# Should i buy this Log?



## winters98 (Apr 7, 2014)

My neighbor wants to sell me a Butternut log .

Not sure what it is worth but I don't think his asking price of $500 sounds reasonable.

What is a normal price for non cut wood from a sawmill?

I would say the log is 10ft long and 20 to 28 " in dia


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## hobbit-hut (Apr 7, 2014)

no

Reactions: Agree 1


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## JR Custom Calls (Apr 7, 2014)

If it averages out at 24" diameter, and it's 10' long, that would be 250 bf... Making that log $2 a bf. would still be cheaper than buying it around here, but that's not accounting for the slabs that would be taken off when it's milled. Seems steep to me, but I am certainly no expert


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## Mike1950 (Apr 7, 2014)

I agree with NO. Too much almost a given it has steel in it if it was a yard tree. Movin that sucker would not be easy either.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Apr 7, 2014)

My vote would be for no also. Price is to high. Butternut is a common species in the upper Midwest there is an ad on the appleton wi CL selling dried 4/4 butternut for 2 bucks a board foot. 

I hinging my vote on price alone. I assume 1 in 10 logs will have iron. So chances are you won't get anything major in there. My counter offer would be for 1/3 of that price. Logs can be had fairly easy. If your woodworking takes you down the road of having an occasional log milled just be patient there will be logs that come along at the right price to mill. Worst thing to do is get overly excited about plain logs. They are a dime a dozen sometimes.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Schroedc (Apr 7, 2014)

If you are looking for butternut I know a mill near here that has some slabbed up and Kiln Dried that was cut back in the 70's in 8/4 and 12/4


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## Nature Man (Apr 8, 2014)

I would not pay that much -- it's just wood! Keep your eyes open, check Craigslist often, tell everyone you know that you are interested in wood/logs. Join a local woodworking club, contact arborists, be vigilant about downed trees and always ask if you can have them. There are many avenues to obtaining wood at very little or no cost in your local area. The other question that you must answer is will you use that much butternut in your lifetime. Storage is oftentimes an issue, as well. Finally, perhaps your neighbor will lower his price once he realizes that he can't sell the log for $500. Chuck

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rdnkmedic (Apr 8, 2014)

$500 is waaaaay too much money. Perhaps he should pay you to haul it off.

As mentioned above, keep an eye on craigslist. There is free wood (trees, logs) on there all the time. You must remember that not only would you be paying for the log, the sawmill is not free either. Storage of that much lumber under cover is also an issue. Be patient. If you keep your eyes open, trees and or logs will appear before your eyes.


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## rdnkmedic (Apr 8, 2014)

This looks like a good place to share this YouTube video. Just substitute butternut for walnut.






Enjoy!

Reactions: Like 3


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 8, 2014)

No, wood is everywhere and it is free. I find it all the time.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## hobbit-hut (Apr 8, 2014)

Recently ( about 6 weeks ago ) I was on my way to get some rec. fuel for my chain saw. Past a house with wood in the yard. On my way back stopped and talked to the lady of the house. Who had the same opinion of the oak on her lawn as the lady in the YouTube clip. As I was talking to her I was looking over the crotches and saw one that look spalted. They only wanted to sell all of it or none of it. I didn't want all just cherry picking. I did manage to get the crotch for 5 bucks. I tried to explain what was going to happen if they didn't do what ever they could to get rid of it. The problem was it cost them $ 1,000.00 to get it cut down and they thought they could get their money back by selling the wood. They didn't want to sell it piece meal because they wanted the buyer that would pay and solve all their problems. Said they had several people that were interested. I went by there the other day and the wood is still there. I imagine when they do get rid of it they will have to put in a new front lawn. I think the response I would have with your neighbor is " How much would you pay me to haul that log away. "


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## Sprung (Apr 8, 2014)

I've got absolutely no experience buying logs, but that price would definitely make me pass. Assuming you have a good relationship with your neighbor, I might not even make a counter-offer, lest you offend him - unless you know him to be a very reasonable person.

BTW, whereabouts in MN are you, @winters98 ?



Schroedc said:


> If you are looking for butternut I know a mill near here that has some slabbed up and Kiln Dried that was cut back in the 70's in 8/4 and 12/4



Colin, if you don't mind sharing, where at and how much per BF? You can PM me if you want. I might be interested in some and I might be over to your area of the state around the end of April/early May. Haven't yet found a local source for lumber since moving to MN, though I haven't had the chance to really look either.


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## Schroedc (Apr 8, 2014)

Sprung said:


> I've got absolutely no experience buying logs, but that price would definitely make me pass. Assuming you have a good relationship with your neighbor, I might not even make a counter-offer, lest you offend him - unless you know him to be a very reasonable person.
> 
> BTW, whereabouts in MN are you, @winters98 ?
> 
> ...



I'll have to run out there and get his number. It's an old sawmill that got passed down to the kids and not sure how much in operation it still is but they do have piles and piles of stuff. I'll try to get it in the next week or so.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## hobbit-hut (Apr 8, 2014)

My experience has been when you over price something people do not return to buy even when you lower the price. At some point no one will be knocking on his door. If it's not to infested with bugs or cracked beyond desire you'll be doing him a favor getting rid of it.


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## Kevin (Apr 8, 2014)

Put me down with the 'no' crowd. Butternut is a nice wood but in the case of a yard log only _'free for hauling off . . . today only'_ is an acceptable offer. Tell them 'T_he offer is not good past today because I cannot afford to spend more than the rest of the day on such a costly endeavor'._ If he says _take a hike_ say _thank you, good bye_.

Some will, some won't. Next!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## winters98 (Apr 9, 2014)

Schroedc said:


> If you are looking for butternut I know a mill near here that has some slabbed up and Kiln Dried that was cut back in the 70's in 8/4 and 12/4


Where is that mill you know?


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## Bluestingray (Apr 24, 2014)

Why pay $500 for butter when margarine is healthier?…. What i'm saying is those peeps are unreal and they haven't a clue the work involved. The log will sit in there yard forever because of there stubbornness. butternut… aint that a bread? or is that banana bread?… idk, gett'n me some breakfast though!


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