Green wood - fair market value

[George Heatherly]

I emailed a guy who indicated on Craigslist that he was going to cut a black walnut tree that was in his back yard and wanted to know if anyone was interested in the "lumber". I indicated that I was interested in some bowl blanks, he responded that he wanted "fair market value" for the wood. I've mostly heard of turners getting the wood for free and returning a bowl or another turning to the wood owner. Is there any common rule of thumb for determining "fair market value"?

[Scott Hackler]

Well he cant really price it by the usual method of board foot, because it isnt cut into dimentional lumber and kiln dried. I wouldn't pay very much if anything. Black Walnut is nice but "wood grows on trees". Offer to help cut it up in exchange for some of it. Worse case, I would offer something along the line of $20-$30 bucks for a 4-5' log. After its sliced up into blanks it would be around a buck or two per blank. That would be a good deal. But take all this for what its worth, I would never pay for black walnut because its everywhere around here.

[Ron Stadler]

People think they've got a gold mine when they have Walnut trees, but I was told that unless these trees have been pruned growing up (meaning keeping the branches cut off before getting started and keeping the tree straight) that their really not worth that much because the branches really mess up the wood inside of the tree. Now for us turners we can still use a lot of this wood, but if he thinks he's going to get the price that a lumber yard would get he's dead wrong.

[Gary Max]

George it all depends on the tree, some are worth big bucks others are firewood.

[Dan Forman]

I ran into a similar situation a couple of years ago. When I checked back the high bid was something like $900. Needless to say, I didn't end up with the wood.

Dan

[Norris Randall]

This is an old posting but on the current subject.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878554,00.html

[John Keeton]

George, you have received good advice. Wood prices/availability are regional. In Ohio, walnut trees should be plentiful. They are not very desirable for yard trees, and a lot of them are cut down. As Ron said, those trees that will produce lumber are few and far between. Only the heartwood has value for lumber, and it takes a very large walnut tree, with no low branches, to produce good lumber - a rare find. Even then, I have purchased quite a bit of green sawn walnut for furniture, and usually paid a $1 - 2/bd ft. for clear 4/4. A bowl blank might have 3 bd. ft. of wood in it, so that will give you an idea, although thicker lumber that is clear is more valuable.

However, if someone is selling dry walnut bowl blanks, then that is a different animal. That person should get paid for the effort and time of drying the wood, cutting the rounds, etc.

[Josh Bowman]

George,
I had a Black Walnut trimmed way back in the fall. I've posted a few turnings from the the tree. Frankly I wouldn't give anything for the wood that I got from it. It has mostly white in it and some very dark in the center and doesn't appeal to me. But unless it's something special, I'd keep looking of the side of the road, there is so much that's just free for the taking.

[Bill Blasic]

It is a yard tree and he will find it very hard to get anything for it as I believe that no lumber company will be interested in it because it is a yard tree. Keep looking you will find find wood for free. Does your city/town have a dump?
Bill

[Lee Koepke]

you could use the 'firewood method' for fair market value, which should net you something around what Scott mentioned .... a heaping pickup truck of split, seasoned firewood around here is $75. You figure most of that is labor, so $20 is reasonable....

BTW, I bought some firewood this winter, spent some time talking with the guy, got a call yesterday that they cut down a small walnut tree and have some logs for me..... no charge!

[William Bachtel]

Loggers do not buy YARD TREES, almost never. Trees grow better in the woods. Now that said, I wood only pay firewood price, nothing more, but free wood be a whole lot better. People think that Walnut trees are worth a lot of money, but not to me. I lover walnut for turning and it sells nice at the shows, but if you pay to much, you will regret it. I live in Medina and have a sawmill, and I cut tons of turning blanks, green, air dried, and kiln dried, if you can't find anything, email me and I will hook you up with a few pieces of free wood to get you in the spirit of what free wood is all about. email billtheturner@yahoo.com Limit 6 free blanks.

[Steve Vaughan]

I'd say keep the door open for communication. Maybe you can help him cut it down, or clean up the mess for some, but other than just a few bucks, I wouldn't waste much time on it. Others are correct when they write of folks thinking they're sitting on a goldmine with a walnut tree, or thinking that they're gonna get a killing for the lumber. Yard trees are rarely useful to the sawmill because of all the potential for nails and everything else buried in the wood, not to mention that hardly ever is there a legitimate yard-grown walnut tree that's gonna be lumber quality - 10 or 12+ feet of straight grain.

Something else you can do is call a local sawmill or two and ask them what's the average going rate for a walnut tree someone brought in...IF it were acceptable to them. That fella might be surprised. Although it was years ago, I once paid 45 cents a board foot for some green walnut...AT the sawmill. It was stuff useful to me, but of no real value to the mill. And, at least around here, the price of trees taken to the mill is pretty lousy. Good friend of mine that takes trees to the mill - for the money - recently took two VERY large pecan trees, around 3 feet in diameter - and got $80 for the load.

Two more options...just observe, and see where he takes this thing to throw it all away, then go get ya some. Or, just observe, and watch that thing just sit in his backyard, laying on the ground a while cause ain't no sawmill gonna want it and he ain't gonna sell it, then go back and get ya some.

[George Heatherly]

Thanks to all of you who responded. You confirmed what I thought. I emailed the guy back and indicated that if he got to the point where he was talking about firewood prices I'd like to hear from him again.

[Kevin Lucas]

George,

I see you are way up in Ohio a bit far north from here. I have the habit of craigslist too the free, materials and tool section are addicting. I see a lot for trees down or fire wood but they always say need a chain saw. The wife won't let me get one I am way too wobbly ) Two I have seen lately are tempting...

http://louisville.craigslist.org/zip/2229602829.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/zip/2232128070.html

Just keep your eyes open and something in the area will pop up. Walnut is one of my favorites to turn. I really like the look of it. The only wood i bought by the board foot was walnut from a hobby sawyer in Indiana. I got it like 1.50 a bf. I found it in the materials listings so no idea on pricing by logs or big rounds.