Walnut tree

[Lard]

Morning all,
Last night's gale force winds brought down our 40-odd year old walnut tree. It's quite sad as it was a lovely tree...only upside is that at least I don't now have to watch the squirrels get EVERY nut EVERY year.

Any thoughts as to what I could/should do with it?

 

[recipio]

Can you find a company that will come and mill it on site. ? Don't let the council hire some tree surgeon who will probably sell the wood for firewood. I had three elms come down in front of ny house and that's how they ended up.

 

[NosamLuap]

Cut into suitable sized 'lumps', walnut turns beautifully on a lathe so could make some bowl blanks. Depending on the size of the trunk/limbs, that only requires a chainsaw to get valuable pieces to sell (or turn, if you have a lathe!). Or, as Recipio suggests, get it milled on site into usable boards.

 

[Tris]

@topchippyles mills his own iirc and is fairly local to you I think

 

[Stigmorgan]

Cut it up and send my way
Would have gladly come help if you weren't so far away, as already said, walnut turns and finishes beautifully.

 

[paulm]

There's some threads on here somewhere where myself and a pal had a similar situation, have a search if you like, lots of good info and ideas on them

 

[scockram]

B*gger! A neighbour's Walnut tree was cut down a couple years ago, and I never thought to ask for some of the timber. Don't know why, I should have.

 

[Fitzroy]

I would find someone with a mobile saw mill to come and slab up the main trunk at 2" thick and as long a length as they can manage. Sticker it under cover to dry, then it's a hoping and waiting game on what usable timber you have in a couple of years time.

Ideally if you have access you'd get in a mobile saw mill and operator (woodmizer type) so that you loose as little wood to the saw as possible. Worst case you get someone in with an Alaskan type sawmill (chainsaw type) to slab it up, but you'll loose lots to the chainsaw kerf.

What may temper your enthusiasm for this route is if you know the tree is full of metal. Used as a signpost, or post for a wire fence, or base for a treehouse etc A sawmill operator will likely walk away at first sign of metal, or you'll be paying for replacement or sharpening.

Useable dry walnut is £70+/cuft. Out of a 10' x 20" diameter tree you could get 10-15cuft of usable timber. I'd spend/risk a few hundred pounds with the outcome of some potentially lovely timber.

 

[Yojevol]

Any thoughts as to what I could/should do with it?

That depends on how big it is. Some dims would be helpful
Brian

 

[marku]

There's some threads on here somewhere where myself and a pal had a similar situation, have a search if you like, lots of good info and ideas on them

Paul, hope you are well?

The thread is here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/walnut-tree-is-the-timber-worth-saving.74732/
I am still making things from the tree, must add to the thread with an update.

Mark

 

[paulm]

Paul, hope you are well?

The thread is here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/walnut-tree-is-the-timber-worth-saving.74732/
I am still making things from the tree, must add to the thread with an update.

Mark

Hi bud, good to see you're still around, and thanks for finding the old thread

 

[Seascaper]

Hello,
Our walnut tree fell over in a storm 3 years ago, when we had 100mph winds. Unfortunately it fell onto the house and damaged the roof, the tree was 300 years old. The tree surgeons quoted £400 for cutting and making safe and a further £500 to take the wood away. We have two log burners so taking the wood away was not going to happen. The trunk was hollow which is why it fell over so there was no useful wood in that part of the tree. The branches were kept and are now a good source of walnut. Pickled walnuts are a favourite of mine but they must be picked young and green before the nut has fully formed, early July,
Regards

 

[Tanglefoot20]

hiyas… I have an acquaintance that lives near you…he could cut it up for you..He works on trees..

steve

 

[Stigmorgan]

Paul, hope you are well?

The thread is here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/walnut-tree-is-the-timber-worth-saving.74732/
I am still making things from the tree, must add to the thread with an update.

Mark

I see you're in Hampshire, I'm just over the border in Surrey and I'll happy help you work through that walnut supply if you're struggling

 

[Richard_C]

Walnut is really nice for turning, I have a few pieces and use them for things like box lids or finials if I want a contrast. Keep what you can, even small pieces are useful. If only I lived closer...

 

[Morag Jones]

Do you have any photos of the tree when it stood in its glory?

It would be lovely to see its story and pics of the pieces it becomes in the future… do hope it lives on!

 

[BEE13]

There are a couple of woodturning clubs in Wales. If you contact them, and offer some of the wood to their members, they are likely to turn up in force with chain saws and cut up the tree into usable sized chunks. You can keep some and they can take away what you don't want. Google "woodturning clubs Wales."

Good luck.

 

[paulm]

Before getting too excited about the tree's potential it would be worth cross cutting near the base and having a look to see how much, if any, dark coloured heartwood it contains.

Forty years old isn't that mature and it may contain little or none which would be disappointing if you've spent money on any kit or a portable mill service, although I don't think it's just age that influences that, but it can be a bit random

 

[Lard]

The branches were kept and are now a good source of walnut.

Hi, that one confused me.....isn't the tree dead?

 

[Lard]

Thanks for all your comments.

I'll show some photos when I get chance.

We have a woodburner and my immediate thought was 'it won't go to waste' . However, then I thought about it and will, at minimum, cut it up sympathetically as I have a chainsaw and several mates who will also probably take an interest.

It's placement is not going to be anywhere near the the best (weight-wise) to move it in large sections and so whatever I do I'll have to plan it as I go along (apart from the limbs/smaller branches).

Actually, I've somewhat assumed It's 40yr old age and that's only because of an old neighbour who reminisced about it years ago.

Anyway, out of interest what would you think would be the smallest diameter (and at what length) that someone could use/be interested in.....I'm thinking about what to do with the branches here.

All thoughts welcomed