interest in Apple Tree freshly fallen? - SW London/N Surrey

[Mike.S]

Having put our house up for sale last week after months of decorating, woke up this a.m. to find one of our Apple Trees committed suicide :shock:

Here's SWMBO's hand to give some scale:

If anyone has any interest in any part of the trunk/branches, free of charge, please let me know asap. I'm happy to cut it into suitable sized pieces and store it pending pick-up - though the sooner the better as it's not quite the selling feature it was in the Estate Agents photos :!:

Mike

P.S. Tree is in Worcester Park, Surrey (SW London)

 

[gregmcateer]

I wish I was closer!

 

[Mike.S]

Yes, Stourbridge a bit far! Though I have 3 dustbins full of apples so far - plenty of Apple Crumble to come!

From a search function on the forum it seems it's best to cut it up into oversize pieces (to allow for shakes as it dries), split (rive?) it for non-turning pieces (I've got some saw handles to make on my wish list) and seal ends.

Do I leave the bark on or remove?

P.S. May put in a claim to the Chinese Government, blaming the shockwave from that explosion in Tianjin for blowing over my tree :lol:

 

[dickm]

P.S. May put in a claim to the Chinese Government, blaming the shockwave from that explosion in Tianjin for blowing over my tree :lol:

Yes, definitely murder, not suicide.
Mind you, it looks like there might just be enough roots still connected so that you could prune it, pull it back upright and guy it into place! Did that with a biggish Bramley after the 1987 hurricane and it was still fruiting when we sold the house in the 90s.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I think I could make good use of some of that - I'm just down the A3 in Guildford. How's this or next weekend to collect some?

Assuming you're not going with dickm's suggestion...

 

[Mike.S]

Sporky

Friend's arriving with a chain saw Saturday afternoon, so after say 3pm Saturday or Sunday or next weekend would be fine. I'll PM my details.

dickm - nice idea but I understand that apple trees have a healthy life span of about 100 years and this ones reached that (garden used to be part of an orchard until houses were built on it in the 1930s).

 

[Skeety]

Hi Mike,

Would really appreciate some of the tree Can bring a chainsaw with me to help cut it up tomorrow if that helps?

PM me if there is any left and the help would be appreciated

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[The Bear]

Mike
I would be interested in it but would be for firewood,I don't do turning
Let me know, I'm between Dorking and Guildford though would probably enlist my mate with his trailer as he also lives Worcester park

Mark

 

[paulm]

Too good for firewood !!!

I'm inbetween workshops at the moment or would have happily come to lend a hand.....

Cheers, Paul

 

[The Bear]

Not too good for me :wink:

Where you moving to Mike?

Mark

 

[paulm]

Not too good for me :wink:

Where you moving to Mike?

Mark

A bit sad for a woodworker on a woodworking forum !

Would be good if it went to people who will have a go at doing something constructive with it and appreciate it :wink:

Cheers, Paul

 

[The Bear]

Paul
Note the wink after my comment, was intended to be light hearted.
For what its worth I agree that if its good for turning ( I have no idea, I dont own a lathe) then it would be good to go to turners. There are several people above me that have expressed an interest and I don't really expect Mike to have any left by the time he gets to me on the list anyway. But I'd rather take it off his hands than he burn it in the garden for example. Your comment also intimates I wouldn't appreciate it, I have no idea why you think that. I'm sure there are several people on the forum who burn wood to keep warm that could be used to make something, I'm sure all the wood I have split and have drying could have been used to make something, I don't find it sad I can keep warm without burning fossil fuels which is my only current alternative.
Mike, sorry your generous offer has been hijacked by myself and Paul
Mark

 

[Mike.S]

Ok

Sporky and Skeet are intending to come and take away parts of the tree so there may well be something left for Mark/The Bear - in which case I'll PM.

We're looking to sell and then rent/travel whilst looking for a new perm home South of here - could be East or West Sussex or Hampshire, or even east Dorset. Family connections around London mean we don't want to be more than 90 mins drive away but that opens up swathes of the South.... 8)

Mike

 

[paulm]

I've changed my :roll: to a :wink: in the post above in case I was being too grumpy or sanctimonious ! :lol:

Lots of uses for good green timber like that as well as turning, green woodworking, carving bowls, spoons, walking sticks, all sorts really as well as planking some up on a bandsaw for box making and small woodworking projects a few years hence.

I've felled and converted a fair pile of trees myself in recent years, I tend to keep or give away to friends the better stuff for creative uses and keep the plainer more common timber and offcuts for the fire, but that's just me personally.

Many thanks to Mike for being kind enough to offer it up on the forum

Cheers, Paul