Logging tapped trees

[wnybassman]

Does tapping trees affect the trees value later down the road if they were to be logged? Or does it make them completely unmarketable?

I am considering asking a landowners permission to tap a dozen or two trees that are just within 20 yards of the trees I tap. I know he has done some looging in the past on other properties he has in the area, and don't know his future plans.

Actually, I am hoping he'd be willing to sell the 2.7 acres I want. He is a local farmer with 100's maybe even 1000's of acres of farmland. This small parcel is all sloping ravine with zero possibility for a building lot, although it has about 165 feet of road frontage. I wouldn't think it would be of much value to him, other than possible logging potential. I'll probably approach him in the next week or so and find out. I did a walk through today and found enough trees for about 100-125 taps, with a ton of smaller maples coming along.

[kinalfarm]

it does ruin the tree's wood around the tap, and about a foot above the tapping area. we log our woods to so you can just figure your ging to loose about the first 4-5' of each tree at the bottom. Also you have to be sure not to over tap and killing the tree. some big ugly maples are not worth any money in lumber. sothose are the ones that are good to find for tapping.

[Smith's Maple]

Talking to the logging company that logged the neibors this summer. He said the stained wood in the tree was no good for boards, but they use that part to make cribbing blocks. This was Stout logging.

[Tim in NY]

Just went to a woodland mgmt seminar last week. One of the presenters said the timber cruisers look hard for signs of tapped trees, and can pick them out, even if its been many years since they were tapped. They automatically will downgrade all maples in the stand if they see any sign of tapping.

Tim

[ronr]

It will affect value, how much depends on the tree. Big old branchy roadside or field edge trees, the kind you want for sap, it won’t be too bad as they are usually lower grade anyway. Trees 10” and up, straight with no defects, that may make veneer grade would be the hardest hit.

We did a job last year about this time that was an old sugar bush. It had mostly big trees 18” to maybe 30”+ diameter that were tapped for many years in the past although not recently. We had to leave the bottom few feet on many of them. I sliced some 3-4” thick wafers off that showed the old tap holes pretty clearly. I’ll have to post some pictures when I get some time.

[shane hickey]

All this talking about neibors trees that might be logged, I just lease there property for a price they cannot refuse and tell them this is for a 5 year contract. They would get paid every year not just once then have a heck of a mess to clean up. I have paid as much as a 1.50 a tap that would be 1500 for a 1000 taps it seems like a lot of money but you'll make at least $8,000 on that property.

[maple flats]

I have a sawmill and will buy tapped logs. There is a market in a specialty siding but it is an unknown until the logs is sawn, therefor the price is low even though the siding is high. Any given log that has been tapped may or may not give the desired look. If it was tapped properly in a healthy tree with a consistant pattern the look is good. If the holes are too random or didn't heal well the log is just firewood or pallet stock. Until sawn it is an unknown. Evidence of tapping iseasy to spot but the unknown is what it will look like when sawn. If any of you ever get to the NYS fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY, visit the maple booth in the horticultural building. The paneling for the booth is all tap wood t&g panel. I pay more than most for such logs but it is still fairly low. A log that could have been a prime log will only be worth less than 25% of it at most. I buy logs 8'4" min length if cut squarely enough to yield an 8' board, no excessive fiber pull from felling.

[ronr]

Found a picture of that job taken with a cell phone. The quality isn't the greatest but if you look at the biggest log you can see the old tap hole stains.

[shane hickey]

maple flats, about how much does that siding run. I have a log house I didn't even think about it at the time but I think it would look neat in the basement for finished walls

[sapman]

On last year's NY maple tour, the Cornell team was relating their experience with taphole lumber. Though the market isn't well known, they said they got $5-7 per board ft.! I don't know if anyone else can actually get this, but I've heard another talk about tapped lumber he'd sold at a good price.

Tim

[sterling gold]

I put a floor down for a guy last year that was "tap hole maple". I think he paid more for the "tap hole effect" than otherwise. It's a niche market, but it's out there. I thought the floor looked great when it was done, it's amazing how much of the tree gets killed by the old style taps.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Look at the pics on RONRs site and see how the tree looks from over tapping on 1 side. Gee I wonder if that the south side?

[GANGGREEN]

I think I've seen that siding. It's curious that people will pay a premium for a product that most other folks would suggest has been ruined.

Noel, I hope that he'll sell you those few acres, it would certainly give you peace of mind and allow you to do as you pleased with the trees there.

[wnybassman]

Noel, I hope that he'll sell you those few acres, it would certainly give you peace of mind and allow you to do as you pleased with the trees there.

That is what I hope for too Bill. It's got a nice mix of maples and firewood. Could keep me and my family busy for years :)

I have no idea what a fair value might be for this small parcel. Fortunately it has no building lot potential.

[Grott]

It's a specialty market around here. Some wood turners like the sap hole wood as it gives turnings character. It's just a niche market if you can find it. I have a turned plate that actually has a spout hole in the rim. It gets lots of second looks, and is a maple conversation starter.

Garett

[maple flats]

I don't dare quote a price. Right now I have none in stock. Prices in recent years have run from $.90-$2.25 BF, big range. That is for 1" rough cut, ready to plane and T&G. I sold some for $2.25 about 16-18 mos ago, that's the last I had.

[wnybassman]

I stopped into the farmers house today that owns the land around me. I told him I would be interested in buying the 2.7 acres next to me if he was interested in selling. Long story short, he wasn't interested. He said he had no reason not to sell it, but had no reason to sell it either. He said he hates giving up control of land, even though it is really useless for his needs.

I told him to let me know if he ever changed his mind, and he said he would.

Before I left he did offer to me that I could tap some trees if I wanted. I thanked him very much and told him I would. Within an hour of when I got home, I put five taps in within 10 yards of my line ;) I might do a few more, but don't want to seem over anxious.

He also said to treat that land as if it was my own, just be respectful of it.

Maybe I could own it some day!

[sapman]

Sounds like a decent guy! That's the same arrangement I have on the 30 or so acres I'm tapping. He said treat it as my own, and has been great about everything. Even lets us harvest the dead stuff for firewood.

[maple sapper]

If you go to Bascoms or look at photos on their web site of the new showroom, you will notice the counter at your knees and the doors behind where the money counter is, is all tapped maple wood. Looks really cool.
Their 2010 catalog has it on page 10. Not sure if they have it on web site.