The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: boonesyard on May 21, 2018, 03:30:48 PM

Title: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 21, 2018, 03:30:48 PM
We don't find much walnut around here, so I'm wondering how much it's worth? Best description from the customer is it's straight, 22" at the big end and 11' long. My bet is it's medium quality according to the description. Wondering what would be a fair price? 
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: WV Sawmiller on May 21, 2018, 04:21:37 PM
   Good question. What are you going to do with it?  Has he run a metal detector over it? Did he seal the ends when he cut/bucked it? What happened to the rest of the tree? I'd guess there is about 175 bf (assuming 20" inside bark on the little end - probably less) but not sure how much sapwood we would lose and my walnut likes to check so I'd expect some loss there. Unless you have a specific need for it I'd probably offer to saw it on halves and if he did not want the wood I'd offer $100-$125 for the log delivered or if it was close by and I had a truck or trailer to move it without too much trouble. If you have a specific need or customer waiting for it you might offer more.

 Here walnut is pretty plentiful so I don't buy it and tie up my money but do offer to saw on shares.

 Unless I had a specific order for something different, if I had it I would saw to about an 7"-8" face on each side, rip the outer slabs into quarter/partially round stock for bench legs, get a 4" live edge fireplace mantel out of the middle and maybe 4 - 8/4 live edge slabs. I'd try to sell the rough/unfinished mantel for $300-$400 (depending on how it turned out) and hopefully a couple of the wide slabs for $100-$150 each and might make 4-5 live edge mortise and tenon benches out of the other/narrower slabs. finish and tung oil finish them and hopefully sell them $200 or so each.

  Potentially I could make a lot of money off this log but it would probably take me a 2-3 years to sell all of it at those prices and the boards might split like a ripe melon when I cut them or be full of nails.

 You could probably sell for about half those prices and get your money quicker but make less - your choice. Good luck.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 21, 2018, 04:36:05 PM
Not sure about the iron, but will check it. I don't have an immediate use, so planned on a lesser offer. He had two, but cut the first one in to firewood until he realized what he had.  
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: mike_belben on May 21, 2018, 04:52:55 PM
Lowball him.  The log isnt gonna be as good as he describes and youre probably the only bidder
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: Southside on May 21, 2018, 09:03:15 PM
It's "Highly Valuable Walnut" must be at least $30K if you listen to the internet. In reality the guys above have it right. 
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: Brad_bb on May 21, 2018, 10:23:24 PM
First you need to think in terms of Board Feet if you don't already.  Calculate the BF in the log by measuring the diameter on the small end inside the bark.  Then use the Doyle scale to determine your Board Feet.  I often use the log volume calculator on Woodweb.

Now figure out what price per board foot you're willing to pay.  For good saw logs I average about $1/BF for the logs themselves, but usually pay a delivery cost on top of that because I don't have the ability to haul logs.  For 1100-1500BF I pay about $100.  I buy most from the same guy and he will haul a full load in his dump truck and it's pretty consistent.  Now I pay that because there isn't any logging industry around me per say.  Another sawyer about 25 minutes from me pays that for Walnut.  Some places where it's plentiful, I know a guy who pays nothing for Walnut.  He knows a developer who clears for construction and gets logs free, but he has to load and haul them.

It all depends on your area, the market, and the competition.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: olcowhand on May 22, 2018, 04:33:18 AM
If he uses firewood, maybe offer to trade him some firewood for it.....
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: ToddsPoint on May 22, 2018, 05:08:32 AM
What's a used car worth?  It depends...   Gary
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: nativewolf on May 22, 2018, 06:23:59 AM
BB offered the good advice.  Not a huge market for it in your area so it is unusual but also no buyers.  $1/bf would be fair I think.  You get to saw something neat for not too much money.

Really good walnut is about $3/bf in walnut land for a single log like that.  If he had many than maybe more buyers come to bid.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 22, 2018, 09:18:15 AM
Thanks all for the help.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 22, 2018, 10:04:09 AM
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on May 21, 2018, 04:21:37 PM
  Good question. What are you going to do with it?  Has he run a metal detector over it? Did he seal the ends when he cut/bucked it? What happened to the rest of the tree? I'd guess there is about 175 bf (assuming 20" inside bark on the little end - probably less) but not sure how much sapwood we would lose and my walnut likes to check so I'd expect some loss there. Unless you have a specific need for it I'd probably offer to saw it on halves and if he did not want the wood I'd offer $100-$125 for the log delivered or if it was close by and I had a truck or trailer to move it without too much trouble. If you have a specific need or customer waiting for it you might offer more.

Here walnut is pretty plentiful so I don't buy it and tie up my money but do offer to saw on shares.

Unless I had a specific order for something different, if I had it I would saw to about an 7"-8" face on each side, rip the outer slabs into quarter/partially round stock for bench legs, get a 4" live edge fireplace mantel out of the middle and maybe 4 - 8/4 live edge slabs. I'd try to sell the rough/unfinished mantel for $300-$400 (depending on how it turned out) and hopefully a couple of the wide slabs for $100-$150 each and might make 4-5 live edge mortise and tenon benches out of the other/narrower slabs. finish and tung oil finish them and hopefully sell them $200 or so each.

 Potentially I could make a lot of money off this log but it would probably take me a 2-3 years to sell all of it at those prices and the boards might split like a ripe melon when I cut them or be full of nails.

You could probably sell for about half those prices and get your money quicker but make less - your choice. Good luck.
WVS - I like your ideas for this log, I'm pretty handy in the shop so I think I'll make a go of this. I'm trying to make a cut diagram but I'm not following your description (still a newbie at this). It sounds like it would make the most out of the log, I'm just not quit seeing it. Any additional help is appreciated.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: mike_belben on May 22, 2018, 11:48:31 AM
What he described is basically a plan to not waste any material on thin cuts trying to get your first flat surfaces.  Go in deep and wack out a fat slab, set that asside to reclaim smaller lengths of good furniture stock from between the knots.  Legs, Rungs, armrests and so forth dont need to be very long so you can generally whittle blanks out from between the defects on a slab.  But not if you slab it off into au grautin skim passes.

 Just go in heavy on your first cut and hope for a good face to appear for your mantle.  The main product.   Youll whittle off some sideboards as needed to get that mantle looking its best on the primary viewing sides.  But each pass you take off is ideally a sellable sized strip of lumber, not just a cull scrap.  
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: WV Sawmiller on May 22, 2018, 01:29:51 PM
   Keep in mind if you make primitive benches you can install the legs, put the bench on the mill upside down and make one pass to cut all the legs off at the same height and angle.

  Other options might include some bookmatching if you needed some 30" or so table tops and are good at joinery work. If doing that you might want to cut some 3" slabs, edge one side as tight as you can then resaw keeping them together. I would avoid splitting the pith - one of the reasons for the mantel from the middle.

   Good luck. As others mentioned just don't overpay for the log. Unless you already have a dedicated market it may take a while to recoup what you pay for the log. 

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/38064/IMG_0289~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527010290)
Live edge benches - I cut mine at 17"
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 22, 2018, 02:33:06 PM
Got it. Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: How much is a walnut log worth
Post by: boonesyard on May 22, 2018, 02:36:44 PM
Do you dry your slabs for you benches or do you put them together green?