Walnut timber - Is this worth anything/of use to anyone?

[5 shires]

That's just a bit silly though isn't it, when you think about it. I'll explain.

 

Assuming an average trunk diameter of 17.5", you've got 437 cubic foot in those 40 lengths. A good mobile bandmill operator will cut those in two days. Even though they are fairly small, you'd still have no problem shifting them at £18 a cubic foot, meaning a revenue of £7866 for two days graft (before delivery or dealing with customers) less about a grand for the sawmill hire. £6600 profit once additional labour has been taken into account if you like.

 

437 cubic foot translates to 16 tonnes, which would yield 40 cubic metres of firewood or thereabouts. More than two days work with a splitter and a maximum retail of £3200 or less. More work, less money and you have to wait a year to see a return. If you air dried the sawn walnut, you could double your £7866.

 

Why the hell people even consider firewooding trees like this is beyond me. It's like saying that you'd like to make less money for more work and you'd like to deal with a more difficult customer base just as a bonus

 

God when you explain it like that it's like throwing £50 notes straight in to the fire.unthinkable really:001_rolleyes:

[THE88MAN]

That's just a bit silly though isn't it, when you think about it. I'll explain.

 

Assuming an average trunk diameter of 17.5", you've got 437 cubic foot in those 40 lengths. A good mobile bandmill operator will cut those in two days. Even though they are fairly small, you'd still have no problem shifting them at £18 a cubic foot, meaning a revenue of £7866 for two days graft (before delivery or dealing with customers) less about a grand for the sawmill hire. £6600 profit once additional labour has been taken into account if you like.

 

437 cubic foot translates to 16 tonnes, which would yield 40 cubic metres of firewood or thereabouts. More than two days work with a splitter and a maximum retail of £3200 or less. More work, less money and you have to wait a year to see a return. If you air dried the sawn walnut, you could double your £7866.

 

Why the hell people even consider firewooding trees like this is beyond me. It's like saying that you'd like to make less money for more work and you'd like to deal with a more difficult customer base just as a bonus

I consider firewooding trees like this for a few reasons.I'm a busy man who likes to get home to his family,i've been paid reasonable money for the job anyway.i have years of experience of going back to work after tea to meet someone with a beard and an ancient landy and wooden trailer that wants to give me 2 shilling for "the bit in the middle",your figures are interesting,make sense and make me think,thanks

[THE88MAN]

I do completely understand your logic, but 40 trees (if you included a few of the second lengths) is an artic load. Not many artic loads of walnut come onto the market, even second rate stuff (which I am assuming yours was, only due to it's relatively young age). I'm confident you could have sold the lot roadside for £10 a hoppus (£4270) for no more work than getting it there. There are a lot of large mills that process huge amounts of timber that would happily take a punt on a wagon load. You are a stone's throw from Helmdon Sawmills in Brackley, who are one of the largest hardwood sawmills in the UK.

Yep thats interesting.showing my ignorance slightly can you advise on shelf life? Best barn stored in the round or doesn't matter? I have room so stockpiling maybe an option

[devon TWiG]

Walnut trees at 18" or less dia will have very little ( possibly none ) of the valuable heartwood and I find it hard to believe any one would pay £10 a cubic foot for it !

[devon TWiG]

I have felled quite a few with a pitifully small amount ! It would be a very brave man to offer good money for a standing walnut , not knowing the heartwood content !

[Ukulian]

That's just a bit silly though isn't it, when you think about it. I'll explain.

 

Assuming an average trunk diameter of 17.5", you've got 437 cubic foot in those 40 lengths. A good mobile bandmill operator will cut those in two days. Even though they are fairly small, you'd still have no problem shifting them at £18 a cubic foot, meaning a revenue of £7866 for two days graft (before delivery or dealing with customers) less about a grand for the sawmill hire. £6600 profit once additional labour has been taken into account if you like.

 

437 cubic foot translates to 16 tonnes, which would yield 40 cubic metres of firewood or thereabouts. More than two days work with a splitter and a maximum retail of £3200 or less. More work, less money and you have to wait a year to see a return. If you air dried the sawn walnut, you could double your £7866.

 

Why the hell people even consider firewooding trees like this is beyond me. It's like saying that you'd like to make less money for more work and you'd like to deal with a more difficult customer base just as a bonus

 

That is just one of the reasons that I've just bought a bandsaw mill. (AAnd I'm in Kent! )

[JaySmith]

it's already cut in to firewood so why ask?

 

should ask before it's felled as you won't get much from it now...

 

Not really cut I into firewood, it's been cut into rings that the guys could get out through a garage and a small passage. I didn't go and quote this one so turned up on site to dismantle it and get the wood out. When we get to site we just crack on as I don't know any turners of wood working types I just went about the job as normal it was only when I started chogging the timber I thought it may be worth something to somebody that's why I put it up. I don't have a use for it except to keep me warm in the winter but I thought if somebody could make better use of it I will offer it up.

 

The only way to get that out in bigger bits would have been to crane it over tr house (which we have done before) but as you probably know this involves a crane, road closures, permits etc and not something I could have sorted out at 8.30 in the morning with money needed for be made for the day

[Couldyajust]

That's just a bit silly though isn't it, when you think about it. I'll explain.

 

Assuming an average trunk diameter of 17.5", you've got 437 cubic foot in those 40 lengths. A good mobile bandmill operator will cut those in two days. Even though they are fairly small, you'd still have no problem shifting them at £18 a cubic foot, meaning a revenue of £7866 for two days graft (before delivery or dealing with customers) less about a grand for the sawmill hire. £6600 profit once additional labour has been taken into account if you like.

 

437 cubic foot translates to 16 tonnes, which would yield 40 cubic metres of firewood or thereabouts. More than two days work with a splitter and a maximum retail of £3200 or less. More work, less money and you have to wait a year to see a return. If you air dried the sawn walnut, you could double your £7866.

 

Why the hell people even consider firewooding trees like this is beyond me. It's like saying that you'd like to make less money for more work and you'd like to deal with a more difficult customer base just as a bonus

 

Shifting timber is a lot easier said than done the mills are not interested half the time, wood turners will have the odd bit & will tell you what to keep an eye out for but most have limited storage so they can't take much.

Firewood will always sell so although it often seems extremely wasteful it is often the only way to shift wood. I know someone with a large quantity of oak beams (formerly ship timbers) potentially worth thousands but even they will probably end up as firewood as they have only sold about half a dozen in the last 5 years or so & they went out for next to nothing.

[Hodge]

I recently did this walnut and sold the timber, I got £300 for the lot.

[JaySmith]

Shame it had to be cut into short lengths - if you get anything which can be extracted long or milled where it falls I'd be interested as Mum lives in Hartley so I'm down that way quite often.

 

If anyone wants some of this I might be able to transport it for them - I drive up and down the A1 quite a bit and sometimes over to Derby.

 

Alec

 

Ok mate we do get some decent butts where we can use a hiab. I will let you know if we do as our yard is about 5 mins from Hartley

 

Cheers