4/4 Ruff sawn Black Walnut

[tstephenson]

First time posting here on WTO. I had a bit of good fortune last year and it looks like this year too. We had a black walnut tree die on our property in the Texas Hill Country. It was huge--30"+ in diameter at the base and just over 8' to the first crotch. First two limbs were over 18" in diameter with little sapwood. I called a local sawyer, and he cut it all up into boards for $200. I haven't bothered to calculate the cost. I just go out to the shop and smile at my stack of 16-20" wide boards! I was at the property a few weeks ago, and the drought has claimed another tree. I am planning to have it cut the week after Christmas. I'm hoping that the trunk is solid and the crotch is pretty. I'll let you know.

Tom

[Beechwood Chip]

Keep in mind that the limbs will be "reaction wood": the top will be pulling and the bottom will be pushing. It will move more than most when you cut it.

By the way, I get about 42 cents a board foot for the main trunk alone, and all the other wood was "free". Good fortune, indeed!

[tstephenson]

Chip

Thanks. I'm air drying the wood and have it stickered in my garage/shop. I had most of it cut 6/4 to allow for some movement and to be able to get a finished thickness of 1" or 7/8". The trunk had a check that was starting to rot from the bottom. It caused some of the boards from the middle of the tree to have long checks in them. I am already planning a sofa table with one of them and intend to 'celebrate' the check by using dovetail keys to keep the check from opening up. Looking forward to it!