Sawmill and Timber

Sawmills and Sawing => Bandsaw Mills => Topic started by: SDB777 on June 21, 2014, 05:28:14 PM

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Title: If this is work, I like it!!!
Post by: SDB777 on June 21, 2014, 05:28:14 PM
Getting tired of seeing this yet?


Didn't fire the mill up until 8am, was already up to 78*F, and it was only going to get warmer.  Put a small log(the're all small) on the bunk and figured 'what the hey'....clicky!


(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/14288890870_9c97ebbb54_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/31966746@N05/14288890870/)



By the time it got to 91*F, I had had about enough for the day.  According to my math, okay I have an APP for the phone that spits out Doyle Scale for me....I had put 221bft through the uprights.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is making dimensional lumber on a manual mill.....it's a pretty decent amount on timber(especially since it's all small timber).


(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/14452417946_edf14e4758_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/31966746@N05/14452417946/)



Not quite done on this customers' load yet, but I guess I'd rather do quality over speedy crap work.  And the sweat was pouring out of me today!!!






By the way, I still have plenty more to mill!  And this photo(below), doesn't include the stuff that followed me home the other day!  And the Ash...it was picked up this morning by a very happy fella!!


(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14495656163_18176270f2_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/31966746@N05/14495656163/)





Silly photo warning....


(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14474373724_96f2697ffc_b.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/31966746@N05/14474373724/)








Thanks for looking, wish I had time to finish....




Scott (dog watched me for awhile) B
Title: Re: If this is work, I like it!!!
Post by: Post Oakie on September 18, 2014, 12:20:11 PM
I love milling cedar, and even the small stuff can yield up a few nice boards.  I'm puzzled why you based your estimate on the Doyle scale.  It WAY underestimates footage from logs the size in your photo.  International 1/4" is much more accurate.  Doyle scale for a 10" log 8' long is 18 board feet, but International 1/4" scales to 30 board feet.  It would be interesting to compare the scale estimate to actual output.  I average about 14% above International 1/4", because of the thin kerf.  I do agree with you about the "work".  Don't get overheated, and keep telling yourself that cooler weather is on the way!  Happy sawing!
Title: Re: If this is work, I like it!!!
Post by: Stevem on September 23, 2014, 10:31:15 AM
Doesn't the scale you use follow what is used locally?  I use Scribner (designed for conifer wood) for everything because that's what people in the area understand.
Title: Re: If this is work, I like it!!!
Post by: Tom the Sawyer on October 05, 2014, 09:16:41 PM
Although my area is not a center of logging activity, it has been my experience that saw logs around here are bought and sold on the Doyle Scale.  Commercial mills buy most of the saw logs and they use Doyle so it becomes the 'de facto' standard.  I use the International 1/4" scale as a starting point for estimating the yield I might get from milling with a narrow-kerf bandsaw (+ 10%). 

For 'prime' sized logs, say 16-28", Doyle and International 1/4" are almost the same.  Smaller logs, and to some extent extra large ones, are more difficult and time consuming to handle for the amount of material they yield so Doyle 'discounts' smaller logs by shorting the footage. 

If I were using different equipment I might consider using a different scale for predicting what I could get from a log.  In addition to assuming a 1/4" kerf on the International 1/4" Scale, it also assumes all 1" lumber.  If I were producing a different product, e.g.; turning stock, pen blanks, closet lining, beams, etc.; I would need to adjust the scale, or use a different scale.

Regardless of the end use, or processing method, using a consistent method like the Doyle Scale establishes an accepted method for determining the 'quantity' of wood in a saw log.  What the buyer and seller agree on per-board-foot, establishes the value of those logs.