Pricing apple tree pieces for woodturning

[u/gravelGoddess]

We ard having our 40 year old apple trees removed. Two are over a foot at the base with burls. The other is about 12”. The larger branches are around 6” +/-. We are having a professional tree service remove them so want to recoup part of the cost. How much should we charge for larger trunks? How about 6” pieces? Should we have tree folks cut close to where the larger branches spread from the trunks? We ard unsure about price and how big to have them cut. Thanks so much. Btw, we have my grandfather’s 1942 era Craftsman metal lathe and the oak machinists chest with tools. He turned many a bowl with them.

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[u/MontEcola]

I pay $0.

I collect the wood from downed trees. It is a trade off. I save you the $300 to $500 you would pay to have it hauled away. I will cut up the branches for you and pile them so you can have someone else haul them away. And I will haul away the wood. Benefit to you is the cost of hauling it away. With apple, you can cut the left over branches into smaller bits and advertise wood for smoking meat or fish. You will be lucky to have half the pike hauled away. The rest you put into your bins, or take a trip to the dump.

Also, 60% of the apple trees that get taken down are hollow or diseased in the middle. I won't bother with that at all. You will need to pay to have it hauled away.

If your tree is healthy green wood all the way through the wood is useful. Now, if you are skilled and cut the pieces up so they do not crack, and seal the ends appropriately, apple chunks can earn you a few dollars. Finding buyers will be your issue. You can get $10 to $15 for the big pieces. And maybe $2 for the smaller pieces. You are not going to get rich on this. If you cut the pieces and they are not good for turning you will likely spend more time and effort and it will not be worth it.

[u/gravelGoddess → u/MontEcola]

Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I did consider that they may be hollow. Also, we have to hire a licensed and bonded company due to overhead power lines. The company has a bucket with ground, a chipper and knowledge.
I will probably just ask for donations if the wood is solid. If it isn’,t we may just sell the wood for firewood. I had considered just giving away the smaller limbs for smoking but may just have them chipped as we need some wood mulch.
Thank you again.

[u/lostINsauce369 → u/gravelGoddess]

Make sure the people cutting down the tree know you want to keep the wood for wood turning projects. Otherwise the whole thing will end up going through the wood chipper and get turned into mulch

[u/Glum_Meat2649]

Fruit tree check very fast, you need to be ready to cut the pith out and seal the end grain. Liquid white glue works for sealing and is cheaper than anchor seal. Cut a couple an inch away from the pith on either side. Stack the pieces on an old pallet or find some other way to get it off the ground so bugs don’t attack it. Cover it from the weather. Price it to move quickly, or it will fully check and turn into firewood.

[u/RCTID1975]

This is worth about zero dollars.

But that's still a win for you rather than paying the tree removers to clean it up.

The value in wood is the time to dry and store it, not so much the material itself.

Now if you wanna process it, store it, and dry it, then you might be able to sell it, but you'll be even further in the hole.

[u/BillyBobBarkerJrJr]

Contact your local woodturning club and offer it to them, once it is on the ground. Not only will you save money but you will generate all kinds of good will with the turning community and likely some nice turned "thank you" pieces.

[u/Glum_Meat2649]

I should have mentioned that our local woodturning club has a group of folks that will do the processing once it’s on the ground. But we don’t pay anything for the wood, past making something for the person who donated the wood. Other clubs do something similar.

AAW ‘s website where you can look up chapters is woodturner.org

[u/ApprehensiveFarm12]

Like others said you'll have to process it to make money from it. With a sharp enough chainsaw you can do it over time. Just paint the ends and let it sit. In the end your hope is to find a good buyer. I'd pay $20 -$30 a piece for 12 inch diameter pieces.

[u/Fuhugwugads]

You'd probably do better to chunk it all up and sell as firewood for cooking.

[u/Agreeable_Tamarack]

I've processed and turned a lot of apple wood. It's really important to keep it out of the sun or any really warm space while drying, even after 2 coats of Anchorseal. I cut large diameter pieces short enough to split lengthwise with my 18" chainsaw, seal the ends, and stack it not touching the ground with at least an inch between pieces and then cover it with some scrap plywood. Smaller diameter pieces get left 3'-4'. Rough turned side grain bowls will move a lot while drying, but end grain pieces/branches, even up to 6" roughed into boxes or twig pots stay close to round while drying, though I get some splitting in the twig pots and a bit less in the boxes. But it is one of my favorite woods to turn, along with cherry. Smooth grained and it turns like butter. All that said, I've gotten it all for free, other than turning a few gifts for a thank you.

[u/gravelGoddess]

You have all made good points. I can see that I can’t recoup the cost (around $1000) so will just donate. Maybe a wooden bowl will be offered. Have my grandfather’s turned bowls from Myrtle wood so as a remembrance of our apple trees, that would be a nice gesture. Thanks once more for you helpful comments. I will make sure to notify a woodturners club locally plus I have a friend who does this as a hobby. I had planned on giving him some anyway.