Hard to believe

[rambo]

Today I was scoping out a large English Walnut tree ( 42" diameter) and I had an urban tree cutter tell me the mills near Erie, PA were paying between 8 and 10 per board foot for walnut. I find that hard to believe. Can anyone verify that? What is the most a mill has paid you for walnut?

[sawguy21]

For that kind of money I would ship all I have. If I had any. :D

[Okrafarmer]

Maybe he meant between 8 and 10 cents, but that seems a little low. Sounds like another one of those urban walnut myths. They're rampant.

Maybe a veneer buyer pays that much occasionally for a premium of premium veneer walnut log, but I think those days are mostly in the past unless I miss my guess.

I've heard all the stories, of the $17,000 walnut tree, and all that kind of thing. I hear them over and over again. I keep telling people, go back and find that person who said they would give you that much for it. Sell it, take the money, and run. I might pay as high as .80 / bf for a veneer quality log, myself, but I never have seen one since I started sawmilling. I did see what may have qualified as one before that, though, cleared for a house lot on Glassy Mountain.

[thenorthman]

few months ago got a quote from a mill in Orygone at $1.5 to 2.75 a foot depending quality etc.  Which is still a nice price for a yard tree (tree still lives, and Orygone is a long drive away...)

Could be that someone somewhere saw a walnut board at the lumber yard and assumes that the mills pay that much for the logs?

[Okrafarmer]

Around here, in the Woodcrafter's retail store, kd planed black walnut boards go for $8 / bf. I sell A/D or K/D black walnut, rough cut, for around $4.50-5 / bf.

[rambo]

Around here, in the Woodcrafter's retail store, kd planed black walnut boards go for $8 / bf. I sell A/D or K/D black walnut, rough cut, for around $4.50-5 / bf.

I agree. I think the person that told my urban tree cutter that did not have their facts correct. I know that kiln dried FAS is going for $4.70 a board foot in my area but I am about 2 hours away from Erie,pa. My tree cutter is going to look into this and when he talks to the mills up there I will update this thread.