Can you help me understand this chart from the 1930s?

[Katherine]

I'm hoping someone will be able to tell me how to read or use this chart.

My great-grandfather owned a lumber mill. He was selling a lot of ski billets to a customer, who was turning around and selling them to someone else. My great-grandfather put these cards in between the bundles of billets to get the attention of the person who was ultimately receiving them (a ski manufacturer, I guess). The front of the card had his contact information, and the back of the card has this chart that I can't figure out. I'm assuming it's a cheat-sheet or look-up chart of some sort, but what does it help you figure out?  ???



 

I don't know if this is important, but I found a 1935 article (http://www.skimuseum.ca/documents/annuals/1935-36_pt14_pg33-35.pdf) about hickory skis. It says, "The lumber is graded at the saw mill and the choicest pieces are trimmed and ripped into ski billets 4 1/4 ins. wide and 1 3/8 ins. thick, in lengths of 6 ft., 6 1/2 ft., 7 ft., 7 1/2 ft. plus 3 ins. extra in length."

Thank you!

[Ianab]

It's some sort of "log scale", possibly one called "Doyle".  It underestimates the smaller log diameters, but that would be a deliberate thing as the mill would want to pay less for the smaller low grade logs.

Anyway, the logger can use that chart to look up what the mill is going to pay be a specific log. The middle column is the Diameter, and the other 6 columns are the log length. So if I have a 12" dia log, that's 6 ft long,  go down the diam column to 12", and across the the 6ft column, and the mill are going to pay for 24 bd/ft, at so many cents per ft.

You can find the modern equivalent in the Forestry Forum Tool Box down on the lower left. Put your log size into the calculator and it will give you scale numbers for that size log using various scales.

[Katherine]

Wow, I can't believe how fast this question was answered! Thank you very much!

[Texas Ranger]

Looks like a pulpwood scale to me.  But since it seems to be ski billets, I suspect it is to provide the cutter with specifications.

[TKehl]

If these were placed in the bundles, it sounds like he was trying to bypass the middle man.   ;)

[drobertson]

This is very cool stuff,, I've no idea on what it really means, but can only guess in that what ever the intention was, it has credibility as to business practices back in the day.  It seems nothing was left in the air,, stacks of lumber, with a what I believe the common scale of the day.. Pretty straight forward,, I would be proud and excited to find this too!  This kind of practice today, might relieve many issues of folks feeling bent over on their hard work..

[Magicman]

Yes, the chart tracks my Doyle Scale exactly, so it was used to determine the board feet in the various lengths of logs.  The log diameter is down the center with the lengths on each side.  That is a very neat treasure to find.   

[Roxie]

Welcome to the forum Katherine.   

[Brucer]

This is interesting. A regular customer, who used to do custom cabinetry, has me on the lookout for clear Aspen in those billet sizes. A couple of years ago he gave up doing custom kitchens and started building custom skis. He uses laminated aspen for the cores (very light) surrounded by carbon fibre.

[Ianab]

Thing that makes it really different is the log lengths. Most charts like that are for log lengths of 8ft and over, as that's what most mills purchase.

But I guess making ski billets, they could use logs down to 5 ft, so printed out their own scale to give to the loggers supplying them.

What it lets the logger do is decide how to break down a tree to give the maximum log value, depending on the taper of the tree and what the mill is paying for the various sizes.

[Katherine]

You have all been so helpful and kind! I know nothing about lumber (except now, I know the Doyle log scale!) but you've all helped me, a stranger, understand my family history a little better. I really appreciate it!

In case any of you are history buffs, here are a few photos I have of the same lumber mill -- this is what a 1930s lumber mill looked like, at least in Mississippi, USA! I'm guessing it's very different than today, but it's pretty awesome (for me, at least) to think that you are all carrying on a modern version of this tradition and of this important work!

(If you folks like old cars: In the first photo, that's a 1933 Ford with "suicide doors.")



 



  



  



 

Thanks again for all the information and help!

[Roxie]

Do we like history?   :D  Those photos are wonderful! 

[grouch]

Love those old photos.

In the first one, is that sawdust _spraying_ out over the pile or is it just from wind? I would've assumed the sawdust would be removed via a drag chain.

[Katherine]

We think it was just from the wind, and that they used a drag chain.

[pineywoods]

The car parked by the sawmill not likely a ford.
The long hood and steel wheels says most likely a dodge or chrysler. Ford of that vintage had wire wheels and shorter hood covering a v8 vs the long straight 6

[Andries]

Welcome to the Forum, Katherine.

I'll go out on a limb here, but if you post more photos of old-time milling equipment and the people associated with them, you'll get a ton of good information in return.
Heck, there might even be someone that recognizes old 'Uncle So and So' in them.  :D
Thanks for posting!

[Magicman]

Practically all of the pictures that can be found now are all Street Rods.   :P

I am leaning toward a 1933 Ford Victoria.  They sported a long hood, slanted grill, and the front fender matches.

None of my family was near Corinth, but we do have a few that could have been.  Banjo picker is in Iuka.   

[grouch]

Magicman:

Not quite a street rod yet...

1933 Ford Victoria

[edit to add:]
The wheel spokes in the old photo posted above match those in this
1933 Dodge
which matches what pineywoods said.
Now this is going to bug me until solved.

[southdakotasolo]

in regards to the saw dust in the photo it could also have been a blower removing the saw dust. it look's like a round pipe to my poor eyesight. having hauled lumber from mills out west I have seen this type of system in use a couple of times. faster then a drag chain system. just my 2cts. worth of thought.

[Magicman]

What is bothering me is that the Ford pictures show a triangular side vent louver extending from the front whereas the Dodge pictures show a rectangular louver similar to the old picture above.  The Dodge spokes match and also the door handle location is closer to the window and more closely matches.
1933 Dodge

Never underestimate pineywood's sleuthing ability.   :P

[Magicman]

Katherine, as is very common and well even expected, no stone will be left unturned until each picture (especially an old picture) is digested and enjoyed to it's fullest.  We all learn together, but be aware that many topics turn to food before they eventually get back on track so don't be surprised.   

[grouch]

Actually, I was just wondering if those barrels in photo 2 might contain apples or cider.  ;D