Cruising

[Tom]

The Baker isn't much afraid of big logs.  That's the beauty of having the main engine driving the hydraulics that do the log handling. I'll have to admit that sometimes a little help is needed with a canthook, but those 38 horses driving the hydraulic pump take a lot of the strain out of the job.

I favor smaller logs, but have to cut these big ones regularly.  It has always seemed that the customers think that the bigger the log, the better the lumber.   Baker has put a wide throat on the mill and allows for trimming a log down to size with minimal chainsaw work.

As a matter of fact, the new mill has a added height in the throat which will make the job even easier.

[SwampDonkey]

That sure is big wood for 80 years. 

I had an 18" fir blow over this fall that was 45 years on the stump and chalk white. If balsam was a long lived tree, couldn't imagine how big they'd get around here. 

I think the record is 26" and 116'. Seen quite a few 18-22" and close to 80' in the natural forest on the best sites. Also on some sites the diameter is there, but they are only around 65 feet. I think they are younger trees. Pretty sure it isn't site in the instance I'm thinking of because it was logged off  25 years ago and likely 20 year old saplings were left standing. It's a really good site as well. Seems the last few years of their life is spent in height growth with very narrow diameter growth.

[SwampDonkey]

I wonder if Dodgy has cruised in a stand of Sitka spruce. 230-250 footers, 7'-9' DBH and 450-500 cords/acre? 

Properties of Sitka Spruce

[WDH]

I gawked at some like that in the Queets River Valley on the Olympic Peninsula.