What kind of tree is this

Besides for big? Just wondering if it's worth trying to pick up.

I think it's black gum if I had to guess. I just cut and split 2 cords of black gum this week and stacked it tonite. I know black gum has dark green crunchy leaves. The inside is alot darker then what I just cut. for a lighter wood it black gum burns really good in my opinion. Real stringy grains, good for longer burns. Some people complain about splitting it but my 27 ton tore it up without blinking. As far as picking it up, even if I am wrong about the gum I'd still say it's a winner.

That looks a lot like fresh cut black walnut to me. I've been burning mostly black walnut for the last three years. The stuff I have heard of black gum makes me wish I could get a load or two of it but to my knowledge I've never seen it in MI. Probably walked right by it but didn't know what it was. If it is black walnut according to this link http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm it's good for 20.2 million btu's per cord and from the different woods I have burned I think they are pretty close on their numbers. They don't list all the trees though and Gum is one they don't list.

My first guess is also walnut but I've no experience with gum, other than chewing some on occasion.

i would go get and split and stack take another pic and we will guess again ;0

I would recommend splitting the real big pieces first.. no need to hurt yourself. ;-P

Thats Walnut. Crime to cut it up into firewood like that... Look at my avitar, two Walnut logs in the back of my old truck, their drying in my yard for the past few years, getting sawn into lumber this Summer.

Edit: oops- Truck avitar is a different forum.

Ya Know, the limitations on images for this forum are really irritating sometimes. I have to edit them six different ways from Sunday just to post one dam image.

Walnut. Black Gum is a pale wood inside.

Get yourself setup with Picasa. It's free, easy, and not full of adware. You can use your gmail account to logon so fewer passwords to manage.

To burn or not to burn hmmmm

burn it! (walnut)

Oh man, it would have been worth so much more cut for lumber. That's sad. Currently almost $4 a board foot for medium grade. Enjoy it, it's like burning stacks of dollar bills.

I didn't cut it but since it's cut I guess I'll take it. I assume it doesn't have much worth for lumber the way it's cut now?

would make some nice bowls etc. Id check around for buyers before you split it.

Good idea. Those largest rounds would make a lot of nice bowls, or boxes. If you make the right connection, you could trade wood for some of the finished wares. If I weren't a couple thousand miles away I'd make you an offer.

:cheese: - Wiseguy...


The shorts can still be valuable. Bowl Blanks, turners blanks, gunstocks, carvers,... If they've been cut up for a while already they may already be checking (cracking) on the ends, you need to coat them with something to slow the drying as soon as possible, old latex paint works well for this, melted parrafin wax or coating made for the purpose.

Thank for the correction. Wow walnut!! maybe a woodworker could also use it for inlays too.