Why i hate long logs...

[Bert]

I've never liked them. The number 1 reason is no log turner on the Frick but it goes a lot deeper than that. IF your selling logs you get beat on the scale. If your sawing them you lose lumber due to taper and sweep. A few weeks ago a guy called wanting 16' white oak 2x8's for a barn. First though was no way, so I gave him a high price hoping he'd say no thanks. His response was how soon will they be ready. :-\ I finally gathered up the logs and sawed his order. Keep in mind it takes  nice and sizeable logs to get 2x8s 16' feet long. After breaking my back flipping these on the mill and stacking them he shows up today to pick them up in a ford ranger with a 6' bed. I asked him how that was going to work and he asks if he can borrow my saw to cut them in 2. He really only needs 7 and a half footers. >:(

[ely]

some peoples kids... i used to be of the idea that i did not care what people wanted cut, now i ask alot of questions.

[jueston]

 :D :D

i think next time you'll make sure to mention that 8' boards will be cheaper...

at least you charged enough to make some money so your not breaking your back for nothing....

[stoverguy]

This was many years ago but I can go one way better. I was working at a mill that provides lumber to the local refinery. They often tend to want specific stuff but were good payers so we would accomidate them. I was asked if we could get clear 24' 6x9 (full dimension) redwood. I kind of hummed and hawed around but the boss said get them what they want. Soooo, bunch of calls to northern california, finally find an outfit that was willing to have a special log cut to meet the dimensions. Insane price, but what you might expect. When I delived them to the refinery I asked what they were going to do with them. "Cut them into 8' lengths for the sludge tank" ?!. Are you serious? Aparently the rewood was the only thing they found that would last in the caustic environment. That sort of made sence but why 24' and clear? Sigh......

[Bibbyman]

We get a lot of business because we can saw logs up to 20'+ long.  The majority of the commercial mills in our area are optimized to saw much shorter logs. 

We get at least double the board foot price for long lumber and beams. We seldom loose a quote so we could probably ask for more.  The only quotes we loose are for customers that think oak 16-20' 6x6 should be less than treated pine. We will quote a price and then suggest they call the farm and home supply place we do business with and get their prices.  We never hear back from them.

[coxy]

We get a lot of business because we can saw logs up to 20'+ long.  The majority of the commercial mills in our area are optimized to saw much shorter logs. 

We get at least double the board foot price for long lumber and beams. We seldom loose a quote so we could probably ask for more.  The only quotes we loose are for customers that think oak 16-20' 6x6 should be less than treated pine. We will quote a price and then suggest they call the farm and home supply place we do business with and get their prices.  We never hear back from them.

bibbyman was just wondering what you get for a 2x10 20ft pine or hemlock just wanted to see the price difference there to here   not that I could make the long drive to get one ;D I would and will understand if you don't want to put the price on web  thanks

[Ron Wenrich]

I had a standing order for 23' switch ties.  Pay was double per bf of a regular tie.  You don't need big logs to cut 2x8s.  They just need to be straight.  If you turn out, its a lot easier than turning in. 

[ronwood]

coxy

Not much pine or hemlock in Bibbyman's or my area in Mo.

Ron

[dgdrls]

This was many years ago but I can go one way better. I was working at a mill that provides lumber to the local refinery. They often tend to want specific stuff but were good payers so we would accomidate them. I was asked if we could get clear 24' 6x9 (full dimension) redwood. I kind of hummed and hawed around but the boss said get them what they want. Soooo, bunch of calls to northern california, finally find an outfit that was willing to have a special log cut to meet the dimensions. Insane price, but what you might expect. When I delived them to the refinery I asked what they were going to do with them. "Cut them into 8' lengths for the sludge tank" ?!. Are you serious? Aparently the rewood was the only thing they found that would last in the caustic environment. That sort of made sence but why 24' and clear? Sigh......

http://books.google.com/books?id=bChCAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

nice link to the Pacific Tank and Pipe Co.  they used Red wood and Fir to build wood stave pipes and chemical tanks.

The company I work with still maintains three wood stave pipelines to supply water to our hydroelectric generators at different sites.

As for long log's, no problem, I would just add track to the Lucas

DGDrls

[wetdog]

This was many years ago but I can go one way better. I was working at a mill that provides lumber to the local refinery. They often tend to want specific stuff but were good payers so we would accomidate them. I was asked if we could get clear 24' 6x9 (full dimension) redwood. I kind of hummed and hawed around but the boss said get them what they want. Soooo, bunch of calls to northern california, finally find an outfit that was willing to have a special log cut to meet the dimensions. Insane price, but what you might expect. When I delived them to the refinery I asked what they were going to do with them. "Cut them into 8' lengths for the sludge tank" ?!. Are you serious? Aparently the rewood was the only thing they found that would last in the caustic environment. That sort of made sence but why 24' and clear? Sigh......

[wetdog]

This was many years ago but I can go one way better. I was working at a mill that provides lumber to the local refinery. They often tend to want specific stuff but were good payers so we would accomidate them. I was asked if we could get clear 24' 6x9 (full dimension) redwood. I kind of hummed and hawed around but the boss said get them what they want. Soooo, bunch of calls to northern california, finally find an outfit that was willing to have a special log cut to meet the dimensions. Insane price, but what you might expect. When I delived them to the refinery I asked what they were going to do with them. "Cut them into 8' lengths for the sludge tank" ?!. Are you serious? Aparently the rewood was the only thing they found that would last in the caustic environment. That sort of made sence but why 24' and clear? Sigh......

Probably had a superviser building an adition to his house and needed some beams.

[Bibbyman]

We get a lot of business because we can saw logs up to 20'+ long.  The majority of the commercial mills in our area are optimized to saw much shorter logs. 

We get at least double the board foot price for long lumber and beams. We seldom loose a quote so we could probably ask for more.  The only quotes we loose are for customers that think oak 16-20' 6x6 should be less than treated pine. We will quote a price and then suggest they call the farm and home supply place we do business with and get their prices.  We never hear back from them.

bibbyman was just wondering what you get for a 2x10 20ft pine or hemlock just wanted to see the price difference there to here   not that I could make the long drive to get one ;D I would and will understand if you don't want to put the price on web  thanks

I'd have no idea how much we would charge for pine or hemlock is natural to our area. 

[marcusthgault]

To quote Dgdrls's comment as above

"The company I work with still maintains three wood stave pipelines to supply water to our hydroelectric generators at different sites."


I am seriously trying to get my head round that concept in 21st Century America.

Photos ...please!

[bandmiller2]

I solve the long log problem by just not cutting them, I usally work alone and I'am not going to hump that long heavy stuff alone. The big problem, at least around here is getting the good straight logs. If someone could only invent a log straightener. Frank C.

[Bibbyman]

We do a minimum of brute force handling of long stuff.  The slabs can be cut in two if really awkward.  The odd side lumber is also cut down or in two to go into flooring lumber.  We edge on the mill - often using the two-plane clamp to position and flip.  The whole stack is lifted and pushed back onto the loading arms and then ran back out the deck where we use a loader to unload.

[dgdrls]

To quote Dgdrls's comment as above

"The company I work with still maintains three wood stave pipelines to supply water to our hydroelectric generators at different sites."


I am seriously trying to get my head round that concept in 21st Century America.

Photos ...please!

here we go,  display pieces and some in service pipe photos.



  

  

  

 

[Delawhere Jack]

Back in the mid 80's, our family business was building shipping crates for DuPont. They were sending heat exchanger to China (ya, go figure). So they send professionally drafted blue prints for a 4' x 4' x 20' crate that is just a two runner skid with a lift off plywood box on top. The "engineer" who drew up the plans spec'd 2x12x20' C&Btr WP for the two beams...... : We were able to convince them that 2x12 HF framing would work just as well, and it actually EXISTS!

Similarly, building storage crates for rocket nozzles for Thiokol. The plans for the 3'x3'x3' WOODEN crates stated tolerances of +/- .005"................ : And 1/2" thick  Lexan portholes on 4 sides for viewing..... We charged appropriately. ;D

[JimFX]

If you don't do the milling you don't know what you don't know.
So what may seem perfectly reasonable to them is just way off the mark to the man with the mill.
Asking questions is such a good way to gain insight into where they are coming from.

[drobertson]

 I need  to know what the end product is, for this very reason,  this would have been a killer for me as well, 
david

[barbender]

dgdrls, that stave pipeline is cool!

[marcusthgault]

Thanks for the Photo,
I am well agog at the size of that pipe.
What pressure are they withstanding?
What is the expected stave life?
Anything special about the timber spec used?
Regards
Marcus

[5quarter]

agreed...way cool! Like a long, continuous barrel.

[bandmiller2]

When I get a request for long stuff I ask what he's building about half the time they are going to cut it but think it will be cheaper to order a long piece and cut it. If the customer is a good sort and interested I will explain things to him and have him watch the cutting, I have gleaned a lot of repeat customers that way. Frank C.

[petefrom bearswamp]

I seem to remember seeing a wood penstock line when  was in ranger school in 1958.
when a leak was found a hole was drilled and a wooden plug hammered in. looked strange as they stuck out about 2 or 3 inches.

[Ocklawahaboy]

I pulled up to a customers house.  He had a 17' cherry log with a bend in the middle.  Asked if we could cut it and do 2 8' straight lengths.  No, he wanted 17'.  I cut the slabs and he decided they were too long to handle and got out his circular saw and halved them.