Funky trees, many pictures and many questions ?

[Daren]

I am posting some picture here of different trees all in one yard and am really perplexed by them and have questions that could fit in any of the boards, so I thought I would put them here. I got a call from a lady who said she had some funky trees in her yard I could have if I wanted them (she heard through someone else that was my thing) They just bought the house and all the trees are "ugly". So another member "fitter" went over and snapped several pictures for me. I can't figure it out. I did not make it over to look at them myself, but know there are 4-5 trees (pictures from different angles) on the same small lot that have abmormal growth. I know 2 are catalpa, and think one is maple (the one with the squirrel feeder nailed to it  :) There is 1-2 that has what looks like redbud seed pods, I think I brought this up before and some mentioned that was a different species and the bumps were not unusual.







catalpa



catalpa





3 funky trees in the front yard in the same picture





catalpa

[Coon]

those aren't ugly trees, there unique.  What you gonna make outta dem?

[tdelorme]

Them is some sure nuff ugly trees that some of them wood turning folks would kill for.  I'm thinking they are transplants from Love Canal  :D :D

[Jeff]

I'd swap some of my nice tall straight red oak out of my yard if you could put those in thier place. Them aint ugly, they are spectacular!

[Daren]

Them aint ugly, they are spectacular!

I hear that, I already said funky is my thing, if they where in my yard they would outlive me nature willing. They want them gone, better me take them and use them than have them cut and burned/chipped, that is what they would do with them if I didn't show interest (and I showed plenty  ;), cut them down and clean up most of the mess for free). The trees are mine now, and I will replace them with the ornamental of their choice. I still wonder what caused the anomalies ? The neighbors trees are "normal". I can walk 200 acres of timber around here and not see 5 freak trees like those. Why did they all grow on a 90' x 120' lot ? I don't know about environment/genetics in burls (I am assuming these are burls) but the trees are different species... so environment had to play a part here, every tree in the yard is non typical.     

[Paschale]

That's fascinating.  I hope you update this thread as they come down, and then when you cut them open.  What species are they? 

[blaze83]

those are really interesting, look forward to seeing pic's of some of the lumber you get....hopefully their isn't a nail under every lump, bump or knob :

[Daren]

It's going to be a little dicey. Fitter took several more pictures showing the bad stuff for me to think about. The catalpas look pretty much hollow, and the tops and some big limbs are dead. I am hoping since catalpa is rot resistant even though it is dead/dry there is some decent wood left, but don't have any experience with standing dead catalpa to know. I plan on salvaging all I can, even if it just small turning pieces.

There is going to be a fair amount of junk. I got pictures of a thermometer and squirrel feeder on one tree and an ingrown insulator on another. I saw alot of yard trees, tramp metal is nothing new really. I plan on selling some of the bumps to other turners, but I don't want them to "Get a FREE nail with every piece of wood"  :, that just doesn't sound like a strong marketing point, or a way to get repeat business  :D

[TexasTimbers]

Man I'm not EVEN going to lie and say that. If they were in a place I bought the first thing i would do is buy some fast growers to replace them because they would get cut pronto. The second thing I would do is buy a lathe!

[scgargoyle]

What did the lady look like? :

[Daren]

What did the lady look like? :

Since you asked, she is a very pretty young woman.

Does anyone have experience with standing dead catalpa ? Are the dead parts going to be worth messing with ?

[rebocardo]

Why on just that lot might be because of all the things people nailed to the trees, which gave bugs a chance, which took along fungi or something else for the ride which deformed the trees.

[jon12345]

Maybe the were transplants, from a different region, different genetics that couldn't cope with local naturally occuring factors- bugs/fungii

[WDH]

Their funkiness might be in part due to stress/mechanical damage that occurred to them from their human co-inhabitors.  If they were treated rough/abused, that might explain why there are so many on one place.

[Don_Papenburg]

Daren , the limbs of catalpa make good turning stock  if large enough you could make lumber .  A lot of catalpa around here have a center rot problem .  If you can get decent sizes off the trunk of the rotted part with all those knobs it would make some good panels . Ever think of cutting thin veneer slices instead of lumber?Then you could laminate them onto baltic birch for cabinet door panels  .  I wouldn't mine a board or two off that knobby catalpa.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  HEY!  wern't them trees in the Movie "The Lord of the Rings" ??  Them trees aren't free,  You will pay for them, dearly will be my guess.

[Daren]

  Them trees aren't free,  You will pay for them, dearly will be my guess.

We all know how "Free" trees are, some times they do end up costing more than a guy figures . I probably have 8 hours in them already... and there they still stand  :D