I found this massive walnut lying on the ground in our woods over the weekend. It appears to have been standing dead and recently fell. The root ball still has a lot of dirt but the bark peels off in sheets. I was standing on the trunk when I took this pic and the limbs are the size of trees I would normally cut. It did a lot of damage to the surrounding trees when it came down and I don't even know where to begin with it. Any ideas? I don't want to just leave it out there to rot over the next decade.
Massive windfallen walnut
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Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
I can't see the root ball so it's hard to say. I think from the picture I'd start from the top and work down. Keep your eyes open for dangers from above as this thing may have left some nasty surprises hanging from above. Also there could be a lot of stored energy in the trunk if the root ball is not letting the trunk all the way down, watch out for the root ball and part of the trunk trying to spring back to near standing when you cut. Some opposite side or under cuts will most likely be necessary to release the stored tension. Good luck, be careful and post pictures of your work as it progresses.
Root balls are notorious for standing back up when you take the weight off. Personally, I cut the root ball off first (about 8 ft from the ball) - knowing that it is gonna move on you in some manor. Proceed cautiously. There is the potential for a bunch of stored energy.
clean up what is under foot to prevent a tripping hazard. maybe use some of those under the trunk at that first crotch, I am just guessing but the branch on the right is what I would cut next, working top down.
I should have taken a pic of the trunk and root ball to get the scale of this thing. All of the trunk is lying on the ground. It's easily 60" in diameter and 20' long from the roots to the crotch. There are a handful of these old growth walnut trees on our property. I hate that this one came down and I don't want it to go to the fire ants.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
Be aware of some of the branches tend to bury themselves when it falls. I cut at a branch that I didn't notice was lodged
a foot in the ground. It pinched my blade with all the weight of the tree. It wasn't pretty. The heartwood of those big walnut trees is great to burn.
a foot in the ground. It pinched my blade with all the weight of the tree. It wasn't pretty. The heartwood of those big walnut trees is great to burn.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
A bunch of those crotch pieces cut to shotgun stock and forearm length, width and thickness could be worth a BUNCH of money to you. The root end cut into several rifle stock or muzzle loader lengths, width and thickness could also fetch a nice price. A bit of research on the net will tell ya how to cut and dry for such uses. Just sayin'....... 
That's good info. Thanks. I cut a lot of walnut from the same area and sometimes I feel like I'm throwing gun stocks and table legs into the fire. Most of the stuff I cut doesn't have enough black heartwood but this massive old tree has got to have a lot of hidden gems in there.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
if you are not sure about this, I would leave it alone. I have seen my share of crazy mishaps on a downed tree with the potential stored energy on much smaller trees. not trying to scare you, but sometimes you should just walk away. I have walked away before and it hurts just a little, but then the next score comes and you forget all about it. no free score is worth getting hurt or worse.
There is nothing in the picture that makes it look bad but we can't see it all. These are a call you have to make on your own. On the cutting, yes, the root balls can stand back up and most times do. We cut several last winter that did not stand back up but as soon as the ground thawed they did.
Contrary to Jags, I do it the opposite. I tend to cut the tops first and then be very cautious as you work down the trunk. Watch it and the slightest hint that it might be getting ready to stand up, beware
!
Contrary to Jags, I do it the opposite. I tend to cut the tops first and then be very cautious as you work down the trunk. Watch it and the slightest hint that it might be getting ready to stand up, beware
!A bunch of those crotch pieces cut to shotgun stock and forearm length, width and thickness could be worth a BUNCH of money to you. The root end cut into several rifle stock or muzzle loader lengths, width and thickness could also fetch a nice price. A bit of research on the net will tell ya how to cut and dry for such uses. Just sayin'.......
I have a friend who may be interested in buying some. He makes Kentucky rifles from scratch.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
By the way, if you decide to cut stock blanks my best friend is the Master Gunsmith at Colonial Williamsburg. Let me know and I'll check with him.
YES! Be very careful. And make absolutely sure the hole that the root ball is going back into is clear. I read once where a guy cut the root ball loose and did not know his son was in the hole......Just awful. Bucking trees is dangerous business. Keep your wits about you at all times. Never let your guard down. Sorry for the rant, just and old guy who has seen too much.
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
60" diameter is blowing my mind. You'd think that tree would have been on a register for regular hugging. If you ever do get it sliced apart, I'd be interested to know how old it might be. 100 years? More? OK, had to look it up. If 60" is a good diameter, and a good growth rate is 4.5", that equates to 270 years old!! Mein Gott. Looks like there's one less Ent in the next Hobbit movie...
(broken link removed to http://forestry.about.com/od/silviculture/a/Estimating-A-Trees-Age.htm)
(broken link removed to http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/your-trees-and-woods/backyard-tree-care/how-old-tree)
Help value a tree.
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=8894&catID=196&AskSiteID=87
(broken link removed to http://forestry.about.com/od/silviculture/a/Estimating-A-Trees-Age.htm)
(broken link removed to http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/your-trees-and-woods/backyard-tree-care/how-old-tree)
Help value a tree.
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=8894&catID=196&AskSiteID=87
We have about 10 of these old growth walnut trees with ~60" trunks on a quarter. I'll take pics next time I'm up there. Just at a glance I estimated this downed walnut to be between 250 to 300 years old. Part of me wants to find a market for these things and the other wants to just leave them be. If they are going to start dying and coming down I may have to try and sell them anyway.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
There a lot of "specialty markets" out there as I mentioned earlier. Anything with tight grain, stump, crotch or burl figure and little or no seasoning checks is a marketable product for all sorts of wood workers, from gunsmiths to carvers and sculptors. It is a completive market made up of a lot of "good 'ol boy" clicks so pictures of grain and figure patterns is a must. Accent the grain and figure patterns by rubbing some varnish, or the like, into the wood before taking pictures. When you take and post pictures, attach a number to the pieces and keep them cataloged so everyone has a reference. A bit of work on the net and you'll have it figured out in nothing flat. The big "lumps" on the trunks are bringing anywhere from $75 to $300 a pound as well.
Thanks again for the info. I'm going back up there this weekend with a tape measure and I'm going to take more and better pics. That right limb is probably going to keep me warm for the rest of the winter since it's around 14" diameter and deeply checked. I'll leave at least 3' after the crotch if I remove it. I was looking around the net last week, as you suggested, at gun stock blanks and noted some highly figured stump wood can fetch up to $1300 per blank. I have no idea what kind of figure might be lurking in there. Hopefully the carpenter ants haven't move in yet.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
My guess you will say the same thing Howard Carter said in 1923 when he peered into King Tutankhamun's tomb for the first time in 2000+ years: "Yes, wonderful things."
Diameter. I'm going to put a tape on it this weekend to get an exact measurement. I may be overshooting at 60" so I'm going to measure to be sure.
Like said above. Watch out for that thing moving on you. Like Jags said, if you are comfortable cutting the root ball off first do it. Watch out though it will move on you. Have all your escape routs planed and be ready to move (quickly if necessary)
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
DBH is a new term for me I kept reading. You guys probably already know, but it stands for Diameter at breast Height, barring any oddities in the tree. Probably 5' up. That seems to be the universal diameter measurement.
PS - don't let "gold fever" get you into any silly situations. I'm sure we're not trying to egg you on, but it would be cool to see somebody hit a home run.
PS - don't let "gold fever" get you into any silly situations. I'm sure we're not trying to egg you on, but it would be cool to see somebody hit a home run.
Ralphie Boy
Minister of Fire
DBH is a new term for me I kept reading. You guys probably already know, but it stands for Diameter at breast Height, barring any oddities in the tree. Probably 5' up. That seems to be the universal diameter measurement.
PS - don't let "gold fever" get you into any silly situations. I'm sure we're not trying to egg you on, but it would be cool to see somebody hit a home run.
He's correct, safety first! Don't take chances! They don't take cash at the Pearly Gates, mater of fact the kind of frown on it.
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