I run a mill and buy about 1-2 truckloads of logs a month. I am wondering if anyone has any good resources for log grading and determing deductions.
I started a thread a while back about log grading. You may find some usefull info there.
Here is a like to one of the last posts on that thread where I made a link to a PDF document from the Forestry department.
Grade the log (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=11237.msg159473#msg159473)
Most mills make up grades for their own specs. They usually do some type of grade analysis to figure out what they can pay for a certain grade of logs.
There are a bunch of good reasons for grading logs. If you don't, the logger will dump junk on you, since you don't have any specs. The better logs will go somewhere else where he can get a higher price. I've seen loggers dump a load of firewood on a guy, because he wanted low grade.
By making a grade, you won't accept logs that are too small, or too rough for your operation. A lot depends on what you need.
The Forest Service has developed log grades for hardwood. They also have anticipated yields by using those grades for various species. Its not that hard to use and you proabably can find it on their website.
Ron, I indirectly directed Duncan to the Forestry Dept's PDF of the gradeing rules. I'll post it here again.
Grading Hardwood Logs for Standard Lumber (http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrp/fplrp063.pdf)
The trouble we have in buying logs is that the bigger outfits want to cover us up with everything they haul out. Even if we ask them jut to bring us specific lengths and grade and will be a bonus for doing so, it never happens. We are lucky to get a few logs in a load that we really need at the time.
If we deal with the part-time loggers, we may or may not get what we need but when we do, it's long after we need them.
Bibbyman, thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one having that problem getting logs. You just described the situation here exactly. one of my suppliers are two brothers that work togather that do bring me what I need, they said the money is better by seperating logs out. If I get an order for something special I give them a call and get it, pay a premium because they get me exactly what I want. Most people don't want to seperate, get the number of loads they want to in a day and go home. Don't seem to worry about extra money. :-X
You can downdoad or print the official log scaling and grading rules used on the Westside of Oregon and Washington from this site: http://www.nwlrag.com/
At the bottom of the page are links to the Official log rules and the supplement; these are what you want.
Generally speaking, it is always better for the logger to seperate logs for different markets. We wouldn't sell better quality oak sawlogs when the export markets were real good. I don't see any cherry logs. Smart loggers make more money marketing logs than they do logging.
By the same token, all the small stuff goes to either pulp, scragg or firewood operations. Some of this stuff other guys might run through a mill.
On another aspect of this subject...
Who is the guy that stamps the lumber and approves it for home construction use?
Can I learn and get licsensed to do that?
You can start by reading here
do a search for "lumber grading" in the ff search engine, plenty of reading :D
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=5208.0
Above is a good thread to start on.