Saw Log Lenghts ?

[t f flippo]

Went to see a customer yesterday at his farm.He has 10 to 15m bf storm blown down trees.
He doesn't need or want the lumber but hates to see it go to waste.Beautiful saw logs .Pecan,hickory,
white poplar,red cedar and more.He's pulling them out to the staging area with his tractor and needs to buck the bigger ones.He wants them sawn and he's going to store them in his barn hay loft.

What's the "best" lenght to buck the logs to ?
What's the "best" lumber to saw out ?

He also has several doz.long,straight red cedars  5" to 8" on the butt.Good use for them ?

I can saw 16' on the Baker.24' if I take the extention.
My mill and equipment have been stationary for several years.
This will be my first mobile custom sawing job.

[drobertson]

If it were me, I would suggest 8-1/2 foot logs, maybe tens, If he has the barn chech the dimensions of it and maybe cut some for siding that could be used later for any repairs, lengths are  subjective to what the lumber is going to be used, It's hard to have a perfect plan,  david

[WH_Conley]

I have sell more 12 foot lumber than any other length. All the trees won't make a particular length log. Cut what the tree has to get straight logs.

That is going to be a lot of weight in a barn loft.

[bandmiller2]

I'd do a mix of legnths depending on the log or ask the old fella what he thinks he will use the most. Frank C.

[Bibbyman]

Hardwood I buck up 8+trim and 10+trim and saw into 4/4. Easier to handle by hand and haul in a pu.

Maybe make a few live edge mantles.

The small cedar - put them in pile to make rustic furniture.

Don't know nothing about softwood.

[dboyt]

I generally cut hardwood to 8'6", 10-'6", 12'6", 14'6" and 16'6".  Pecan, hickory, & poplar tend to rot pretty quickly, so they are best used indoors for furniture, cabinets, & flooring, so 8'6" and 10'6" would be your better bets.  Most useful thickness I've found is 1-1/8" thick, which will produce 3/4" lumber after drying and planing.  Good point about the weight.  15mbf of green hickory will weigh about 35 tons.

The heartwood is the rot resistant part of the red cedar, and will last 60 years as a fence post, but yours sound a little small for that.  Biggest pieces are marginal for milling.

[WDH]

I agree with 8'6" and 10'6" based on what the tree will give. 

[t f flippo]

Thanks to all above. Good thoughts and ideas. Good news is the gentleman has added 6"+ to all the logs he's bucked.