Walnut Root Balls

[Mark Rios]

Hello all you turners out there in creek.


I recently got two walnut trees from my neighbor and I got the entire root balls as well. I'm in the process of cutting the trees into rough boards on my bandsaw and I'm almost done. I really don't believe I'll be getting into turning anytime soon (or even later for that matter. Not talented enough) and I was wondering what the value of the root balls might be and where and to who in my area I might try to sell them to. Do I just put an ad in the paper or should I try online? Where do you folks look to buy your figured wood like this (if you even do buy it uncut like this). My local (real) lumber yard doesn't have a place to put up flyers and didn't know of anyone in particular but said that they would be glad to mill them for me. I don't want to have to afford milling them and I really don't have anymore room to dry anymore wood and I need to get them out of my driveway. One is roughly 300-350 lbs. and the other is roughly 500-600 lbs. The tree trunks themselves were approximately 16" and 26" in diameter respectively. The rootballs are somewhat bigger of course.


Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[George Parrott]

Mark,

A google search shows that the Modesto area has a chapter of the Bay Area Woodturners Association. Here is a cut and paste of contact information. Good luck.

TOULUMNE RIVER WOODWORKERS ASSOCIATION. Meets on the 1st Monday in Modesto.
For info: Roger Gohring, (209) 537-6139. WEST BAY AREA WOODTURNERS SOCIETY

[Mark Rios]

Great. Thanks very much. That's what I was looking for.

[George Parrott]

Mark,

Sorry, minor change, I was too quick in cut and paste. The Bay Area Group is not affiliated with the Toulome group. But the contact is for the Modesto group. Apologies for fast fingers and slow eyes.

[Stan Smith]

I guy told me about when they had a walnut orchard removed here in no. calif. The owners didn't know anything about the value of the wood so they went out for bids. The first bid was to pay the owners $80K and take the trees out. The 2nd bid was for $400k and take the trees out. Apparently a 4" sq of walnut burl is worth over $3k. It is used for shift knobs on lamborghinin's, etc. The burl wood is also used for the dash. So you see, what might be just trash to you is a treasure to someone else.

Stan

[John Shuk]

Take a look on EBAY. There is alot of turning wood on there and Walnut burls are pretty plentiful there. I hate to say they aren't selling for $3K.

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

I no longer have the contacts, but there are buyers out there who specialize in buying burls and root balls for veneer. The Japanese were big buyers about 25 years ago.