One day..

[photostu]

I would like to go after finds like these:

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/for/d/large-black-walnut-tree-for/6238719287.html

 

[Bear Republic]

I know what you mean. I've been looking at all the trees in my yard a bit differently since I got back into woodworking. I've got a few that are a bit odd and could be a find like this.

 

[Jeff]

Another back yard tree whose owner expects +$5,000 for the privilege of removing his once in a lifetime tree! Why didn't his tree guys (background in pic 3) drop the tree while they were on site?

Just saying. The tree was dead/dying, etc so what's inside that nice trunk is an unknown.

 

[Jim M.]

Jeff you are spot on, million dollar trees! The trucks in the background look like Asplundh trucks, usually they are contracted by municipalities. The area where the tree is located cleared of other trees, so I wonder if they are clearing for a new service line and the homeowner worked a side deal.

 

[sawman101]

No price mentioned, but it sounds like the price he expects is going to be high. It's a crap shoot, pay for the tree, then drop it to see what you bought. I'd rather pass on one like that.

 

[ScottM]

Call him and tell him for $500 you will take it off his hands. There are no free rides in this life.

 

[photostu]

I'm not prepared for this level of work yet, but hope to be in the future. There is another tree here in downtown cary that is nothing but trunk left as well that I want to go ask the owner about. This one looks like it would have to be felled and milled in place without destroying the yard/fence.

 

[Jeff]

I'm not prepared for this level of work yet, but hope to be in the future. There is another tree here in downtown cary that is nothing but trunk left as well that I want to go ask the owner about. This one looks like it would have to be felled and milled in place without destroying the yard/fence.

That's most likely a type of red oak (zooming on the bark). Willow oaks are common old trees in urban settings. Once again, the question. Why wasn't the trunk felled at the same time? It looks doable even within the fence.

 

[Jeff]

Stu, are you aspiring to get in to major tree work, milling, etc? Big chainsaws, a WoodMizer, and other heavy equipment?

 

[photostu]

I'm interested in it to the point of watching lots of videos on it at the moment. The idea of cutting and milling a tree and later produce work from said tree is hitting the right spots in the upper lobes of the old noggin ;-) I've never even held a chainsaw yet, but I'm ready to learn.
If my startup gets a decent exit, I'll have more time to devote to this, until then, I'm in complete sponge/learning mode.

 

[photostu]

I watched them cut this tree down a few weeks ago, had to block half the street in downtown. I have no idea why the trunk was not felled, but the only direction to go would be across that sidewalk and I'm sure it would wreck it. Perhaps owner did not want to deal with that hassle.

 

[Willemjm]

Anyone who has ventured to turn a tree like that into Lumber, without expensive heavy equipment, will understand why Lumber is so expensive.

My guess is the owner will end up paying someone to remove the tree.

 

[Steve_Honeycutt]

Stu,

You should go visit Scott Smith in New Hill, NC. He can show you the process. Look at his gallery scsmith42 to get an idea of some of his work.

Steve

 

[SteveHall]

Anyone who has ventured to turn a tree like that into Lumber, without expensive heavy equipment, will understand why Lumber is so expensive.

That's the right response to those kind of phone calls. "Yes, you should cut it down, turn it in to lumber, and sell it for a HUGE premium! I'll be glad to do the sawing for a small fee, you can keep the rest of the profit!"

 

[Xlogger]

The owner of the tree called me a few weeks ago. He said he know what walnut sells for and wanted me to come and give a price. It's hard to deal with some home owners, they don't understand the cost of coming to remove tree, sawing and drying the lumber then dealing with selling it. Then if you buy it and it has rot then you lost big time. He should of had it cut on the ground so you could see what you are trying to buy.

 

[JohnnyR]

Ripe for a chainsaw artist, and hollow it out for a Halloween scare.

 

[SteveHall]

It's hard to deal with some home owners, they don't understand the cost of coming to remove tree, sawing and drying the lumber then dealing with selling it.

Marketing strategy: transfer the risk back to the owner. Offer flat fees to 1) cut, 2) saw, 3) transport, 4) dry, 5) store, and 6) sell. He can self-perform any part(s) and keep the profits after the flat fees. Charge extra service costs for measuring, loading, re-transport, discard, insurance, metal detection, saw blade replacement for damages due to hidden metal or glass within the wood, extra safety provisions around power lines, protections for ground targets, special cuts, "burl recovery", etc. A simple, standardized pricing item list shared industry wide would go a long way to explaining exactly what is involved with "harvesting my old tree for huge profit."

Same applies in my construction industry. Contractors charge a profit (which I call "bass boats") on all that material and labor they buy to build your house. If you cut it all out, you might save 5-35%. The only thing you would be responsible for is the work that general contractors perform... permitting, pricing with subcontractors, contracts and buyout, layout, scheduling, fencing, dumpsters, insurance, safety, inspections, supervision, coordination, (list continues for pages...)

 

[Willemjm]

In short, a log seller would be interested if he had at least 20 logs on the property, at somewhere around $0.50-$1.00 per board ft. One tree growing in his back yard, with the possibility of finding a hardware store inside the trunk; no one will touch that.

 

[danmart77]

Stu,

You should go visit Scott Smith in New Hill, NC. He can show you the process. Look at his gallery scsmith42 to get an idea of some of his work.

ditto on Scott s

 

[scsmith42]

I would probably pay between $500 - $1,000 for the logs from that tree, delivered to my mill yard. Price depends upon log quality. I'm darn sure not going to go remove it.

Here is a nice sized red oak that we did a few years back. I don't usually do removals but in this case it was volunteer work for the non-profit that owned the land that the tree fell on.