it a go. If I cant get any buyers may just have them milled myself. Do they have to dry before being milled?

[Jack]

Chances are they are worth about $1000-1200 together. This is not woodworking or specialty pricing but true log prices. This is if you loaded them on a trailer and drove them to the mill yourself. Hauling would deduct up to $200 from the total price. Of course sourcing a mill or log buyer is the hardest part.

I will look tomorrow when I'm at the office (TN Div of Forestry) and see if there are any mills in the region and you can call and see if they can help.

That would be very much appreciated.

[Jonnin]

Thanks for the imput. I have already trimmed them down to just the stalks. There is a mill about 3 or 4 miles from me, When I i got to the entrance it was loaded with no trespassing signs so I didnt feel like pressing my luck driving the Scion.three brothers running the place and they are quintessential good ole boys. I've been told by several people that "know" them tat I should not be bothered by the signs, Maybe ill load up the ranger with my dog and give it a go. If I cant get any buyers may just have them milled myself. Do they have to dry before being milled?

 

as I recall when we had some done they cut it more than double thick (twice the board thickness, maybe three times) and we stored it like that to let it dry on out.   I don't know if that is standard practice or just the way we did it, but the guy that cut it into boards recommended it.   Basically we put down 2x4s,  put a thick board down, crossed it with more 2x4s, put another down, so it had air space around each board.  It was probably dry after one winter as we stored it near our wood stove.   I don't think it would dry this decade if you didn't at least cut it in half long ways

Edited December 16, 2015 by Jonnin

[Lumber_Jack]

That would be very much appreciated.

 

 

Sorry for the delay, I havent had much luck.  I work for the state and people tend to vanish around the holidays.  Have you done anything with the trees yet?  I will continue to try and at least get you a couple names to call.

[kckndrgn]

I met a guy in Memphis that did "on-site" milling with a portable bandsaw mill.  Might want to see if you can find someone that has a portable mill and can put them in to board form.  But then there's drying time and are you going to use the wood or try to sell it?

 

If selling, you might try contacting a local woodworking or woodturning group.   A number of years ago, the woodturning group in Memphis cut down a black walnut tree then split up the wood among the members who helped cut it down (and up into manageable pieces.

 

Look at local tractor supply stores as they usually have a bulletin board where somenone with a mill might have an ad listed.

[Jack]

I met a guy in Memphis that did "on-site" milling with a portable bandsaw mill. Might want to see if you can find someone that has a portable mill and can put them in to board form. But then there's drying time and are you going to use the wood or try to sell it?

If selling, you might try contacting a local woodworking or woodturning group. A number of years ago, the woodturning group in Memphis cut down a black walnut tree then split up the wood among the members who helped cut it down (and up into manageable pieces.

Look at local tractor supply stores as they usually have a bulletin board where somenone with a mill might have an ad listed.

Thanks for the advise. Seems like all I can find is large scale guys. Nobody really seems interested until I have at least 10 to 12 trees.

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[Jack]

Sorry for the delay, I havent had much luck. I work for the state and people tend to vanish around the holidays. Have you done anything with the trees yet? I will continue to try and at least get you a couple names to call.

Yeah, i still have them. Ive gotten a lot of I'll come get them for free. But I'd rather just cut em up and use them for firewood before I give them away.

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