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Subject: Re: National Champion Black Walnut

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Message Thread:

National Champion Black Walnut

2/11/13       
phil Member

I have a National Champion Black Walnut on my property. Please take a look at this standing tree and tell me what you think the best market use is for the tree. It's over 100' high and wide with long trunk branches in excess of 24" diameter. Pictured in front of my barn it's dwarfing the barn which is 30' high in front. The long logs can be cut in 10' lengths and the stump is about 6' or more across.


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2/12/13       #2: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Texas Timbers  Member

I don't think a BW tree with a diameter of only 24" is going to be a grand champion even just in your county. I have felled BW trees larger right here in my county. I don't know what the grand champion is in your state but here in Texas, where trees do not generally get as big as in other regions of north America, our grand champion is just shy of 5 feet in diameter which is probably small compared to what I would guess is the national champion.

Your tree is tall with an impressive crown but I think the small diameter would bring the points so low it couldn't possibly be a grand champion. I may be wrong, but I don't think so.

2/12/13       #3: National Champion Black Walnut ...
phil Member

Texas, you're wrong! The branches are 24" in diameter. The base of the tree is over 7 feet wide. It's already been awarded a National Champion status.

2/12/13       #4: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Texas Timbers  Member

Website: http://www.woodbarter.com

Okay I missed the part about the trunk being 6'. Yes then of course it's a doosy! The crotches will make stunning table tops. I'd love to have one myself what state do you live in?

2/12/13       #5: National Champion Black Walnut ...
phil Member

The tree is in California, near Placerville.

2/12/13       #6: National Champion Black Walnut ...
mark

The same thing it's been doing for the last 200 or so years is a good start. Maybe tourism, but felling a national champ... where's your patriotism?

2/13/13       #7: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Kilgore Trout Member

Your photo is unclear at best. The tree forward? The spreading tree in the background?

The forward tree is not worth discussing, let it grow to marketable size.

The spreading tree in the back has virtually no sawlog, so has little/no value in that respect. Limbs are about worthless except for novelty items and such. The trunk may have some interest to a local furniture maker for a slab table - if it is sound and stays together after drying - $500.00 maybe?

I suspect there is a motivation coming from the stories about Walnut trees fetching huge numbers, enriching their owners. Mostly all myth. Here in Indiana, heart of Walnut country, every now and then we hear about some locals that get all likkered up and go out and cut someone's Walnut tree and try to haul it away.

Either the tree falls on one of them or their truck, or the log is too big to haul away, or they figger out there is nowhere they can sell the log, and if they did, it would only be worth about one tenth what they thought. It's an old story.

2/13/13       #8: National Champion Black Walnut ...
phil Member

" get all likkered up", and "they figger"

Really, well out here in CA we don't likker unless she's real cute, and has a good they figger. But I digress, perhaps you're correct about the tree's comparative value. The aesthetic value of the giant is the best value. I'm trying to assist an aging woman who is destitute after caring for her terminally ill son for years and he's now passed and she's desperate to save her land. The tree is the only thing I can see to provide an infusion of much needed cash.

Thanks

2/13/13       #9: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Dave Boyt  Member

Website: http://www.norwoodsawmills.com

Phil, I wish you the best with the tree. You need to look past the conventional markets for a tree like that. Find someone in your area who has the vision and the means (big chain saw, portable sawmill). The trunk looks too short to mill,but possibly cutting "cookies" for table tops would have value. Limbs aren't good for lumber-- too much tension in them,but again, short pieces, maybe turning stock. Crotches could have value, possibly as gun stocks, but it takes someone who knows the markets and techniques. Even with all that, you'd be lucky to come up with enough money for the tree to buy a used pickup truck. Wish I could be more help. Sounds like it is for a noble cause.

2/13/13       #10: National Champion Black Walnut ...
JeffM

Taking down a beautiful tree like that would be a crime! Looks like a live oak from the distant view.

2/19/13       #11: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Scott Neeld  Member

Hey, Phil

A tree like that will need some special marketing help to fetch you top $$.

You might try contacting Sam Talarico, who travels all over the world for special lumber.

A champion such as yours may be of interest to him, & he knows as much about marketing specialty woods as anyone, I would think.

Good luck.

Scott

http://talaricohardwoods.com/

3/1/13       #12: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Chicomsuk

I would take it down for a pickup truck load of slabbed crotches. The branches are great for turning.

7/3/13       #13: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Don Juvet Member

Website: http://juvetwoodwork.com

I am in Placerville and may be able to help you with this decision.
I have connections with a mill locally that has a WM1000 bandsaw mill.
You can reach me at The Gingerbread Man off Missouri Flat rd. or contact me on my cell 530-409-5639

8/27/17       #14: National Champion Black Walnut ...
Joel Patrick

It doesn't make sense to fell this tree. From the distant photo we can see that there's really no veneer value to speak of. Where's the 16 foot log? The butt log has impressive diameter, but with no length the value is hugely diminished. There are literally millions of good veneer quality Black Walnut trees out there, but only one "National Champion Black Walnut Tree". I'd work on that angle rather than try to cut it down for the relative few pennies involved.

 

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