May 3rd Sawyer's class

[ohsoloco]

Just sent my payment in for the class that the NHLA is having on the Penn State campus on May 3rd  8)

Wondering if anyone else from the FF will be there...

[Jeff]

Who is the instructor?

[Ron Wenrich]

Guess.

I took the grading short course there a couple of decades ago. That was very worthwhile.  I prefer to get my milling training from those that have done it and made money.

[Jeff]

Thats why I asked. I figured as much. Me too. we been down this rd before... :D

Doing it by "prescription" is not the way I prefer to learn. ;)

[ohsoloco]

Don't tell me I'm wasting my money  :-/

[Jeff]

O.K. I won't.

I hope you come away from that class with some good info. Just remember what your mama used to tell you.

I think I'll go watch CNN I think the information minister is on. ;)
Really, go in learn alot but don't let someone's ideas that are chiseled in stone affect what you may already know.

[ohsoloco]

That sounds better  :D

I really don't know squat about lumber grading, and I know this will be covered (at least in some part) that day.  I'm always dumbfounded when I get my check from the lumber buyer....I seem to put a lot of nice lumber in the stack, but I never get a lot of higher grade lumber reflected on the slip they end me...the only thing I seem to be good at is calculating how many bd. ft. I'm delivering to them  :(

[Ron Wenrich]

One of these days I'll have to come up and give you a visit.  Come to think of it, I would have come to your mill and given you a  full day seminar for what you paid the NHLA.  :)Who are you selling to?  You might need another source.

When I took the short course, it was 4 days long.  You won't learn enough about grade in just a few hours to really challenge anyone.

See if you can get an NHLA gradebook.  It seems to be really complicated until you get a few 100 Mbf under your belt.   :D

[ElectricAl]

Ohsoloco,


If you are selling lumber on the Green market and don't understand the NHLA grading rules, you are losing money. :(

Lets say your sawing Cherry, FAS is $2.10, SEL is $2.00, and 1Com is $1.00.

If you don't know the Wayne limitation rules and leave too much bark on a board you get put into the 1Com. Even if the board is clear.
Also, end trim is another place were you can lose money. In some cases you can cut a foot off the end and go from a dollar a foot to two dollars per foot.
108 x 8 = 6' @ $1 (1C) = $6
  96 x 8 = 5' @ $2 (sel) = $10
By end trimming you increased your profit by $4 per 8" wide board, do this correctly 2 times per hour. That's $8 per hour raise.
This is just an example, results will very for each species.

Wayne rules can work for you too.
Lets say a board is 1com regardless of Wayne.
96 x 8 = 5.3' @ 1 = $5.30
96 x 9 = 6'    @ 1 = $6.00
By not edging all the bark off you have increased the value of a "sample" board by 70 cents.
But remember, even in the common classifications the board needs to be presentable and sellable.

If you have more questions we have an NHLA inspector on call right here on the Forestry Forum.  ;D

The best Forestry Forum going. 8)

Contact Inspectorwoody

Ask some questions now before the class, that way the class will make more sense.


ElectricAl

[Ron Wenrich]

Another option is to have a lumber inspector who works for you.  There are a couple of freelancers who will come to your mill and inspect your lumber.  They will do the upgrades and pay for their fees.

Some buyers will also upgrade the board.  The one outfit I sell to will upgrade the board, but not do the cutting.  As long as they get their yield, that's what they pay for.  It is much better going to an end user than going to a wholesaler.