optimizing a log

[k and g]

So I have access to a lot of 8' pine logs that I can cut plenty of 1x8 or 1x6 out of but when I come across a log that is 18" and 18' long what should I cut out of something like that to optimize the value of my log? Should I cut beams of a certain size or what? Just don't want to cut ordinary stuff out of a log that can be made into something more valuable....thanks

[Southside]

Value only comes from what your customers want and will pay for. @YellowHammer probably commands more value than anyone else for his lumber and hardly saws anything over 8' long. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good point. The value is what you need or can sell for the most profit. I like to leave my logs as logs as long as I can because then i have the flexibility to saw whatever the customer wants or I need when the time comes. Once sawed I am stuck with what I made. In some cases if I have to saw a log to keep it from going bad I may saw something like 2X12 slightly oversized in width (maybe 12-1/4" or such) so I can later rip them into 2X4 or 2X6 or a 2X4 & a 2X8 to get what I needed. Handling, transport and storage become an issue but remember you can always make them smaller after you cut them.

[YellowHammer]

Optimizing value is a difficult subject.  Saw it one way, the value goes up but the marketability may go down.  Its worth more but you can't sell it.  

Its all about your market and your niche that should determine how to saw your logs.  As Southside said, my market is optimized for 8 foot lumber so thats what I mill to.  Even if I mill up some 16 footers, (did a bunch last week) I pack saw the whole mess to two 8 foot pallets full.


 

[SawyerTed]

Your market, your customers or your own needs should dictate how you saw your logs. 

No need to saw beams if the market wants framing and siding.  No need to saw framing if you can't sell or use it.

The biggest majority of pine I saw is 2x barn framing.  Most is 12' and 16'.  Next is board and batten 8' to 16'.  So far there have been few orders for pine beams.  If I'm not sawing a specific order and need to saw pine, I saw 2x framing up to 2x10.  I usually don't keep any 2x12 on hand.

I keep full dimension pine 2x lumber and pine lumber in commercial sizes  in stock. 

I'd rather sell a small amount of high value lumber rather than a large amount of low value but my market doesn't work that way. 

[Magicman]

You can not compete with the box store/lumberyard for framing lumber plus you very well would run into issues with grading. 

Now that being said, probably 90%+ of my sawing is for SYP framing lumber.  That is what I sawed yesterday.  Landowners with their own salvaged logs and a purpose are my framing lumber customers.  ;D