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Hey all, I tried to do some homework on the species of this tree but still want to ask you guys. Is this a black walnut tree? It's in my back yard and is about 24" in diameter. We have been wanting to cut this back because it is quite large and goes a good deal into the neighbor's yard.

My question is whether or not you can use limbs for things like bindings or rosettes and end grafts. Some of the limbs are 18" diameter or so... not small. Also, how wide is a typical sap line and do these go into limbs as well?

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

My guess is Walnut . It will have a mediciney smell.
john hall

Yup! that's a black walnut next to the leaf. Assuming it came from that tree, it's a black walnut tree. Heck yes you can use the limbs for things like bindings, rosettes, bridges, headplate veneers, etc. I've got a bunch of it drying in my shed that a tornado brought down 3 years ago. And that is my intended purpose. I'll have bindings 'till the cows come home.
I don't think there's a "typical" on the sap line dimension. It varies greatly from tree to tree and from one part of a tree to another. Some of the limbs I got from the tornado tree are 14" diam and they are entirely sap wood. All white. Others have no sap wood at all.

Christian,

I you want that pesky tree out of your way, let me know and I will get rid of it for you.   And, yes that almost certainly is a black walnut.  Let me know if you get serious about it, I know a guy locally that specializes in custom milling of urban trees.

Thanks guys -
That answers my questions. There are three large trees in our backyard, a pine, a plum and this. My wife wants to get rid of the plum and the pine and leave the third (walnut) but cut it back a ways.

It would be a shame if it came down in a storm or something though.... I'll let you know, Doug, if that ever happens.

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Is the plum big enough to do anything with? I haven't heard of a single fruit tree in the US that isn't a good hardwood. At the very least, it will make nice tool handles.
The cherry tree in our front yard is coming down after all the madness is over. I have a sneaking suspension that its working on being hollow, but I still might be able to get a couple of necks out of it, at the very least a whole lot of bindings.

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Aoibeann

Plum is very nice wood, also very hard.  I have a couple of limbs I've had for years.  The tree was in my yard, and it finally died.  I kept a couple of pieces, and made a couple of small items out of it.  One was a capo, but the design was faulty (my design).  It worked a couple of times, but the mechanism I designed failed after that.

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Waddy

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Christian,

That is a black walnut. Also, if you do trim the  limbs and resaw for later use, be careful at the table saw. Limbs and even leaning or crooked boles tend to have a lot of stress in them. After you have dried the lumber and are preparing to saw it up, be sure to have a splitter in place on the saw. Also, move everything (include yourself) out of the way of a possible kickback missle. I think in the long run you would be better off using it as firewood and just purchasing nice walnut from your local sawyer. If it is for more of a sentimental idea, go for it. Been there.
chris

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Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
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