Million Dollar Walnut

[T Welsh]

Got a call to go to this job and grind two big stumps and pick up the logs.need skid steer and stump grinder. that,s what the ticket read. arrived at the job and unloaded and ground the stumps and loaded the logs, leveled the stump grindings out and loaded the skid steer,homeowner comes out and says you forgot the logs in back! we walked back and here is this walnut log laying in the yard? he paid our take down crew extra to drop it and leave. That,s fine. He turns to me and said I,ll sell it to you,looked closer to the log and I saw all the spikes nailed into it, and told him no thanks you can have it. he asked me what it was worth, I said firewood!He said I heard that walnuts are worth a million dollars. told him there,s your million dollars. long story short I took them for free



Lets see if any one can guess why the spikes where driven into the tree :D (hint) in a hedgerow next to a shed! Tim

[Bibbyman]

Was there any reason given for driving all the spikes into the walnut?

[zopi]

Nailed the shed to the tree?

[hackberry jake]

Deer stand?

[jueston]

those look like some highly valueble black walnut trees....

but i am going to agree that i think it was for a deer stand....

[islandlogger]

Back yard weekend warrior tree spikers...!!!??? (or a deer stand or shed or or or...)

[Bodger]

Around here the old timers say it will make a pecan tree produce more if you drive nails into the trunk.  I don't know about production but I know that's good for the guys that sell chain saw chains.

[Carpenter]

     I heard of a guy once, who could throw 16 penny nails and stick them into a 2x4 like throwing a throwing knife. 

     I'm guessing that was his practice tree.

[red oaks lumber]

atleast they used galvanized nails, they won't rust off in the log :D

[Chuck White]

I think the shed was supported by the tree.

[T Welsh]

Yes,there was a reason, and the deer stand was my first guess too. but it is not the reason. keep on guessing guys. next hint(has to do with the tree itself) OK one more hint(look at the spacing of the spikes) homeowner was not a happy camper,he almost insisted that I give him money for the logs. when I pointed out that theres metal in these logs and do you know what it does to walnut,it will turn all black over time(I didnt tell him that hopefully galvinised wouldnt do it) :D plus they go in about 3 to 4 inches and all the lumber that is cut off that side will have holes in them every 12" ;D. he said what do I do with them,I told him firewood,he said he didnt need firewood. I told him good luck I am loaded up and ready to go. he was none to friendly about this whole thing. me,I am smiling and being polite and turned to him and said,look I will unload the machine run back and take them if you want ,but I will not give you a dime for the wood. got back to the shop and asked what the story with this guy was. they filled me in on the reason and I felt a little bad,but it only lasted about 5 minutes ;D Tim

[thecfarm]

Hang Christmas lights on it.

[tomsteve]

checking yearly growth

[metalspinner]

A ten year old boy nailed a ladder up the tree.

After being pulled, the remaining spike holes would probably be slabbed off.  But after pulling them, I would certainly metal detect like crazy.

[Chuck White]

Another guess!

Overkill on nailing a board fence to the tree!  :-\

[logboy]

They had a ladder nailed to the tree to climb up and harvest the Walnuts?

[clww]

Treehouse ladder?
Clotheslines?
Shed nailed to tree?
Tracking the roatation of the earth in relation to the position of the sun?
Measuring the heighth of yearly snow accumulations?
Power boost for his television sets rabbit ears?
???

[islandlogger]

Ive Got It!! It is a very little know and in fact extremely "hush hush" operation related to this!! There is in fact small crews paid to drive around and "scout" out trees that fit the bill for this and sucker the land owner into compliance! The "million dollar walnut" theme is not actually far off. Beleive it or not there are extremely wealthy and very high end home owners that will pay supremely absurd prices for Walnut with a certain "figure" induced into it. The method of nailing in the pattern shown and using Galvy spikes is vital. So here's how it works: the crew spots a good tree and approaches the land owner with a offer saying they have a little known market for specialty wood but it means "dis figuring your tree for a few years" after which they will harvest it for "free" and pay the land owner a flat $10K....well of course the land owner dances to the easy dollar signs!! So the crew spikes the trees up and says they will be by now and then to check "progress" and mantain the pattern. When the tree is "ripe" they indeed harvest it and the land owner gets a nice fat check for $10K and everybody is happy. So this crew takes the tree and mills it out, the results of the slabs taken from where the spikes were placed are carefully sanded down and finished and taken to the home owner who with great delight and put's it in it's "place" in his billion dollar mansion and cuts a great big fat check to the crew. Why? The use of Galvy spikes and nailing pattern induces a almost perfect replica of a Civil War era gattling gun that in it's rapid fire caught various trees in it's attempt to find the enemy there fore "high class" home owners can present this to their guests at dinner parties and brag about this "amazing piece history" that cam from the "battle of so and so" at which the guests will marvel and ooooh and ahhhhh and the home owner will feel ever so high and mighty with his "well worth the money" purchase!! So, that simply must be the answer to this!!  8)

[DR Buck]

I think the box the nails came in was broke and he need a place to store them.  ;D

[Mike@Norwood]

My ethnicity is begging for me to chime in.

My guess is that someone was attempting a game of Polish horseshoes   :D

wait, did I just blow my cover  ;D

Have a great one guys,
Mike at Norwood

[redbeard]

Island logger that's a great story you have my vote.

[Nomad]

     Nah...  You're all wrong.  It's just some Eco-Nut making sure somebody's "million dollar walnut" ain't worth a dime.  (Mostly 'cause HE ain't gonna get the money!)

[Axe Handle Hound]

-rope/wire for a deer fence to keep them from eating his hedgerow
-a clothesline
-ropes to support his hedgerow when it was growing


 

[T Welsh]

You guy,s kill me :D They where nailed in as a ladder,some of you guessed that! OK,so what did the homeowner try to do,with his make shift ladder? this is getting good responses 8). I know I had a little laugh at it. Next hint( he got about 20' up the tree) I am getting a good laugh out of this one. and I also got 2 medium walnuts that exhibit no metal stain ;D Just big wood pecker holes on one side. Tim

[wormy]

-was he peeping at his neighbor's wife?

[Brad_bb]

You're talking like you put one over on him.  For all you know you could hit metal a few times and ruin some bands.  There is risk here.  But it looks like you are assuming there is less risk than you led him to believe.  Maybe if you saw it and don't have any problems/metal, and get good wood, you can send him a fair price for the log?, you know, to keep good karma going....

[Mike@Norwood]

ok I got it now. He used that tree to go into stealth mode and zip line bow hunt the hedgerow and the different spikes were used as his range finder.

The shed was used as his dual purpose deer processing/first aid building. :D

He got the idea of the tree being worth a million dollars after a visit to his insurance agency. He wanted to insure his zip line tree so he could offer guided zip line hunts to the public. He didn't have the million dollars to insure the tree so he decided to sell of the business at the value of the policy.  8)

[T Welsh]

You're talking like you put one over on him.  For all you know you could hit metal a few times and ruin some bands.  There is risk here.  But it looks like you are assuming there is less risk than you led him to believe.  Maybe if you saw it and don't have any problems/metal, and get good wood, you can send him a fair price for the log?, you know, to keep good karma going....

No I was not putting one over on him. on the contrary I helped him out by taking them from his property,the price of the removal of two trees and grind the stumps and remove the wood was quoted,agreed upon and paid in full prior to my arrival. he paid our take down crew an extra $150.00 to drop and chip the tops of this tree while they where there taking the 2 front trees down. when I showed up to  finish I had no idea these where even there,I had a full load in the bunks and strapped down when he came out and approached me. I dont usually play hard ball,but he watched me for a half a day and then after I was ready to leave,machines loaded and bindered down.the way he said you forgot one,is what ticked me off,then I look at his million dollar walnut and chuckled to myself. I was polite and told him that it was not in the deal and I was sorry and I was not interested in his walnut. he ended up saying you can have it if you want it. DID I GET OVER ON HIM? I feel I did him a favor! I couldnt give a rats a-- about the logs,I get them every day :D Tim

[Dale Hatfield]

The home owner didnt own a ladder. He nailed one up the tree. So as to aid in the removal of said top of tree because it was  dirty with all of them walnut balls falling from the sky

[Al_Smith]

Most yard trees end up as firewood anyway ,walnut or no walnut .

[T Welsh]

The home owner didnt own a ladder. He nailed one up the tree. So as to aid in the removal of said top of tree because it was  dirty with all of them walnut balls falling from the sky

Dale won the prize.  After I got back at the shop and asked the crew leader about the job. he told me the homeowner tried to cut a branch that over hung his shed,cut the branch,it fell on the roof of the shed and HE fell out of the tree and hurt his back and was off for a month. I dont like to see anyone getting hurt or worse losing your life over a stupid limb.  but he was not the type that should have been doing this type of work in the first place. I think he learned his lesson,after we talked and he said take it,I want it gone. NOW I know why. I dont fault him on trying to get some money for his little walnut,but hey,dont let me load up and then try to get me to do you a favor with the machines that it just took a half hour to load and bind. Tim

[captain_crunch]

why do people think walnut trees are gold ??? ??? sawed two for a friend and only recovered 1/2 what he paid fer it

[zopi]

People get stupid over walnut...I would love to have a stash...but the dust drives me nuts...would rather play with oak or all the various hickories around here..

Would not kick some nice cherry to the curb though...

[jueston]

     Nah...  You're all wrong.  It's just some Eco-Nut making sure somebody's "million dollar walnut" ain't worth a dime.  (Mostly 'cause HE ain't gonna get the money!)

i have often wondered why one of those freakin hippy eco-terrorists hasn't taken up a paslode framing nailer and wondered around sinking a nail in every tree before a timber sale... oh yea, because they are too high sitting on there parents couch to do that....

[islandlogger]

i have often wondered why one of those freakin hippy eco-terrorists hasn't taken up a paslode framing nailer and wondered around sinking a nail in every tree before a timber sale... oh yea, because they are too high sitting on there parents couch to do that....
[/quote][/quote]

Ha haa, lord, how sad but how true it be, ges we should be grateful that can't get off that couch eh?

[T Welsh]

The homeowner was the type that he pays people to do everything for him. he drives a BMW and wife drives a Land Rover, they have a nice home and a pool and a giant deck,all for show! we have a lot of people that way around here,I am not profiling just made the connection with these types of people. He was almost telling me that I was going to pay him money on his walnut. that,s what ticked me off. you are just joe homeowner and your telling me that this log is worth money! then you sell it. I really did not want to run back into his yard and put wheel ruts in it to get these logs,because of that reason. he would then say fix the damage. I didnt get mad at the crew for moonlighting with our equipment,on our job,under our insurance to  make a little cash. I told them next time charge double you where to low. the homeowner thing and the million dollar walnut thing has been going on for years. I figure they must have read or heard that there,s gold in them there trees. and I knew you guys would get a chuckle out of it. if I offended any one,I am sorry that you can not get a good laugh in life. Tim

[Fil-Dill]

I think the heads were just on the wrong end of the nails to use on the shed.

[bugdust]

A wise man once said, "stupid is as stupid does." Huh, been there and done that too. I have several NICE hemlocks, but as a boy I thought it was real cool to drive nails in these trees to build a cabin. I could probably saw them off above 4', but I don't remember if I had a "partner-in-crime" taller than I was.  :'(

[qbilder]

Ive Got It!! It is a very little know and in fact extremely "hush hush" operation related to this!! There is in fact small crews paid to drive around and "scout" out trees that fit the bill for this and sucker the land owner into compliance! The "million dollar walnut" theme is not actually far off. Beleive it or not there are extremely wealthy and very high end home owners that will pay supremely absurd prices for Walnut with a certain "figure" induced into it. The method of nailing in the pattern shown and using Galvy spikes is vital. So here's how it works: the crew spots a good tree and approaches the land owner with a offer saying they have a little known market for specialty wood but it means "dis figuring your tree for a few years" after which they will harvest it for "free" and pay the land owner a flat $10K....well of course the land owner dances to the easy dollar signs!! So the crew spikes the trees up and says they will be by now and then to check "progress" and mantain the pattern. When the tree is "ripe" they indeed harvest it and the land owner gets a nice fat check for $10K and everybody is happy. So this crew takes the tree and mills it out, the results of the slabs taken from where the spikes were placed are carefully sanded down and finished and taken to the home owner who with great delight and put's it in it's "place" in his billion dollar mansion and cuts a great big fat check to the crew. Why? The use of Galvy spikes and nailing pattern induces a almost perfect replica of a Civil War era gattling gun that in it's rapid fire caught various trees in it's attempt to find the enemy there fore "high class" home owners can present this to their guests at dinner parties and brag about this "amazing piece history" that cam from the "battle of so and so" at which the guests will marvel and ooooh and ahhhhh and the home owner will feel ever so high and mighty with his "well worth the money" purchase!! So, that simply must be the answer to this!!  8)

:D That's crazy. Either you have an incredible imagination, or else this really happens. Either way an entertaining read. Thanks

[Brad_bb]

why do people think walnut trees are gold ??? ??? sawed two for a friend and only recovered 1/2 what he paid fer it

Because it's beautiful, and not cheap to buy, leastways not around here.

T Welsh, I'm just saying it "sounded" that way from your post.  I was arguing that even if you did think that, you could be wrong.  No biggie.

[logboy]

Much of the "valuable walnut" out there for sale by homeowners around me should be cut up for firewood. Somehow the seed got planted that anything Walnut (branches and all) is worth its weight in gold and they have priced it accordingly.  They have one tiny short twig from a yard tree that probably has metal in it and they expect veneer prices. Most of the logs are just sapwood and pith.  Here is another one from Craigslist just listed yesterday:

"Just had our black walnut cut down, selling the main part of the tree. Solid, straight log. Length is 6 feet 2 inches, width is between 12 and 14 inches. Beautiful wood.   $250 or best offer"

$250 for 30 board feet of Walnut log? Thats $8.33 per board foot not including the cost of milling or transporting it.  You can buy KD Walnut lumber in town for $5.00 a bdft.

[beenthere]

Not bad, if you (they) can get it.
If there is a buyer who also thinks the walnut is valuable, then they make a deal and prolly both are happy. If no buyer, then no sale happens.

$250 or best offer.   It is the "best offer" that may attract a buyer to at least take a look. This time of year, there are many who dust off the lathe and start turning. It is also the time when many realize that green wood will dry out, shrink, and crack. ;)  Too late then to take it back to the seller for cash back.