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ERC Saw Log Question UPDATED TODAY/PICS

Started by 123maxbars, April 27, 2012, 09:15:40 PM

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123maxbars

I had a local logger call me today. He has a few truck loads of ERC that he is trying to move. He is a part time kid who sells to a few small mills like mine.  He said the logs are 8ft in length and average 8 to 10in in diam on both ends. Of course these are small logs, the ERC I usually get is alteast 12 on the small. However ERC is getting harder to find around here and I need around 1500bf to fill two orders. I have never sawed any cedar this small, anyone on here have any advice/experience with cedars this size?
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: 123maxbars on April 27, 2012, 09:15:40 PM
I had a local logger call me today. He has a few truck loads of ERC that he is trying to move. He is a part time kid who sells to a few small mills like mine.  He said the logs are 8ft in length and average 8 to 10in in diam on both ends. Of course these are small logs, the ERC I usually get is alteast 12 on the small. However ERC is getting harder to find around here and I need around 1500bf to fill two orders. I have never sawed any cedar this small, anyone on here have any advice/experience with cedars this size?

Wow....the small logs you described are BIG logs here where I live. And you're right, it is getting harder to find around here also.

I have a lot of experience on this size and to be honest.....saw it just like you do the other. I could get a bunch of 1x6's, 1x4's and 4x4 and 6x6 post and squeeze out some 8x8's. I'd love to have that load.

What's he asking for it in your area?
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

123maxbars

Thanks for the reply, I have never sawed ones that small and didnt really know if there was much value in them. After reading your reply I am going to get the truck load tomorrow and see how it goes.

He sales me ERC for .35 a board foot. I sale it for a dollar, and it sales fast up here!
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: 123maxbars on April 27, 2012, 09:26:27 PM
Thanks for the reply, I have never sawed ones that small and didnt really know if there was much value in them. After reading your reply I am going to get the truck load tomorrow and see how it goes.

He sales me ERC for .35 a board foot. I sale it for a dollar, and it sales fast up here!

His price is not bad if the logs are solid with good heart. Down here I sell lumber from logs that size for $1.25/bf. So we're pretty much in line. I just wish I could find a truck load of nice cedar!  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

123maxbars

This kid does nothing but log cedar. He sales it as fence post, and takes the bad stuff to the factory down the road that makes animal bedding. If i could move it he would bring me a truck load 3 days a week. His truck loads are uslly around 500board feet doyle scale.
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

Hey Max....I looked at your profile and map. Are you Tenn. or Texas. Your map shows Texas????
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Magicman

Yes, I regularly saw ERC that small.  Some will only make 1X4's, 6's, and 1X8's.  Of course, I am always sawing the customer's logs so I just saw what they have.

I was into some larger stuff today.  Here is today's saw job which I should finish Monday.


 
The logs were tree length and were bucked to 8' 6" and moved to the sawmill with a tractor e/w a gin pole.


 
This is a nice 20" little end.


 
Today's whack which included six 4X12 mantel boards.  With these mature trees, there is very little sap wood.
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

Magicman.....Will Cedar dry faster stacking it this way??   :D

OOOO.....I'm just poking a stick in your ribs....Nice productive day!
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Magicman

At times, it is just small ERC logs such as many of these.


 
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

123maxbars

David, I am in TN, about an hour west of Ashville NC. had to update the map

Majic, thanks for the pics and insight, appreciated.
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hackberry jake

I've been sawing cedar off and on for a while now. Trying to fill a 3000 bf order of 1x5.5 privacy fence boards and it seems like 2 out of 3 logs is right at 6" small end (my minimum if I buy them). I have about 1000 bf so far, only 2000 to go. It takes a little more time with smaller logs, but they're easier to handle.
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Magicman

When I finish this one, my next saw job is 100+ tree length ERC logs.  That will surely take a few days.
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It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

xlogger

I'd jump all over the cedar at $350 bd ft on doyle, delivered also :o You will make money at that. Ricky
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Cedarman

It is not the size of the log that makes you money.  It is how many board feet that goes across your mill and the margin you get from the cost of the logs to the price you get for your lumber.
We saw down to 4".  This makes a 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" with bark on corners.  This is put in a jig with 3 others then the 4 corners are cut off.  Then the log goes through a german peeler to make a rustic round post.  We do make money off of these.  Not the margin of a 9" log that makes a 6x6 in 30 seconds, but we get these small logs in loads. 
We buy down to 2".
I need 1500 saplings 8 to 9' long with green sprig at top.  Max base 2".
There are many markets out there.
At 8' we would miss the markets for pergolas which pay upward of $2.50/bd ' 
In the old days most of what we bought was 8', but the margins were small.
$.35 is as cheap as I have heard and way cheap for logs that size.
Keep that logger happy, very happy.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

bandmiller2

My old partner built rustic cedar furnature,I've spent hours messing with small logs.Hydraulic backstops with fine control are a must,sacrificial boards to back up the dinky cedar are helpfull.You work by the hour and keep mumbling to yourself its worth it,its worth it. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

okmulch

I am going to be sawing out a pergola today. 14 foot by 20 foot. Everything is 10 foot lengths except for 20 2x6 14 foot long. I will use 7 inch logs for the 4x4's and 8 inch logs for the 4x6's. Easy job and good money!
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Okrafarmer

I take them down to around 8" but rarely mess with them south of that.  You are blessed to have such nice logs. And MM, how did they get that log to grow so round? Around here the red cedars are typically octopus-shaped in cross-section.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

Magicman

The Lord grows um, and I saws um.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

123maxbars

I got the call today from the logger and he brought me a truck load (dump truck) of 8ft ERC. They ranged from 8 to 12in on the small end.  Around 26 logs total all of them are not in the picture. They scaled out to around 620bf. I got a good deal on them I think, I paid him $200 for all of them. I sawed one up this evening, it was 8in, and I was very happy with the results.



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Woodmizer LT70 Super Wide, Nyle L53 and 200 kiln, too many other machines to list.
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Magicman

You did well and should turn a profit.  I hate those deeply fluted butts like the two on the bottom.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Okrafarmer

Quote from: Magicman on April 28, 2012, 11:29:39 PM
You did well and should turn a profit.  I hate those deeply fluted butts like the two on the bottom.

Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 28, 2012, 11:34:43 AM
And MM, how did they get that log to grow so round? Around here the red cedars are typically octopus-shaped in cross-section.

Looks like what I see all the time, sometimes I get ones worse than that. makes it tricky figuring out the bfage.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

Magicman

Figuring bf should be simple because them flutes ain't log.   :D :D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

okmulch

Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 28, 2012, 11:33:15 PM
Quote from: Magicman on April 28, 2012, 11:29:39 PM
You did well and should turn a profit.  I hate those deeply fluted butts like the two on the bottom.

Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 28, 2012, 11:34:43 AM
And MM, how did they get that log to grow so round? Around here the red cedars are typically octopus-shaped in cross-section.

Looks like what I see all the time, sometimes I get ones worse than that. makes it tricky figuring out the bfage.
They make great clock blanks.
Rotochopper b66 track, #2 Rotochopper b66 track, woodmizer lt40, CAT 277b, CAT 268b, CAT 287c, CAT 277c, CAT299d2, CAT299d3, CAT 299d3, Volvo 70e,volvo70f, volvo90f

Okrafarmer

Quote from: Magicman on April 29, 2012, 08:46:35 AM
Figuring bf should be simple because them flutes ain't log.   :D :D

They can be, sometimes. At least, they can be boards. Flitches. Camp lumber.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

Magicman

If I was buying they would not be.  I would measure inside the flutes, but then I'm not buying.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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