Walnut and Pecan

[Randy]

OK, I am back for more help and advice. I just got off of the phone with a customer that has  6 tree's of pecan and 5 walnut he wants cut. I have never cut either. He lives a hour from me. He would like to do it on 1/2's. He will have them down and he also said he will haul the boards to a kiln then give me half after its dry. OK, my question's. How to cut this(flat or quarter)? Will it be hard to cut? Would you cut it on 1/2's?  I don't have a source to sell any wood in my area,  what type of place do I need to check with to move Walnut? If I was to cut this--I like to bring my "Pay" home with me when I finish, not months later (after drying) so How important is it kiln dry this? What do most people build with pecan and walnut? Keep in mind I am cutting the lumber in my spare time to build me a 1600sqft cabin. I know I ask aloy of questions, but any help will be greatly appreciated!!! Randy

[Tom]

Don't know about the walnut but the pecan will cut about like a concrete sidewalk. :D  You will go through a lot of blades and misery learning what isn't working.   It can be done but your first experience will probably not be a good one.

You don't have a market?   Don't cut on halves.

Now, if you want the wood for your own use, it may be worth it.  I agree that I would want my wood when it's cut, not down the road a couple of months and have somebody else pick over it first.  Perhaps you could mark the ends of the boards that are yours and inventory them so that they don't get in somebody else's stack.

If you don't need the boards and don't have a  market then your money is going to be tied up forever while you try to find something to use the wood for.  Why should you be left holding the bag?

My personal opinion is that i would flat saw pecan unless I was particularly interested in the stability of vertical grain.

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/ch03.pdf

[music_boy]

I cut my first and last hickory(pecan more or less)) The new blade wanted to wave.You slow down, blade heats up. By the time I got to the end of the cut, the board was standing 6 " up at the other end. So much stress in that log that the board jumped off the saw deck onto the ground. Good sled runner wood :D :D :D Pretty wood, but I'd have to have a real need to saw that stuff.
My thoughts
Rick

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Don't be afraid to ask about the Walnut crotches. Most folks see them as junk. If he don't want them, agree to haul them off for him. ;D ;D ;D  That's where the $$$$$ are. ;)

[music_boy]

You betcha,,,, and ask only for a nominal haulers fees too ;D :D :D :D :D
Rick

[DanG]

I don't often disagree with my friend, Tom, but I'd go for it in a heartbeat. Look at it this way. I charge $.20bf for sawing, and sell common pine for $.40bf.  That's halves, right there. Walnut and Pecan sell for a lot more than Pine, but my sawing charge is the same. I say, if you can do the job without hurting your finances, go for it. You could realize a lot more than $.20bf in the long run. If you can't sell it, I'll give you $.40bf for it when I'm up there in April. ;D :D

Oh yeah! I have a circle saw, so that hard stuff don't bother me none. ;D

[Randy]

OK, if you don't know----You don't know-----------What is walnut crotches?? And how can I get $$$$$$ out of them. Thanks Randy

[music_boy]

A Walnut crotch is where the trees nuts ;D :D I mean the tree branches from a straight log into limbs. Highly figured. Prized for gun stocks, ornate table tops, and the like.
Rick

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Randy, click on this link. Tells ya all ya wanna know. ;D ;D

https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=sawmill;action=display;num=1103328690

[WH_Conley]

If you don't want to wait til dry make 2 piles of wood of the saw, try to keep them even as to quality and let the customer pick which one he wants. If I did know the customer I don't think I want to wait on my wood and maybe it wouldn't be there. Only said that because I got burned once, this could be a good deal and the customer a great guy to deal with.
    
Never sawed pecan but the walnut will saw a lot easier than hickory. For the hickory I use a sharp blade with a lot of water lube and auto dishwasher soap, water is cheaper than blades.

[woodhick]

 I cry :'( :'( every time I hear someone talk about walnut crotches. I had a very nice one back  last summer on my uncles farm ( he's having it timbered).  Timber man wasn't interested in crotch, 36" butt 7' long forked to 2- 18-20" trees.  He cut trees and dropped butt for me and shoved it against hill for me to pickup.  Well I waited too long, the next week we got a lot of rain.  Water up crotch gone!!!  I've walked 2-3 miles downstream trying to find this piece but to no avail :'(   I also build furniture and had a special project for my wife in mind for this piece.  You be I won't wait on the next one, if there ever is a next one.  Several miles from me there is a walnut around 20" with a burl in the top that is a least 36" in diameter.  Landowner won't sell. :'( :'(

[BBTom]

I don't like to be the cynical one, but someone has to do it.  It has been my experience that almost half the guys that want to cut on shares, don't own the logs they want cut.  They have gotten permission to get firewood from a farmer or absentee landowner, and figure noone wouldn't miss a couple walnut logs here or there.  They get free (stolen) logs and get free sawing to top it off.  

Just make certain that they do own the logs they want you to cut, and keep yourself out of trouble.  

[MemphisLogger]

I don't saw on shares since the customer always wants to keep the grade and give me (you) the junk.

If you do saw it, saw the Walnut for grade and quartersaw the Pecan--it'll dry much nicer.  

[inspectorwoody]

As far as the Walnut....Saw it....You can always find an end user for it...Its beautifal wood....exspensive...

We just finished cutting Walnut at the mill. We cut 4/4 and 5/4 flat sawn and 8/4 and 10/4 Quarter sawn. The thick stocks goes to a company who makes gun stocks etc. I prefer Walnut either way.

I say Go Ahead  

Gadget

Any more questions...just yell  ;)

[ARKANSAWYER]

  I saw on halves all the time.  When a board comes off the mill you put it in one of two stacks.  As you saw one board goes here and one there and you keep the width and lengths the same.  At the end of the day you have the customer pick his pile.  You load yours up and take it home right NOW!  If I can not carry it all home in one trip I paint the ends of my pile blue and count the amount and write up a tally.  When it comes to fine walnut lumber trust no man. (that means me as well)
  Hickory is tuff to saw and the longer the logs have been down the easier it is to saw. (unless it is rotten)  Take a slab then a fletching and trun 180 and do it again.  Turn 90 and start over.  Do not take more then two cuttings on any one face with out truning.  Sharp blades and some lube are the keys .  Hickory will gum up a blade most quick and is tuff to saw.  I like mine flat sawn because qsawn bows to much.  When you get to about 6x6 size cant just saw to the deck.
  Woodhick do not worry about that walnut as FDH will find it in the river one day and he knows what to do with it. ;D
ARKANSAWYER

[MemphisLogger]

Arky,

You mean to say that QS Hickory crooks too much (?) I've observed that but I've never had any bow except when I plainsawed it  ???.