# 100ft Black Walnut Tree



## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

I need serious advise and suggestions, I would like to have this tree cut and sold. Black Walnut tree approx. 100ft tall, Diameter 3.5 ft, Circumference 97" first limb about 20 feet high and a foot wide. Any suggestions in the town of Peekskill NY.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

The trunk could have value after milling and drying, but the cost of removal could add up very quickly, especially if close any structure or power lines. A crane and big flat bed would almost certainly be required.


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## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

Any suggestions on where I get started? I've tried mills with no response. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

I think you'll find that no one will be interested in paying for the tree. Yard trees are generally much poorer quality than those that grow in a forest environment. Additionally, many, if not most, yard trees have metal in them (nails, staples, you name it…) and these can damage the sawmill's blades.

You best course of action might be to have it cut down (felled) by an arborist and have them save the best sections of the trunk in saw log lengths (typically at least 8' 6" for hardwoods) and then pay someone who owns a portable sawmill to come in and mill the logs into lumber for you. Then dry the wood and perhaps kiln dry it then sell the lumber.

Many people think that a nice big walnut tree in the yard is worth a small fortune. In actuality, it can cost you a small fortune to get rid of it.

Good Luck!

Be Careful!

Herb


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

That looks like it is in a yard or park. 
You may have a hard time finding anyone to mill it.
That diameter would be 2 1/2 ft instead of 3 1/2 ft if the circumference is 97".
Looks like a big crotch about 12 ft up. That might have some interesting grain.


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## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

It's in my yard, this is a closer look.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

A mill would be a good place to start. Don't identify you have a tree to sell but rather you have a tree you would like to pay to have milled, that might be why you haven't heard back from those you've contacted. As mentioned most yard trees can have issues with something that could damage the blade, most mills will let you know what this will add to your cost ahead of time. A tree removal company would be the next place to look see what they would charge and if it works out you could have them deliver the wood to the mill so you have one less step to deal with. In the end you end up with the wood and two bills. Whether or not that's worth it depends on the market in your area, the quality of the wood and your ability to store the wood as you sell it.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I take it you're not a woodworker. I have come into numerous walnut logs this summer and have had some milled already, the others are waiting their turn. I will use it all myself and sell products made from it. I would do as suggested. Have it cut down, have it milled, dry it. And then in a year or so sell it. It's probably your best bet at a good profit. Otherwise, someone may be willing to cut it and take it away for free. That's about as good as you could hope for if you're not doing any of the work. It's kind of like old barns. Some people try to sell an old barn because they think it is worth a lot. It's only worth a lot after a lot of work has been out into it. Why would I pay for the "right" to take down an old dilapidated barn?


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## RichardHillius (Oct 19, 2013)

As others have said it's not worth most mills time or effort to pay you to take down a single tree. You might be able to find one you can pay to take the logs after they have been cut down and packed on a truck, mill and dry them but even than you probably won't find a lumber yard willing to buy a one off batch of lumber from a single person. The people in this industry deal in bulk and they deal in known sources, there is to much risk from unknowns with all the legal and disease issues to risk taking in lumber from a unknown source.

Your best bet is to either pay someone to cut it down and haul it away, cut it down and try to find individuals to buy the parts, or pay to have it milled and dried to use or try to sell the individual boards in the future.

I personally don't think there is near as much money in this tree as you might think there is and your going to have to put up some cash up front for even the possibility of a return in the future.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

In some places there are arborists or millers who specialize in "urban timber". You won't get anything for the wood, but they might take the tree down and haul most away for you.

BTW. Everything above that first crotch is pretty much junk. Limbs and even trunks that are not growing vertically grow with built-in stresses that cause the wood to move and warp when you try to work it.


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## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

Thank you for your feedback, I'm not a woodworker so this is new to me. A couple of years ago I had offers and
even now folks are still talking about profit in the tree? Butt I am careful and concerned not to move forward without sound advise. It would be great if I could make a dollar but I surly don't want a headache.


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## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

Either way I will need to remove the tree before the snow begins to fall.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

If you have offers definitely get references from those interested parties. Much can go wrong with a tree that big and that's surely not a headache you want.


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## Minorhero (Apr 8, 2011)

Everyone I think has already covered the how to get rid of it angle.

I guess my question is why do you want to get rid of it? The picture you provided makes the tree look pretty healthy. Not likely to fall down anytime soon and it has clearly been there for several decades at the very least. Your reference to getting rid of it before snow fall makes it sound like you are worried it will come down in the winter on its own.


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## fuigb (Apr 21, 2010)

Advice? Move those chairs before the sawing begins.

As noted by Moshpit the "urban lumber" crowd might interested in taking it down and away. In my area these hippy-types often stock their wares through Habitat for Humanity "Restores." You could start there and work backward.

Re: urban lumber… I like it! I have several projects under my belt with lumber harvested from yards and I'm pleased with the quality of the material. I've heard the arguements that tjis lumber is substandard because of the limitations of the environment but for the hobbyist it seems to be fine.


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

There is a huge myth that a black walnut yard tree is worth a fortune. Sadly, it is not true. It almost always costs the landowner money to get rid of it instead of them making a small fortune.

Commercial mills will not buy yard trees.


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## kmfcreating (Sep 30, 2014)

The tree stands. It will cost way too much to remove, store, dry, chop, and not to mention move my blue chairs.
Thank you all for your GOOD advise.


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## realcowtown_eric (Feb 4, 2013)

Call a veneer mill


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Why cut a beautiful tree like that. Is there a problem with is staying?


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## Brian1969 (Sep 30, 2014)

I have two of these trees in my yard. One is a giant of a tree, but there is no way anyone would cut it (too close to my garage, and too close to the neighbor's house). The other is a younger tree, growing nicely. My only complaint with them? You can't plant just anything around them because of the toxins they put out, and every year they drop a TON of walnuts. I mean that literally. Thankfully, they are not in sync with each other….one will drop a bunch one year while the other will drop just a few, then the next year it's the other way around. The squirrels do their best to clean them up, but it's too many for them to eat/store before winter sets in. When spring comes around, whatever is left they get most of them, but I still have a bunch to clean up. Not to mention what a pain it is to mow with them all over the place (you hit one with the mower, look out!).

We had some severe weather here a year ago in the spring, and the big tree had a couple of large limbs torn from it, so I cut them into logs and stored them in the garage. Just now starting to get into woodworking, so I'm thinking of cutting one of them up to see what they're like on the inside and if they're usable at all. I would imagine they probably aren't, but who knows? Be interesting, regardless.


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

Glad to see you are leaving it, but for the record and if it just has to come down there are many people around just about everywhere with portable sawmills that will saw it fairly reasonably or for a share of the wood. Having it felled will be expensive, as others have said often times more than the wood will end up being worth as a sellable product…once dried, planed, and hopefully sold; most wood is not sold, just the pretty pieces. It is better than selling it for firewood tho. The hardest part is finding a feller who will cut it down in long lengths rather than the much safer method of dropping short pieces off. Good luck with it.


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## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

> If you have offers definitely get references from those interested parties. Much can go wrong with a tree that big and that s surely not a headache you want.
> 
> - bigblockyeti


In addition, I'd suggest asking for copies of whatever insurance they have covering you in the event that something goes wrong.

Edit: I see you're leaving it along, so my advice (while good) is moot.


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