In my late mother-in-laws garden is an English walnut tree - 4 foot in diameter with a straight trunk probaly ten feet high till you get branches. The property is likely to be sold to pay death duties, but before it goes thinking of felling the tree or digging it up and then using the timber for furniture or even better a few gunstocks.

Any advice gratefully recieved on how to fell such a tree and then seasoning the timber.

It depends on how the tree was propagated, most english walnut in the US is grafted on American or Bastone root stock. As a result the only english walnut will be above the graft lines, below will be root stock. Branches are not good usually for gunstocks. If the tree is a seedling tree with no graft the usual method is to dig below the roots to recover as much usable wood as possible, there will be nice figured wood at the junction of the trunk and roots, also at the junction of the main branches. It would be best to have someone familiar with harvesting gunstocks to remove the tree. Also keep in mind that you are dealing with several ton of tree when it is on the ground. Where are you at?

Jim A.

With felling such a big tree, you might want to have a professional do it. They would most likely trim some of the branches, and they would know how to cut it low enough for it to fall safe.
The trouble with "backyard" trees is that there is always hidden nails in them. If sections of the logs are taken to a sawyer, you would be better off with one that uses a band saw type compared to one with a large carbide tipped circular saw. Those carbide inserts can get expensive hitting nails.
If it were mine I would have it quarter sawn, as this gives you the best figure and helps stop the wood from "cupping"
As far as storing and seasoning the wood, you should try to use stickers of the same wood and the rule of thumb is 1 year per inch of thickness. Also the ends of the logs should be coated with either wax or cheap latex paint to prevent a too fast evaporation of water which would cause a lot of checking/splitting.
Furniture wood, excluding legs should be cut 4/4 or 1", stock blanks I would guess 10/4 or 2 1/2".
Good luck and I'm sure other more experienced people will follow.

The tree should be taken down in sections not dropped. A heavy tree that is felled may send cracks throughout. Decide on the most useful section and have it reduced.

I would cut any blanks for stocks at least 3 1/4", as you will loose a decent amount of the thickness in drying over time. You want your finished dried and planed blanks to measure at least 2 1/2", many stock turners want them 3" planed for a stock with a cheekpiece on it. Best to start off a bit too thick, you can always run it through the planer again after it all dries. As stated, the area just above the root mass (even into the root mass a bit, but watch out for dirt and stones) and the crotch areas will yield the best figure, but I have seen some very good fiddleback figure from the first 6 to 8 feet or so above the root mass and well below the first crotch, areas you would think would be only good for furniture wood.

I sold 120 black walnuts (B/W) out of my woods on the IL/WI state-line about 6 years ago, some were veneer quality, most were not. I measured and graded all my trees myself, after instruction by a friend and former client who is in the saw-mill and custom-finished lumber, flooring, and trim business. I came within 5% (under) the timber buyer's bid--it took me two weeks; it took him 5 hours.

In order for a B/W to be marketable it should be at least 16 inches in diameter at shoulder height, excluding the bark, or about a nominal 18-inch diameter (which is hard to measure), or a tape-measured circumference of about 56 inches (divided by pi 3.1416 = 18-inches dia.).

First question: Do you mean diameter or circumference in your 48-inch ("4 foot") trunk measurement?

(1) A B/W 4-foot "thick" (diameter) is extremely large and would be about 150 inches measured around with a tape measure (circumference). If this tree is veneer quality, and it could be with the 10-foot run to the first branches, there could be value...

(2) If you mean that the B/W tree is 4 foot around, measured with a tape, the tree would be about 15-inches thick (diameter), and not worth the effort, veneer or not. In this context it is an ornamental and could, by its presence, enhance the value of the property, if you don't mind the messy walnut-turds dropped on the lawn in the fall, which become tar-like with age.

If your tree is as you said--4-foot in diameter--with a measured circumference of about 150 inches, you still need to consider its value as an ornamental that may or may not enhance the property. Assuming, as you say, a 10-foot run to the first branches, this still doesn't insure veneer quality, as bumps and bruises (called "smiley faces") can disqualify and leave you with strictly board-foot prices. As I recall, my biggest tree was about 56-inches diameter and was valued at less than $2,000.

Valuable veneer-tree extractions can involve digging down to get a longer first log, but there would be no value for gun stocks. Google Black Walnut for some indication of prices. Years ago there was a stately B/W on a farmstead in Ohio (as I recall) that sold at auction for $75,000 (when that was not chump change), as reported in the WSJ (but I couldn't find it with slight Google effort).

Punch line: Black walnut lumber by the board foot is not worth the effort and potential impact on residential valuation. A 4-foot diameter (thick) B/W that qualifies as veneer to the 10-foot first branches is still no bell ringer in my slightly educated opinion, but possibly worth pursuing further. As to gun stocks: I think not. Taking down a 4-foot diameter tree in a residential garden presents its own special problems. There are people in the business who can give you a "go" or "no-go" price, but based on no special info in re: great valuation, ready purchaser, cash on the barrel-head up front, insured, bonded, licensed, and disposition of the negative-value portion (tops, branches, stump), I'd say the odds are against... EDM

ben-t might have a good idea as I understand that it is important not to fell the tree in such a manner that the fibres stretch as it goes over which it would if it went whilst still partly together. How it is done I know not but cutting in sections would be one way to avoid this. Lagopus.....

4 foot in diameter, and it's an English walnut tree according to the post--would that change the equation?

Ed's right about value of the tree left standing. A black walnut in the right place on the right property is worth $50,000 when it comes time to sell. I've also heard of buyers coming from Italy to Canada to buy one black walnut for that price.

Finding an english walnut tree 4 ft in diameter that is not a grafted tree is like finding gold if the wood has figure, note "IF" some trees do not. I had the good luck several years ago of visiting Pachmyers operation in Oreville Ca. They removed huge trees with a crane after lopping off the branches and digging out the roots, they were then trucked to their mill in Oreville and sawn up on a chain-saw mill. the old man who ran the mill could tell after a couple of cuts how to mill for the best figure. comparing value of black walnut to english is like comparing apples to oranges. Figured english is several times more valuable depending on the color and figure. These big trees are rare in California anymore, agriculture has went to production and trees do not get as large before being replaced.

Jim A.

A tree 4 foot in diameter needs to be taken down gently to insure that it doesn't crack when it hits the ground. The veneer guys took out a tree across the street from me last year and made a cushion out of the branches of the tree and then dropped the log on to it. Neat trick. Not all trees have good figure or color and that is part of the excitement when you are cutting into one,that rush when you open her up and see something special.You would need to find a bonded and insured cutter in case something goes wrong. This is not a job for you and your buddy if she is 4 foot in diameter. That is going to be one heavy tree and can do a lot of damage if improperly felled.I've cut down and sawn about 25 or so walnut trees in the last 40 years and had pros saw the really big ones or those near buildings.Fun to do when everything goes right!

All good advise. Have the tree looked at by a pro. If very large have one of them take it down. When having it cut into planks cut for the best yield of figure. You are better off with a few great figured blanks. that are cut correctly, than a hundred blanks cut poorly. One perfect exhibition blank is worth more than ten almost exhibition blanks. As to if the tree has figure you never know until you get into cutting it up. It is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you get until you bite into one.

You might consider that even if the tree is full of flaws and unsuitable for gunstock blanks that large slabs are very popular for "Nakashima-style" furniture right now.Check out the websites of Hearne & Hearne and Groff&Groff wood merchants. They are both family run lumber businesses in Pennsylvania and they cut flitches or slabs of big trees and sell them for big bucks.They usually have nice color pics of walnut that is for sale and priced into mid 4 figures for nicely figured ones,even with flaws. The flaws add interest to the finished furniture when handled properly.Small pieces of figured walnut are also in demand for turning, pistol grips and other items that require figured small bits of walnut.Don't forget to use some sort of sealant on the end grain and any figured areas. This should be done as soon as the tree is cut on the end. I used paraffin that I heated on a small grill and applied as soon as the tree was down. The end grain really sucks up the sealer and this helps prevent checking. Ditto for crotches or other figured areas. Put the sealer on as soon as cut to have it really get soaked in.Don't expose the sawn slabs to the sun for any length of time either. Checking will start right away and spoil a lot of wood.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,
And chuck as much as a woodchuck would
If a woodchuck could chuck wood

Sorry I couldn't resist!
Jim

Thanks Gentlemen for all the thoughts, and especially for the comments re property value. It is an English Walnut in an English garden near Oxford.

Death duties.

When I read that description I thought it might be in England.

If I was the owner I would be working hard to get it. It's a rare bird but the sawmill MUST know how to cut for figure. Check prices, a great blank is 1000+ , a semi fancy brings several hundred. Check Denli's site for cheap prices on good wood. He shows size and age of blanks. If you live on the west coast I bet a deal could be cut with Calico or other processers or mills. Maybe your choice of blanks for their work. Another point, no $ changeing hands = no tax BARTER

bill

With the mention of death taxes I knew you were talking about a real English Walnut tree, growing in the name sakes country. Still one or two great blanks will be worth more than all the rest of the tree. Use a pro and take the tree out of the estate before they tax it as well. Over here, in the US, we have experts help us avoid the taxes of an estate. Better to save the taxes and enjoy the money yourself. All my family would agree and be much happier to see you get the money rather than the government.

This probably has nothing to do with what is being talked about, but about 15 years ago I was watching ABC News one night. They had something about the Salt Lake City Public Works Department was going through the older residential neighborhoods and cutting down old hardwood trees and taking them to the dump to sit and rot. We are talking oak, maple, cherry, ash, and walnut It seemed there was somebody who operated a kiln by the airport and he was taking them and cutting them in planks and drying them in a kiln and selling them for furniture wood. The person was very knowledgeable of the various hardwoods and selling them for a pretty penny.

In a series of articles published in The English sporting press during the 1980's Mr Gordon Walker, known in the trade as "Mr;Walnut", reviewed the process of gunstock blank production both in the U.K. and France. Here are are some of his observations:
1/Both in France and England the trees are dug-up[taken down].Following removal from the ground. The roots are cut off at the point that they join the trunk.This lower section of the tree is where best colour and grain is likely to be found.
2/ The best blanks are found in slow growth trees over 200 years old; provide that they have a good girth.
3/Trees that are suitable for making veneers should not be used for gun stocks.[ie: A veneer tree will have greater value.]
4 There is no guarantee as to the quality of blanks in terms of colour and grain from any given tree. This can only be determined after the stock blanks have been sawn.

As a point of interest; English Walnut[Juglans Regia]was planted by many English land owners at the time of the Napoleonic wars. This was due to a serious concern regarding future availability of French walnut for gunstock and furniture production.Following the second world war most country magazines carried ads offering significant sums of money for large veneer trees.I doubt that many are left outside of the great houses/estates of England.

Roy, you don't by any chance have those articles, do you? That would make a very interesting read at the very least.