Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Northgate, Brisbane, Queensland
    Age
    33
    Posts
    1

    Default Very Large Silky Oak Tree - Removal and Demand

    Hi There,

    I have a very long and straight Silky Oak tree in my back yard I was looking to remove and wondering if it was of any value?

    I was thinking of making a post on local classifieds (Gumtree etc) and offer the wood in exchange for removal. Do you think the tree has any value for for it's wood or am I barking up the wrong tree (pardon the pun)?

    I've measured the tree at it's base and it is around 700mm. It is also very straight. I'm not too sure on the height I would estimate 20m-25m.

    Include some pics for viewing.

    Thanks to anyone with some advice.

    139139663_200552535123604_7413655262566268126_n.jpg
    139219359_493374988325523_1611030134585010223_n.jpg
    139159562_197307115364550_8782072345998922194_n.jpg
    139176269_253875019505548_673791810701311637_n.jpg

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    I have been offered similar deals many times but the way I explain it is;
    a) Given the size of the tree and its location it would need to be safely brought down by an experience arborist with suitable insurance coverage.
    Then all the all the branches and leaves removed.
    My rough guess for this would be around 2 grand, possibly more.

    b) By far the majority of the value in any milled timber from the log comes about not because of the wood but because of the labour and machinery required in the milling and drying process and teh storage of the timber.

    c) The cash value of the actual unmilled log is about 10 - 20% of b) but it will almost certainly be less than a).

    This means unless you have a friend in the trade you will almost certainly still have to pay for most of the cost of taking it down.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Location
    Qld
    Age
    61
    Posts
    146

    Default

    Suburban trees like this one carry the risk of having metal concealed within them
    Particularly the Butt log section
    I wouldn't mill it myself
    And to fell this tree you will need a pro!
    And they will dispose of it thoughtfully
    Mr Fiddleback

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Contact Derek Doak. Google for The Timber Bloke.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    East Warburton, Vic
    Age
    54
    Posts
    14,138

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by derekcohen View Post
    Contact Derek Doak. Google for The Timber Bloke.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Long way for Derek to go to salvage a log
    Cheers

    DJ


    ADMIN

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Oops... I though I saw "Perth" ... back in my hole I go ...

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brisbane (western suburbs)
    Age
    77
    Posts
    12,095

    Default

    Like the others have said, it's a tricky job getting a tree in your situation down safely in pieces large enough for other than turners to play with. It's definitely not a job for Uncle Joe & his trusty old Stihl! It looks as if there is a good alleyway between those two buildings, so someone who has a the requisite knowledge & experience could possibly lop the top away & drop the usable part of the trunk (a process that risks felling shakes as discussed on another thread here recently). The cheapest way out is to hire a reputable person with all the relevant insurance cover, but unfortunately, it's never cheap.

    My neighbor had a large Jacaranda brought down a couple of years ago. The arborists did what they called a "cut & drop", which meant no cleaning up, and that cost him about $1,000. I helped him cut it up, after he assured me there was no way there could possibly be any hardware in it. Of course there was, there always is! In this case a couple of dozen nails, but fortunately, I missed most of them and the couple I did hit just instantly dulled the chain & didn't rip any teeth off.

    It's a pity to see a nice bole like that turned into mulch - most open-grown S.O.s are branched & knotty from the ground up, but yours looks very clean. However there will not be as much wood in it as you may think - the sapwood of a fast-grown SO is usually quite wide, and it is NOT advisable to use sapwood in anything you want to last - borers think it's ice-cream (damhik!).

    Cheers,
    IW

  9. #8
    Mobyturns's Avatar
    Mobyturns is offline In An Instant Your Life Can Change Forever
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    "Brownsville" Nth QLD
    Age
    66
    Posts
    4,414

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by reubzy View Post
    offer the wood in exchange for removal. Do you think the tree has any value for for it's wood or am I barking up the wrong tree (pardon the pun)?

    No one with any experience will accept "wood in exchange for removal" for a suburban tree. The economics and risk simply say no!

    Yes it is a nice specimen, straight and certainly has potential as a saw log. Urban salvage of trees does sound the "right thing to do" environmentally.

    As others have mentioned the risks, I will touch on the economics of removal. A professional tree lopper / arborist will charge in the range of $1000 -$2500 possibly more depending upon site inspection, risk, access, removal and tidy up / make good/ stump removal etc.

    The potential saw log has a stumpage value of $20-60 per cubic meter which will be assessed for "saw log quality" once the log is on the ground. It may be worth $200 if it is a high grade saw log or nothing at all if there is minimal heart wood with little prospect of recovering enough sawn timber to offset labour, transport etc! Most tree loppers mulch / chip on site and on sell the mulch which potentially has more value than the stumpage, and far less hassles with co-ordination, transport etc.

    Once the log is removed, transported, sawn, dried, dressed, then it starts to have value.
    Mobyturns

    In An Instant Your Life CanChange Forever

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11th July 2015, 10:00 AM
  2. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 31st January 2013, 05:34 PM
  3. Gum tree removal
    By tooska in forum FORESTRY MANAGEMENT
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 9th January 2013, 12:04 PM
  4. removal of a tree
    By dzcook in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH WOODWORK
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 16th March 2007, 11:06 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •