Barry:

To go a bit further into the issue...

Commercially, walnut is almost always steamed as a part of the kiln
drying operation. The steam causes the pigment to migrate into the
sapwood so that the sapwood can and is sold along with the heartwood.
If one is home-drying though, it is not practical to do this so you
either lose the sapwood or try to stain it.

Also, when commercial operations harvest walnut, they are looking for
clear butt logs -- no branches to kill yield.

Bill

Barry N. Turner wrote:
A small fortune? Maybe. The log will undoubtedly yield some decent lumber
if sawed and seasoned properly. Or several bowl blanks, if you are a
turner. The smaller limbs are less useful. The larger limbs are probably
usable, but a limb that is 2" in diameter has very little worth. The very
center of the logs and limbs, the pith, should be avoided because of it's
propensity to warp. You have to consider the lighter sapwood, too. While
turners might incorporate sapwood into a bowl, furniture makers probably
would cut it out as waste. So, you don't have a "small fortune", but you
have scored some decent wood for turning or a few smaller projects.

Barry

"SHOOTER1" wrote in message
...

I just received a black walnut tree trunk that is 18"D x 12' L. I am
planning to have it cut into plank except for the areas that the limbs
branched from. Because of the grain patterns I "think" this would be the
best way to go. I also received the rest of the tree (limbs & branches),
however these were cut into varied lengths from about 12" to 18" and have
diameters from about 2" to 10". I have been told that I have a small
fortune in wood here. I really am not concerned about that, I am more
worried about how to preserve it. The tree was downed about a week prior

to

my getting it.
I am new to turning and would appreciate any suggestions.

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