# What to do with English Walnut Tree



## wagonerkl (Feb 14, 2010)

Hello everyone,
I am new to your forum; spend most of my "forum" time with clunky old Ford pickup truck lovers. 

I saw a Craigslist ad for a free English Walnut tree as long as I would cut it down and haul away all the branches. I am not a "real" woodworker, more of a jack-of-all-trades.  Anyway, I am going to have quite a bit of English Walnut and I want to treat it correctly. It is not a huge tree, perhaps 24-30 inches at the base with a crotch about 3 feet above. Previous home owner said it was planted in 1920s but the new owner said an arborist told him it was no older than 35 years. I guess I can count rings when I get to the bottom. My dad does gun stocks sometimes so maybe it will get used as that.

In any case, I am curious in your opinions on how to have it cut and dried. Last time I had a nice big log (Black Cherry) and just let it dry naturally, it nearly twisted itself apart and was completely ruined. I don't want that to happen again. Help please. Thank you.

Keith


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Hey Keith, welcome.



wagonerkl said:


> Previous home owner said it was planted in 1920s but the new owner said an arborist told him it was no older than 35 years.


I think the arborist is a lot closer. 



wagonerkl said:


> My dad does gun stocks sometimes so maybe it will get used as that.


I've never milled an English Walnut but it's supposed to be every bit as pretty as its cousin Eastern Walnut. It's make pretty gun stocks especially the crotch wood. Of course the beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a lot of shooters prefer straight grain. Not me I like as much figure as I can get. 



wagonerkl said:


> Last time I had a nice big log (Black Cherry) and just let it dry naturally, it nearly twisted itself apart and was completely ruined. I don't want that to happen again. . .


It's not likely you'll experience that with walnut. It is easy to dry, and can stay in log form for years. You'll probably have to find a hobbyist type sawyer though. Milling short, crooked, small logs is not any sawyers favorite thing to do. It will be a lot of work but if you want the wood bad enough don't let anyone tell you it isn't worth it. 

Just make as sure as you can that there's no voids visible in that crotch or else you'll cut it down to find a hollow shell and still be responsible for removing all of it. But most of the wood is going to be above that short trunk anyway so maybe still worth the effort.


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

Only 3' before it branches out? It doesn't sound like it's worth it to me. Tree limbs aren't a good source for lumber because of the internal tension it has. It would be great for turning though.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Julian the woodnut said:


> Only 3' before it branches out?


Common trait of the English variety. Short trunks big crowns.


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