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A nieghbor has a 24" Black Walnut tree that had been dead a few years before a windy night blew it over 2 years ago and completely uprooted the stump. Now, I don't have any experience at sawing blanks but I can't stand the thought of him torching it to get it out of the way. I guess I need someone to tell me to forget about it or someone to tell me how to do it right.

The only way to know if the wood is still good is too cut it up, I would cut it in 3" slabs. You will find out if any of the wood is "punky" (soft) The best wood would be down near the base but be prepared to dull a few chains in cutting said wood that low. If American Walnut, maybe you will find something decent, if English Walnut then you might get some nice figure. The English Walnut is a nice looking tree with a rounded shape compared to the American Walnut that is haphazard in shape and not very pretty to look at. So if you can remember what it looked like, the decision is yours. If you do decide to cut it make sure you "sticker" the wood with the same wood for the stickering if you can. Use 1"x1" sticks. Air dry for 1 year of thickness and coat ends of wood with left over paint.
Good luck.

Dead for more than 3 years and down for 2 years....there's a good chance it's already rotted inside, but cut some billets and see. I bet the sap wood is already totally rotten - but you'll find out about the core when you cut. Dry rotten sapwood and solid core makes good firewood, sorta has the kindling attached!.

Good luck!

Walnut is rot resistant and there is a good chance that there is fancy wood in the crotch area. Does someone have a portable band mill in your area? If not a chain saw is not easy to control in ripping boards but it can be done, just plan a little extra thickness.

bill

I think Bill offers good suggestions. I have also cut an old walnut stump that had been dead for a couple of years, and it had some very fine wood in it. The owner of the land dug around it a bit with a backhoe and broke up the roots about 3' or so out from the stump, then pushed it over and rolled it up out of it's hole for me. It was pretty easy to load from that point onto a large flat trailer we had, and I hauled it away for him. We used a high pressure washer to knock away the biggest majority of the dirt and mud, and I am sure that saved a chain saw blade or two. We also bought a relatively inexpensive ripping attachment for the chainsaw, then had at it. We cut a number of 3"+ thick slabs from it, probably 35 or so in all, stickered them and dried them for about three years, until they had lost a lot of their remaining water, then cleaned up the slabs and ran them through a planner. Surprise, Surprise!! Those old walnut stumps can yield some beautiful wood. I still have some of it, and have had several machined into "replacement" wood for my guns. Good luck with yours.

Cut the limbs just above the crotch. Do not cut between the roots and the crotch. Your best wood will be there and you don't want to cut through the best of it. The crotch might have the most valuable wood. This is especially true if there are only two branches. Cutting parallel to the centers of the two branches will give the best feather pattern.
Pete

Dad had a Black Walnut tree that died three years ago. The wood was all cracked. Best to cut down a live one and dry it in a controlled manner. But with that said, it is worth a shot. Good Luck!!!

Personally I prefer hot parafin wax for the ends. I suggest you melt wax and paint heavy layer on ends and about two inches of the sides from ends.

Well, I got through the Holidays and found some time to take on the stump. I was a little late though, the owner had burned most of the main trunk and half of the stump but I "saved" the crotch- I think. It was pretty tough sawing which yielded 17 pieces. Someone with experience would have 20 or more. Anyway, I'll seal the ends and plane them some then put'em away til I get some experience. The easy part is done.

I love the looks of that wood! The piece in the bottom picture will make a beautiful stock.
JR