# half dead standing monster cherry



## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

I have been given a wild cherry tree that is an absolute monster. Its atleast 18 to 20 ft to the first branch and a couple feet thick at the base. The only problem is that one side is dead and has been for awile. It still leaves out on only one side. I will have to pay someone to drop it for me cause there is only 1 direction for it to fall, the wrong way and it falls on the railroad which would get me a good butt chewing cause I work for them. The other way into standing timber and the other thru power lines. Would the wood it yeilds be worth the time, effort and money? There does appear to be some termite activity on the dead side.


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

Either way, sounds like you need to setup a video camera for this when it gets dropped...I can feel the youtube potential.


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## chubbyhubby (Mar 7, 2010)

It seems as if the best You Tube videos start with, "Hey Bubba, hold my beer and watch this". :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: CH BTW, I'd go for it, but get someone who has done it before. Considering the price of cherry per bd ft, it sounds like you should more than break even.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

There are several sawyers on here with lots of knowledge and experience. Hopefully they wil chime in. One is Daren and I believe TexasTimbers is also a sawyer.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

A standing tree is always a roll of the dice. Even ones that look "perfect'' may be hollow when felled. The "dead side" and termites are a bit of a turn off...but I have milled many standing dead trees and found good lumber.



skymonkey said:


> Would the wood it yeilds be worth the time, effort and money?


A picture of course would help. The answer to your question is...well it depends on how much effort and money vs how much yield. Without a crystal ball it's hard to say. You have a better chance breaking even/coming out ahead on cherry and more expensive species though than say cheap pine/poplar/oak...


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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

I'ld take it down, especially if it might fall and take something out or someone in a storm. I had a cottonwood in my yard that was around five foot at the base then went up about twenty feet at the crotch, one side was dead the other wasn't I didn't want to pay to have it taken down. I should have in a storm the dead have broke off, that put all the weight on the living side which uprooted and took out the kids swingset, three telephone poles, ripped out the electric straight out of my breaker box. Then through my fence and a very nice mullbery tree in my side yard. Thank god it missed the house and garage fell right between them. Still had to pay my deductable, the local tree guy would have taken it down for less.


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

*cherry*

Sometimes a tree will die on one side due to a lighting hit, ive sawed a few lighting hit trees some were split-up real bad some only lost one face. Just a thought Mike


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

Yep I have been told it was struck by lightning. I am gonna have it dropped Friday or Saturday. I have a friend who said he would mill it for me


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