On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 15:06:33 -0500, tdstr
wrote:

Greetings!

I'm not certain that if this group but I figure it is worth a shot. I
have a 50' black walnut tree in my backyard that I'd like to get rid of.

What shape is it in? I have one I inherited with my home. The
squirrels think it's their home when they get chase out of mine. I
*might* get a couple of boards out of it.

When you say "in your backyard", is it a hazard to cut down? Is there
room to properly fell it? Is it worth their while to bother?

You need local advice from the person felling the tree, and who is
there to see it. They call themselves "tree surgeons" around here.
That jacks up the price, and my medical doesn't cover it. Assuming it
can be felled to decent length, find out what it would cost to remove
it [entirely, brush and all], what it would cost to haul it to a mill,
what it would cost to rough saw, what it would cost to have it planed
[don't rely on your handy 12" planer for that] ...and balance that
against the end product in board feet of what might or might not be
first grade walnut.

Me? I'd tell whoever cuts mine down and removes it to keep it, and
leave me a couple of feet to play with. Now, if I had a couple of the
magnificent specimens a friend of mine saw on his golf course, that
would be a different story.