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U.S. DEPARTME NT
OF AGRICULTURE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
I
FOREST AND RANGE
EXPERIMENT
.
if)
' "K
e. Jearch
R.W.COWLIN , DIRECTO R
I,
.
.
Number
141
"""
FOREST SERVICE STATION M/e --
Portland, Oregon
1957
April
WHITE FIR LUHBER RECOVERY AT A WESTERN WASHINGTON SAWMILL
by
E. E. Hatson
In April 1956 a study!/ was made in western Wa·shington to deter­
mine grades of lumber that coula. be expected from silver fir ( Abies
al118.bilis and grand fir ( Abies grandis which are grouped together by ,
the lumber industry and sold as wM te. fir.
At the sawmill where' the
study w as made, none of the lumber is seasoned and most of it is sold
The headrig at this mill is used primarily to produce
surfaced-green.
side-cut lumber and for breaking: the remainder of the log into large
c ants which .. are sent to the sash gang.. Mos t of the lumber produced is
two inches thick.
)
)
·
·
In .this study, 166 logs were followed through the mill and e ach
piece of lumber was graded and tallied by individual logs. Approximately
two•thirds of the logs in this study came from the Olympic Peninsula and
the. remainder from the west slope of the Cascade Range.
Logs varied in
length from 16·to 0 feet with the majority in the 32- to 0-foot class.
4
4
T est Procedure
.
'·
Approximately every fourth log coming into the mill was desig­
These logs were numbered consecutively and scaled
nated· as a test log.
and graded by a representative.of the Grays Harbor Log Scaling and
Grading Bureau according to their official rules of February 1954.
/
1/ Cooperative project of West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau,
Grays Harbor Log Scaling and Grading Bureau, Bureau of L and M anagement,
Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the u. s. Forest Servic e.
,'
..
' ·
Since this mill v.ras equipped with a sash;gang, resaw, and other
machinery that caused lumber from one log to become mixed wi.th . other
lumber, it was ·n ecessary to mark lumber from t est logs carefully.
Five
colors of paint i ere used.
All lumber from the first log was marked ·red, .
By.
and that·· fr:om each of the fou r succeeding logs with. sepa;r-ate c'olors.
the time the color series had been completed, the lumber from· the first
lo·g had· cleared the mill.. Men were stationed at the. headrig, sash .gang,
·
and resaw to be sure that all lumber from the test iogs -vms properly
marked.·
·
.. A !'SJ:rr·
ta-ticv-e. ef West .Gea-st Lumee'!' ffi-Bfle-e-tiea J3'lB:'-eaU; g-!'8.-Ge- , :
narked on the green chain every board from test logs.
Then t-vm men
tallied each piece of lumber, .us'ing a separate sheet for each log.
Lumber w .s ·grfl:ded according to st
. andard Grading and :.Dressing: Rules No. 15
3ffective March 1956.
.
Lumber Grade Recovery
•:.,
Lumber grade recoveries obtained in sawmill log grades 2 and 3
:tre showq: in .tab;Les 1 ·and 2 .and; f:i:gures· 1 and. 2·;
.Only ..a very few logs
i.n th . Peeler and l'{o. ·1 gr?-des· were·. available and did .. not give an adequate
sa,mpliilg 'for deye1oping .-reliable data-.· Hov.rever, for· infqrmation only,··.
:ry 'da'(;-iiJ. for·. the 4 Peelers and ..6' .. No.:· l 'logs are shown· in the sUinmar y
:-eco
.
babl.e<h:.• >- .'
.:v.:Ei
··
'
,,
, . · P9-t<i,' :i,n: these. tables arid· graphs have been rounded ·t.o smooth incon­
.
3i ·
;tenc:).,es. in di eter-,groups and ·to. strengthen·the data _where there was
Lnsuf.t:icient ·sampling.
' ·
···
..
Log :rul.es.. used ·by ·the log scaling. and grading bureaus'· in ·the
..
Douglas-fi:r. sub:re:gion are bas.ed on the· end ·products·. the. ·logs. :will produce.
i'J"o, 2 whi e fir logs V!USt be. capable :Of: producing n.Ot li3SS thari. 65 .p rcent
No · '3 l og s :
J.f tne net scaied.. content in Construction or Better lumber.
n1;1s.t. be c.apable·;.of ·producing not less than. one-third of.· t he net scale.. con­
bent in Standard or Better lumber.
Since the log rules are based on
·
rescribed grade recovery of the net log scale, the lumber recovery data
·
··
· ·· · · ·
shown in this report are· computed on the same basis.
·
.
.
.. Ordinarily:_sawmills -on · t he west side· of :the Cascades-· .cut a- minimum
. .
ll'he per·-;.'''.. unount of bpa_rds·i ·This procedure. was:followed at .·t-his.. mill
entag o;f the common grades of. lumo$r that ·1 as cut. into boards; during :· his study is shown in table 4.
.•.
.
All lumber data presented in this report are based on volumes and
.
rades obtained. on the green chain. Some 'loss· in 'both volume. and grade.·
iTOUld ·.have been E?Xpected if .... the .lumber .had been. dried ..,:: : ·: · . . . .....
.•
·
'
-.
-
2
-
,•
Table 1--Lumber grade recoveries in
No
Diameter
cl as s
in
l
\.V
I
1, 1
j
percent
2 white fir logs
Lumber grade
_
Select
Mere h.
)
Total
No.
of
logs
0.0
151..3 1.5
3.1
4.7
6.1
147.2
143.7 140.6
137.7
11
25.5
28.0
30.0
32.1
33.6
?.3
8.4
9.6
10.1
10.8
135.2
132.9
131.0
129.3
128.0
7
11.9
11.9
34.7
35.6
36.1
36.3
36.3 11.3
11.7
11.8
11.9
11.. 9
126.9
126.2
125.7
125.6
125.6
1
0
.2
2
1
11.9
11.9
36.3
36.3
11.9
11.9
125.6
125.6
0
3
Standard
Uti1ity
Econ­
14.4
14.1
13.7
13.4
1 3.1
7.5
11.7
15.7 19.3." 22.5
53.4
5o 3
47.6
45.3
43.5 12.8
12.6
12.4
12.3 12.2
12.1
12.0
Con-
Select
Struc.
struction
1.6
1.4
1.1
45.2
4o.6
36.3
32.5
29.0
?5.o 69.8
' 65.1 60.7
56.8
25.8
23.0
20.7
18.7
17.0 inches
B
14
15 16 17
18 2.9
3.0
3.2
3.3
3.4
19 20 21 22
23 3.6
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
5 4 0.5
5.8 o.4
6.0
0.4
6.2 0.4
6.3 o.4 0.9
0.8
0.6
0. 4
0.3
24 25
26 27 28 3.9
3.9
4.0
4.0
4.0 6.5
0.3 6.6 0.3
6.6
0. 3
6.7 0.2
6.7 0.2
0.3
0.3 0.2
0.2
0.2
15 ?
14.8 . 14.3
14.1
14.1
42.1
41.0
4o 4 40.3
40.3
..
12.0
29
30
4.0
4.. 0
6.7 0.2
6.7 0.2
0.2 0.2
14.1
14.1
40.3
40o3
G
D
3.6
4.1
0.6
0.5
4.9
5.2
0.4
0.5
4-.5 0.5
.
of net log saale
2.1
1.9
..
.
1
omy
---
----
9
19
12
6
0
9
8
7
.Table -2-..--Lumber.grade ,recoveries -in percent of net log scale, -No. 3 white fir logs
·
,.·
·.
Diameter
class in
inches
0
B
1)
..
I
I
.
...
10
n·
12
13 0.5
5.0 0.3 .. 1.4 0.3 1.4 ..
o.5
4.7 .
..
1.5
0.4 ·4.4 0.3
0.4
1.5
4.2 0.2 1.5 0.4 ·'4.0
0.2·.
14 1 5. 16
17 18 o.4
0.3
0 3.
0.3
0.3
19 20 21' 22 23 0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2 . '9 :p-
Select
Merch.
24 25
26
27 28
29
30
0 2
-
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.· 2 0.2 -0.1 .
. •
.
Lumber grade
Select
Struc.
.
.
Constructi.on
29 .. 2 26 . 5
24.0 21.7 19 .. 6 109.8
99 .. 6
90.1
81.3
73.2:.
65.8
59.1· 53.2
47.8
43.3 3.5. o.1·
3.3
0.1
3.2: 0.1 1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6
17.6
15.9 14.3 13.0 11.8 3.0 2!9
2.9
2.9
2.9 .
i.6
1.7 1.7
1.7
10.9 . ' . 39.4
io.o
36.3 9.3
33 9 . 8.8 32a . 8.6 31.-l
3.8
0.1
. 3. 7
2.9 2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
0.1
0.1 o .. o o.o o.o
.
1.6
o.o 1.7
o.o .. 1.7 '0 .. 0
o.o o.o 0.0 o.o 1.7 1.7 1.7
1.7
1.7 /
8.5
8. 5 .
8.5
8.5 8 .. 5
.
Standard
Utilit
o.o
31.4
29.5
o.o 27.8 5.3 12.3
26.2 24.6 ; 18.8 22.0
23.3
20.9 20.0 19.1'
. 18.4·
17.8. 17.3
l?.i. . 16.9
16.8
16.8
16.8
16.8
16.
: 8·
30.8
-30-.8
30.8
30.8
3o 8
·
··
8.5
8.5
30.8
30.8
16 8
. 16.8
.
No.
Total
of
logs
24 .. 6 .
30.0
34.6
38.8 42.4 1.$'
4.1 1 77 .. 6
162.5 153 .8 149_.Q
146.4
6.2
8.l 9.P 11. 12.
143.4
140.8
138.4
136.3
134.4•
45.5
48.0 5o.o
5l.j
52.1
13.7 14.6 15.2
"15.S 16.-1
52.4 52.-4
52.4
52.4 52.4
16.1
16.1
16.1 16.1 16.1 129.4
129.4.
129.4
129 .. 4
129.4
0
0
0
0
0
i6.i. 16 .. 1 129.4
129.4
0
l
.
·_ .
Ecoljl-.
omy
..
52.4 52.4
0.())
O.q>
o.Q>
•
l
9
7
8
7
6
'2
4
2
5
·132.9
.,-.-- 2
131.6
3
l
130.6'
130.0
0
1
129.6-
160
PERCENT NET LOG SCALE
('
140 120 100 80 1-
1\
1-
1-
P::
\
-----Economy
1-----
""'
\
Utilit.
t--
d
60 Constr1 ction
/
40 1-
..
!---__
20 -
..
ss
/':_SM
D
c
B
0
0
14
22
18
Log diameter
( inches )
26 30 Figure No. 1.--Cumulative grade recoveries in percent of net log scale No. 2 white fir logs -5-
NET LOG SCALE
180 PERCE
1\
160
\
140 -
\
120 -
100
1'--..
K
80
Econo:m;y-
['--._
\\\\
"\\
-
"----- -
Utility
\I�
t
6o
r------_
r--
Standard
r-
'
4-o
"'--Construction
�"-..
20
,;;sm
::,-,...
0
0
10
/D
----
l
r----..
I
!
ss
l
__......B
r,
;
14.
18
Log diameter
22
24
( inches )
30
Figure No, 2. --Cumulative grade recoveries in :percent of net log scale No. 3 .J-hite: fir· ·log ·i :. : :
;
·
-6-
_ _
·.Table 3.
Summar y
--
of volume an<;l lumber grade recovery for· all t1st logs
,.l
.
Log
grade
. Net
I
-..J
I
Overrun
Boardfeet
Boardfeet
Peeler.Y
4
5,550
7,854
4 1.5
No. ly
6
6,080
7,987
31 .. 4
49,883
67,222
34.8
97
No. 3
59
14,623
20,568 ,
Percent
:
B and.•
Btr . .
'
c
D
'
·.·
.
20 1
1.6
0.2
J.o : l6.o
o.;o
0.2
3 . 6'· .
5. 5
o.4
0. 9 . 3.6 0.2 1.5
.
-·
-
76,136
103,631
· ,,
. '•
.
. 0.3
36.1
1/ Insufficient logs available for adeqti�t.e-sarnpli_ng.
-
.- ·
Percent
.. 11.7
*.t
166
. '
....: __._.;.___________________
';
Total
:· tStandSel. SeL .
Mer. Struc. Canst. ,ard,
·
40.7
' .
(green chain tal:ly)
..
ber
--
No. 2
··· Grade recovery in percent· dl' net .log scale
"
Lumber
.log
Logs . volume . tally
N1im-
:.
·. ··
·
.
16.7 ..
·
Econo:my
----------------------------
46.7 7 ..•5 . 35.2
·
Util..:
ity
9 .. 5
25 .5 12.-2
42.1
15.2
9.5 25.4
52.8 '12.8 25 .. 9
7.5
16.'0
58.8 .22.0
30.1 8.2