need some help to point the way...

[Matt Ranum]

Hello everyone haven't been around much lately. Life and work sure seems to get in the way more and more as I get older.

I have a friend that works in the tree service business and is always taking down and pruning trees of various types and size. Most everything ends up in a chipper unless he knows of a home for it then can usually make adjustments. So I'm telling him that he should keep and store some sections, i.e. crotch pieces, burls etc. and sell them as turning material. I get this look thats like.......really??( He's thinking...yeah ok...insert sarcasm smiley).

This guy is all about working for a living and doesn't believe me he's passing up on a nice side line niche. Talking to him today, he took down a large, 24"+ Walnut tree and it ended up in a chipper! Tell me there wasn't some turning blanks there! Then he says, "Oh crap I should have saved you some logs from it." "sigh"

Is there some website links I can show him that may convince him to keep some nice pieces and sell? I know I've stumbled across them in the past but my mind is blank where to look at the moment.

[Marty Eargle]

When your post started...I knew it would lead to something that would make my heart sink. Mission accomplished with the walnut tree.

Since I'm not 100% clear on the rules for posting website, I'll just suggest that you Google "woodturning blanks" or do a quick eBay search in front of him. There are tons and tons of turners who rely almost solely from bought wood. I'm sure he'll change his tune when he realized that a properly processed walnut tree that size could easily fetch a few hundred dollars when cut into blanks.

I would also point him to a local turning club...tell him to go to a meeting a talk with a few unbiased turners. There are few people who peak the interest of a turner like someone with your friends career.

[Matt Ranum]

Thanks, yeah I wish I lived closer to him. He's in the twin cities area(Minneapolis) now. Nice market I would think. He was nice enough to bring me some smaller Cherry logs last fall when he came back this way. I owe him a pen at least from them when they finish drying down. Wouldn't even let me pay his gas bill.

I wouldn't have known about the Walnut except he called to ask if I wanted some seed from it(I run a tree farm), lots there on the ground after they took it down.

[Reed Gray]

It is more difficult to sell the blanks than it is to call the woodturner's club and give them some wood in exchange for some bowls.

robo hippy

[Bob Bergstrom]

Don't think I would want mulch made from walnut unless I wan't to kill off some plant life.

[Steve Schlumpf]

In addition to doing an online search, you can also suggest he stop in at any Rockler store in the cities and see what they sell green turning blanks for! If that doesn't show him the possibilities when selling blanks... nothing will!

[Doug W Swanson]

Have him check out the Minnesota Woodturners website. It's a club with 200+ members that would love to get it's hands on 24" walnut!

Seriously, I live in the Twin Cities and I'm willing to help save stuff like that walnut from the chipper.

[phil harold]

24 walnut
not turned into slabs?

yikes

[Michael Mills]

In addition to above suggestions there are sites for wood barter (buy-post what you are looking for, sell, or trade). I would think he should get up with a local sawyer. It will still take a fair amout of work even after that to process for shipping and of course sealing.

If he looks at retail I would think it will be 50% of what they sell it for.

A search of the bay for blanks will turn up a huge listing also as a comparison.

[Matt Ranum]

Thanks for the input guys!

I gave him a lot to check out so we'll see I guess. You know what they say......You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. He's not a woodworker either so he looks at wood differently than most of us do. Heck if we were closer I'd do it for him.