Black Walnut. Firewood or is it worth money?

[Brian26]

My uncle got a few trees taken down. He knows I burn wood and asked if I wanted the wood. I say yes and have been taking it all. I had a friend help last and weekend and he said that this was Black Walnut and very valuable. My great Uncle is in his 90's and lived in the house since the 60's. So the tree is at least that old. This thing was a monster and they just dropped it on the ground in 10ft sections. Is there any value in this? Picture attached of a small split.

 

[Paulywalnut]

It can be. I had a similar walnut like you just mentioned. The guys interested are looking at cost to get it to that beautiful
lumber you see for furniture or flooring. That's expensive, so what they offer you is not that much. They are very Leary
About trees in the yard because of nails and cables etc. Get someone to look though. It might be worth more than it would be for firewood.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

That's not Black Walnut it looks like Honeylocust to me

 

[egclassic]

That's not Black Walnut it looks like Honeylocust to me

+1 Walnut is more purplish when split.

 

[blades]

Yep Honey Locust, good news is high btu , bad news 2+ years to dry out, sorry about it not being Walnut. Then again Walnut isn't worth anything until milled and dried. Unless you can do it yourself not cost effective for the most part. It is a mid grade or so firewood.

 

[midwestcoast]

Your uncle might not know his woods too good, but he did give you about the best firewood around!!

 

[Jon1270]

Yeah, honeylocust. In your uncle's defense, locust does have compound leaves like walnut does. The bark and wood are totally different though.

As has been said, lots of people overestimate the value of walnut trees. Occasionally a really exceptional veneer log does sell for a lot, but not trees near houses because there's too much danger of there being embedded metal that would damage a very expensive veneer slicer. Besides which, the value can only be high when the market is especially hot. You've probably noticed that the construction industry isn't exactly booming over the last few years.

 

[Applesister]

Black Walnut is valuable to the people who work with it. The others who cut it down, tree surgeons and landscapers and such has no use for it other than the cost of their time to hook up with those who want the wood. And the marginal value difference they might see in their pockets.
The economy is just a price setting environment.
There is a steady demand, its just a marketing challenge to find it.
As for the firewood at hand, its not Walnut. I think it looks like hickory. And hickory nuts with the husks looks alot like walnut husks.
Hickory or Honeylocust they are still a better deal for firewood and you dont have to feel guilty for cutting up a walnut tree.

 

[Brian26]

Thanks for the identification. My Uncle is still saying its Black Walnut. Some more pictures. Either way it is definitely nice hardwood whatever it is. My Husky and my friends Stihl took a beaten cutting it up.

 

[Jon1270]

Your uncle us flat wrong, but there's no reason to argue over it. He's in his 90s. We can cut him some slack.

Enjoy your honeylocust.

 

[UncleJoe]

I just enlarged the pic for a better look. No doubt about it. That's locust and it will keep you nice and toasty next year.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Yes, honey locust, it is tough to split because the grain doesn't run straight down, it makes turns which is what makes it so tough to split by hand, but the Huskee 22 will win
Every time.... Also, this wood takes a long time to dry out, no kidding, so keep that in mind when deciding your split size...

 

[Brian26]

Wow. Thanks guys! Looks like a good score. I scrounged a ton of it. No kidding on the splitting. This stuff was brutal to split and saw. So 2 years to season? It was so dense and heavy the truck and trailer were weighed down real fast.

 

[Brian26]

Another quick question. I am newbie so all help is appreciated. I was cutting up some maple today and my chain on my Husky was struggling. It is a practically brand new chain. I last used the saw to cut the locust. Did it dull it that bad?

 

[Paulywalnut]

Probably. Locust is very dense grain. Sparks will fly if you cut some in the dark. Mulberry and osage also.

 

[tigeroak]

Sharpen the chain and you will ready to go. When I am cutting a lot I sharpen 1-3 times in a day or change the chain and put another sharp one on. I keep 4 extras all ready to go at all times

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Thanks for the identification. My Uncle is still saying its Black Walnut.

Nope, still Honeylocust....your first post said your friend said it was Black Walnut, now you say your Uncle said it and he has lived there since the 1960's; if that is true, doesn't he think that he would've seen walnuts laying all over the place every Fall since then? Not being picky, but that should be his first clue right there if he thinks it is Walnut! Ask him if he saw black pods all over the place every Fall because that is what Honeylocust drops....

 

[Thistle]

Absolutely Honey Locust.One of the best you can get.

 

[fireview2788]

Here's walnut:

See how much darker the heartwood is than your pics.

fv

 

[mass_burner]

defintely valuable were it walnut. and at 10' sections even more valuable. I saw a 10' x 3" x 3' slab go for $800. And that's rough sawn, no woodworking/building, enev with the bark attached. Folks want them for bar tops, mantles, table tops.

 

[etiger2007]

Walnut trees also drop green golf ball size walnuts, I got lucky and bought a house with several walnut trees and sold five for $5000 .

 

[mass_burner]

See before you buck/split those walnut logs...

Hi, I am asking $695. for the black walnut logs. Thanks, Bob

(broken link removed to http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/grd/4164689724.html)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Another quick question. I am newbie so all help is appreciated. I was cutting up some maple today and my chain on my Husky was struggling. It is a practically brand new chain. I last used the saw to cut the locust. Did it dull it that bad?

I never have an extra chain. If you get into the habit of touching up that chain after you burn a tank of gas, it is quick and easy to do. Some will go 2 tanks and I will also do that many times. It just depends upon what we're cutting at the time. Also, several years ago I graduated (actually was forced) to the dremel type sharpener. I have it with me in the woods and sharpening the chain with it takes only a few minutes. I just plug it into the cigarette lighter on the atv. Or if you have access to the battery, you can clamp the wires to the battery.