Harvesting a Nice Black Walnut Tree


Bmac

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  • Bmac changed the title to Harvesting a Nice Black Walnut Tree
56 minutes ago, Spanky said:

Ain’t the white sapwood a little wide for a northern walnut? I have never cut a northern walnut tree. That looks like a southern walnut by the white sapwood.

I think you have been fertilizing that tree. ;)

Delaware is further south than you think, we are below the Mason Dixon Line!

Actually a few walnuts I cut last year had real wide sapwood, global warming maybe?

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If they are growing in good rich soil they will have alot of white sapwood. I have cut them here with 1” or less sapwood and as wide as 4” of white sapwood. The wide white sapwood will made a walnut bring $1 to $2 per ft less money than one with a1” or less on it.

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Here's a quick update;

Just scheduled the bandsaw mill for mid-Dec, will cost me $80 per hr. I will break the tree down and arrange the logs this weekend so I'll be all ready for the sawyer. Planning to use a friends bobcat to get the logs lined up for the mill. Preparation is key to minimizing the bill. 

More to come...

 

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Spent a few minutes today breaking down this nice tree. Got 3 great saw logs about 8' each from below the crotch. Cut the crotch piece out and in the foreground you see a few smaller logs cut from above the crotch. I'll mill the crotch piece and the smaller logs with my chainsaw mill. The bandsaw mill will take care of the 3 main/big logs. 

Next I need to move the logs to get them lined up and in position for the bandsaw mill. The mill will be set up near where my truck is parked. 

You can also see the ends have all been sealed, I use anchorseal and this will get clear when it dries.

1531467438_milling21.jpg.7feaad1af56add5a30969974ce061df8.jpg

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Yes, that’s working! You learn to do a lot of different things growing up on a farm. That will last a life time. The ole country farm boy’s can do just about anything.

I logged and farmed beef cows. I sold the farm a few years ago and quit, no money in farming anymore. I like to work but not far free. The family farms are just about gone now.

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16 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

Man i wish i could get the pay check i get and do nothing but saw logs all day... ZZZzzzz :D:P

 

13 minutes ago, Spanky said:

I get to saw logs all day, but I get to hear the woodworkers cry too about the price of lumber. :o

I think of sawing logs and being outside working all day as recreation, that may sound weird but it is fun for me. I also think if I had to do it for a living the fun would go away. If I was doing it everyday and no one wanted to pay me then the fun would go away very quickly.

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48 minutes ago, Spanky said:

I get to saw logs all day, but I get to hear the woodworkers cry too about the price of lumber. :o

Was my joke too clever? Sawing logs aka snoring? Ya know like sleeping all day.

28 minutes ago, Bmac said:

 

I think of sawing logs and being outside working all day as recreation, that may sound weird but it is fun for me. I also think if I had to do it for a living the fun would go away. If I was doing it everyday and no one wanted to pay me then the fun would go away very quickly.

To me the manual labor and being outside is my recreation as well. It helps clear the mind and makes you realize what matters. I agree doing it for a paycheck would get old fast. I don't know what makes it change but there is something about adding money to the equation that just sucks the fun out of stuff. There are a few exceptions to that. Like driving. I love getting paid to drive. I get a fair amount of windshield time with my job and it's the best break a guy can get.

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Spent some time today moving logs. Logs lined up for bandsaw mill scheduled on Mon. Looks like rain will cause us to reschedule. Here's the lineup;

First 3 logs are Paulownia, 14"-12";

1028906989_milling23.jpg.ad3c62d30451e8a4e450b8499e565cbd.jpg

Next 3 are Walnut, 26" at widest, secondary logs at 18-20";

385417668_milling24.jpg.bda253c7eba3371a637ca6232d214bc3.jpg

5 White Oak logs, average size around 22-24:, widest part of butt log 28"

1169426827_milling25.jpg.38b95ad65524ea833e377c8588dbf3e4.jpg

Smaller Walnut, Paulownia, and 2 good sized White Oak logs in the background, hoping for good weather.

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On 12/10/2018 at 6:15 AM, Spanky said:

Yes, that’s working! You learn to do a lot of different things growing up on a farm. That will last a life time. The ole country farm boy’s can do just about anything.

I logged and farmed beef cows. I sold the farm a few years ago and quit, no money in farming anymore. I like to work but not far free. The family farms are just about gone now.

We sold off most of ours over there past decade. There's a little house that sits on the front 20 of what used to be 700 acres of our farm.  All that's left.

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