English Walnut Tree, Worth doing anything with?

[Chris Evrard]

Hey All,

One of my neighbors has an English Walnut tree he wants removed. He said I could have it for free if I take it down. He'd even get rid of the small stuff and I could just take the big pieces. The bottom section is about 7-8 feet high, and I imagine there is some burl/curl in the crotch section. I think the next section up would have a few planks in it too.

Thing is I don't know diddly about trees and cutting them down.

Can anyone tell from the pics if this would be worth doing? Is there anyone in the Western MD area that knows what they are doing and could help? Obviously I'd share the haul!

Thanks, Chris E.

[Ron Scott]

Hi Chris,   Your post doesn't state the diameter of the trunk.  Having cut several English Walnut trees, most young trees with diameters less than 30 inches tend to have sap wood that is at least 1/2 the diameter. If we use a 24 inch diameter as an example, the dark heart wood would be 12 inches. That would be the widest heartwood plank, but it also has a unusable pith in the center. This would likely leave you less than six inches of dark wood. If you cut the tree to include the root swell, you might squeak out something from the curved wood there.  Pistol stocks probably, rifles less likely, unless you have use of blanks with mixed sapwood and heartwood.  You can always cut it, check out the amount of heartwood and make your decision about having it sawn.

If you have a potential need for some rally nice english walnut, I would consider trading for lock work. I'll send you some photos

Ron

[Chris Evrard]

Hi Chris,   Your post doesn't state the diameter of the trunk.  Having cut several English Walnut trees, most young trees with diameters less than 30 inches tend to have sap wood that is at least 1/2 the diameter. If we use a 24 inch diameter as an example, the dark heart wood would be 12 inches. That would be the widest heartwood plank, but it also has a unusable pith in the center. This would likely leave you less than six inches of dark wood. If you cut the tree to include the root swell, you might squeak out something from the curved wood there.  Pistol stocks probably, rifles less likely, unless you have use of blanks with mixed sapwood and heartwood.  You can always cut it, check out the amount of heartwood and make your decision about having it sawn.

If you have a potential need for some rally nice english walnut, I would consider trading for lock work. I'll send you some photos

Ron

Outstanding info. Thank you! I'm going to measure it this weekend.

[Robby]

I know very little about English Walnut, except it is a real pleasure to work with. If it is anything like black walnut it can be steamed, this will equalize the color of the sapwood to the heartwood.
I would take the chance and go for it, even if steaming doesn't work, I bet some aquafortis would do the trick. I wish I was closer I have cut many trees and would jump at the chance foe some sweat equity English walnut.
Robby

[Hungry Horse]

I agree it looks like it is too small to be of any use.

  Hungry Horse

[Bigmon]

looks small for long rifles, etc.
But might be something there for small stuff, pistols, modern firearms, etc.
Problem is, that stuff is allot less value and the work you go thru to get a little wood might not be worth the money you's maybe spend on something you want??
I am in a similiar situation in that I cut some very nice wild cherry planks over two years ago and I will never use very much of it.
I'd trade it all for a couple good blanks I can use, rather than have all this that is requiring even more work to get something I can use.
And there are at least two stocks in each of my planks.
Unless you are going to need allot of wood, it may not be worth the work.
Just my opinion

[Jim Chambers]

Chris,
With structures so close by I would not touch it at all for liability purposes.  The only safe way to bring that tree down would be to climb it and rope small pieces down one at a time.  Definitely a job for a professional tree trimmer with good liability insurance.
Another issue, being a yard tree, there is a good possibility there is metal in the trunk and probably rocks in the crotch from kids trying to knock down the walnuts.  I've been down that road before and bought new teeth for the sawmill's saw.
As expensive as English walnut is, it is probably less expensive to just buy a blank from Ron, Dunlap or some other source.
Jim

[Eric Smith]

Chris,
With structures so close by I would not touch it at all for liability purposes.  The only safe way to bring that tree down would be to climb it and rope small pieces down one at a time.  Definitely a job for a professional tree trimmer with good liability insurance.
Another issue, being a yard tree, there is a good possibility there is metal in the trunk and probably rocks in the crotch from kids trying to knock down the walnuts.  I've been down that road before and bought new teeth for the sawmill's saw.
As expensive as English walnut is, it is probably less expensive to just buy a blank from Ron, Dunlap or some other source.
Jim


What he said is good advice.

[Joe S.]

As a former tree climber,spent many years doing tree work,Jim's advise is spot on.Many an accident has happened via the homeowner special or the neighbor was just taking it down for the wood.Best case is property damage,worse case somebody's life........Buying a ready to use blank is by far cheaper than the above,it ain't worth it.When you roll up on a half done job and have to hear a bad story and see some of the story via blood stains ect..........it ain't pretty

[Robby]

Good Lord! You guys can tell all that from the pictures given, how the $#*! do you get out of bed every morning, your beaten before you get of the stool! I would still give it a shot, and you know what, God willing, I'd post a gun on here a few years from now and get oooo'd and ahhh'd to death, crimeny, stay home!
Robby

[Mike Brooks]

Good Lord! You guys can tell all that from the pictures given, how the $#*! do you get out of bed every morning, your beaten before you get of the stool! I would still give it a shot, and you know what, God willing, I'd post a gun on here a few years from now and get oooo'd and ahhh'd to death, crimeny, stay home!
Robby

Now, now..... I've done this sort of thing before, it's a lot of work, and rarely goes as planed. Of course since I've gotten a bit older everything seems to be a lot of work. I'd hire a guy with a back hoe and dig that thing out and pull it down, then it's all on the ground when you cut it up. The good part of that tree is right at ground level, if I couldn't get the root with that tree I'd skip it. I hope the guy won't mind a hole in his yard.....
 If I was in my 20's again and thought I was invincible and was never going to die I'd probably take it on.

[Joe S.]

Good Lord! You guys can tell all that from the pictures given, how the $#*! do you get out of bed every morning, your beaten before you get of the stool! I would still give it a shot, and you know what, God willing, I'd post a gun on here a few years from now and get oooo'd and ahhh'd to death, crimeny, stay home!
Robby

The man said "he don't know diddly about cutting down trees"here's the gun that cost my neighbor his roof.Here's the gun that cost me a big chunk of my thigh cause the saw kick back.Here's the gun that I had to commission out cause I don't have a left hand............Nobody knows what there talking about,right.Grab a case of beer and just have at it,maybe you guys will get lucky

[Robby]

Most of the guns I have made are from trees I have cut. In fact I'm looking at a nice black cherry tree right now. Lots of reasons can be found for not doing something. I am old and feel it every morning, sometimes all day long, but I still am excited to make something from nothing and the spirit of invincibility still wafts through my consciousness from time to time, so yeah, I'd still give it a shot. I'd rather go belly up timberjacking than sitting around watching a rerun of some program that wasn't interesting the first time.
Robby

[Joe S.]

That's the spirit,keeps you young,important to stay motivated.My problem is......I had a bad habit of measuring others with how and what I could do.Some folks can,some folks can't,just don't like seeing a fellow get his head full of wishful thinking and get himself hurt.That old saying a mans got to know his limitations really applies to chainsaws mixed with heights and a mans primal urge to be immortal

[oldtravler61]

  Chris Personally I would check with someone who buys wood for furniture or what ever. Could be worth more than just a couple rifle stocks.
  Had a simular tree on my property. Totally shocked what they played me for it. That's in a good way. Plus I got two nice rifle stocks out of it. Plus they did all the work.  Oldtravler

[sqrldog]

Chris
I would say that you should just evaluate the tree with regard to size and decide if you can get enough useable wood from the tree. This could be stock blanks and other boards for your use or to sell. If in your opinion the ends justify the means and the tree can be safely taken down go for it. I cut wood for my own use in making turkey calls and it is rewarding to say I cut down the tree and sawed the wood used in making this call. One note of caution, as has been said above yard trees usually have nails and other foreign material in them. You may be able to borrow a paddle type metal detector to scan the tree to see if nails wire etc are going to be a problem. Tim

[John SMOthermon]

Most saw mills in my area won't touch a tree that's been around a Homestead. 

For the reasons stated above. I would check with your local mills prior to cutting.

Looks small to me as well.

[Mike Brooks]

Metal in the tree will be an issue, it's surprising how much you'll find in a tree like that. Most often on a tree like that you'll find an old wire clothes line wrapped around it somewhere in side, or at least that's what I find most often in a 'yard" tree. Found a big hook from a hook and eye inside a large maple I was cutting into firewood last year.
 I have stocked many fowling guns from the sapwood of eastern grown English walnut trees. usually seems to be hard and works well, just have to stain it is all.

[Robby]

Alaskan saw mill would do the trick.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=42051&itemnum=75251&redir=Y

There are a lot of guys these days with portable bandsaw sawmills that will come to your site. Most will do the job with the understanding that if the blade hits something steel, you buy them a new one.
Robby

[John SMOthermon]

 I have stocked many fowling guns from the sapwood of eastern grown English walnut trees. usually seems to be hard and works well, just have to stain it is all.

I had an old Uncle when I was a kid who whittled gun stocks.

He would dig up the stump of the old walnut tree and carve them by hand.

Good Memories.

[Curt Lyles]

Does any one else see the bark inclussions in the log ,or maybe it has been stuck by lightning.You have been givin good advise on which way to go ,I say hire a pro and cut it down ,,just dont set your expections too high.  Curt

[Feltwad]

If the tree is old the best wood with a good figure is below ground in the stump .
Feltwad

[Natureboy]

  There are a lot of walnut orchards here in Oregon, and the trees are always grafted onto black walnut root stock.  That's where the good gun stock wood is.  A friend of mine worked for a summer before college, digging up walnut stumps, for the black walnut wood, for a local gun stock maker.  So if the tree is cut down by a professional worker, for all the reasons stated above, maybe the stump would have the wood you would want for gun building.  A killer job, digging up tree stumps.

[Whaleman]

I always thought sawmills did not want to cut backyard trees as there is always some piece of steel in them. Dan

[Feltwad]

I always thought sawmills did not want to cut backyard trees as there is always some piece of steel in them. Dan

Yes  plenty of sawmills do not like to cut  back yard trees because of nails ect , has for the root stones are the biggest problem  , the old mill men know exactly how to cut the  root to  get the best figured plank  such has fiddle back , flame ,  .
Feltwad