Any sawmillers near the Burlington, Iowa area?

[Squirrell_Boy]

I may have a gift for you. I was approached by the friend of an extended family member who is taking down a nice tree. It is too far for me to go at this time, but it would be a shame to go to waste. I feel kind of like Santa Claus. It is nice to share. Especially with other FF members who give so much.

[Squirrell_Boy]

What? No replies so far! Surely someone must be close enough and interested in getting what sounds like a good Black Walnut tree. Don't let that tree become firewood my friends. We are all on a mission.

I might just have to drive down there in spite of the 3 + dollar a gallon gas.

[beenthere]

What do you know that makes it sound like a good Black Walnut tree?
What are the chances of posting a photo of the tree, showing where it is at, a bit about it's size, its quality, and any other particulars?  Some are worth a trip, but most are at best....firewood (and I don't bother even making firewood out of my thinnings). Any chance of a photo? 

[Dodgy Loner]

I wish I could take you up on your generous offer.  My sister does, indeed, live in Burlington, IA, but I reside in the great state of Georgia.  A good desciption of the tree in question would do much for locating a proper home for it.

[Squirrell_Boy]

Dang, You are guys are harshing my mellow, raining on my parade to try to be generous. He described it as being too big to get his arms around and he is a pretty good sized guy. He said that it went about 12 to 14 feet before having some limbs and is a healthy tree. He is planning to remove it to build a garage.

I will contact him tomorrow to try to get more specific info and maybe a picture.

Sorry for the slow response. I had a very long day.

[Squirrell_Boy]

I spoke with the owner yesterday and he said he won't be able to take pictures until next weekend. He described it as a big tree and said it will probably have to be taken down in sections. It is an urban tree so it could possibly have some metal in it. I'll post pictures when they become available.

[Furby]

The fact that it may need to come down in sections means it's probly in a tight yard and the owner probly had a removal quote around $2500 or so.
It being walnut almost guarantees there is metal in it, add in the fact it is an uban tree and there should be no doubt that there is metal in it.

Don't mean to rain on you parade, but these things are waaaay to common to assume anything else from.

[TexasTimbers]

Yep. Your gesture was nice though don't think it was not appreciated. And post those pictures anyway. It's always fun to look at a big, fat, solid-looking walnut and say "What If":

1) It doesn't have metal in it?
2) It wasn't so far away?
3) It is veneer grade?
4) I  can get paid to remove it?

Ah but they are always just "waht ifs" in the end.

[Squirrell_Boy]

Finally some pictures to show of the Walnut tree. Okay, so it isn't veneer quality, but it could still be made good use of. Anyone interested?

[thurlow]

I sure wish I was closer.   

[beenthere]

When is he taking it down?

[olyman]

power lines next to it at the top--and hardly a straight piece in it----yup---2500 est!!!!!

[chet]

Man, I'm mov'n south, $2500.     On da ground, no clean up, maybe 3 or 4 hundred, at best.

[Furby]

Are you kidding Chet ???
I can give you a job on a couple of trees with those kind of prices!!!

[Squirrell_Boy]

I sent the owner an e-mail to see when it will be cut down and wrote that if someone is truly interested they should speak with him before it is felled. That way they can have some control over how it is cut up.

I believe he said it would be taken down in a week or two...,but then again i also thought he said it went 12 to 14 feet before it limbed out. Maybe he grew about another 6 feet since i talked with him. I do see a couple of good crotch possiblities. I guess otherwise it depends on what end use you might have in mind. 

Let me know and i will put you in touch with him.

[TexasTimbers]

I think the estimate of $2500 is fair and reasonable. That would include removal and clean up of course. There is some risk involved with this take down.

I'm with you Furby. We could hire chet to put it on the ground for us, and get some local immigrants to cut it up and haul it off. Decent profit.

Don't screw up Chet we are taking the profit because we are taking the risk.

[Squirrell_Boy]

Sorry for the delays in getting back. I sent an e-mail asking when he planned to have the tree taken down, but haven't gotten an e-mail back yet. I'll find his number and give him a call.

[thurlow]

I betcha if he gets it down and bucked to length, SOMEBODY will move it for $2500.............. 

[sawmilllawyer]

Thurlow;  ;D are you sure? 'cause it quite a ride from Oklahoma to up there and gas is $3.00 a gallon.

[thurlow]

keyjay's considering putting together a team;  we need to pursue this further.  We've got members in Ioway;  there might be a couple of hundred dollars apiece in this.   pc_smiley

[metalspinner]

That is typical of the walnut logs I pick up around here.  There are some good boards in there and plenty of turning blanks.  Just make sure it's cut as close to the ground as possible.  You don't want to lose any bit of the material that is there.

[Squirrell_Boy]

My most humble apolagies. I had to move a bunch of lumber today and totally forgot to call him. I do have his address, phone number and e-mail...somewhere. Let's see... in the truck? My billfold...or that thingy for business cards...uhh...

I will try to contact him tomorrow...maybe i have the beginnings of that one brain disease, but i can't remember what it is called.

[Squirrell_Boy]

I found his number and called him today. I had put his info in a folder to try to help keep me more organized...no wonder i couldn't find it.

He would like the tree cut down and removed in exchange for the lumber obtained from it. I explained that the cost to remove such a tree and then process it could negate any financial benefit for the person doing the work. I told him that most of the people i might be able to contact are sawmillers and not tree services. That tree services are insured, etc for such work. I also told him that the cost could push 2,000 or more in this region and to be wary of low ball offers. You don't get good people and eqipment for cheap. I have seen some great crews and then some that were downright frightening. It is a wonder that some of them are not dead or badly injured. I'm sure they have done property damage at times.

I guess some homeowners must hear of high prices for veneer quality black walnut and think that their tree must have some significant value on the stump.

Anyway if anyone is still interested send me an e-mail or personal message on the forum. I did encourage him to get some quotes from some tree services and that a sawmiller might be able to save him a lot of money by being able to remove the larger parts of the wood waste.

I am planning to call him back in a couple of days and go over things again.

One thing that some of you may consider about urban trees is converting some of the wood for timber framing purposes if it is not a furniture quality tree. You can cut some *DanG fine braces and sometimes good posts and beams.

As Albert Einstein was noted to say many times, "Creativity and imagination are even more important than knowledge." Mix some creativity with your hard earned knowledge and sometimes painful experience and do something special. - Me.

[Squirrell_Boy]

Just got an e-mail from him. He has a service that will cut it down and grind the stump for 800$. I think that is U.S. currency. I told him to give me a day or two to post it and wait for a reply. I also told him not to grind the stump until i get back with him. Any takers? There may be some good wood there depending on what you want to do with it.