The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: gtr on April 01, 2006, 01:49:31 PM

Title: cubic meters
Post by: gtr on April 01, 2006, 01:49:31 PM
Does any one know how to convert cubic meters into board ft
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: SwampDonkey on April 01, 2006, 02:19:01 PM
1 m^3 = 0.164 MFBM or 164 bf (8 ft softwood)

do a forum search as well.
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: Ianab on April 01, 2006, 03:25:49 PM
Do you mean a m3 of logs, or a m3 of sawn timber?

If you are talking about sawn timber, it's a block of wood, 1m on each side, where a bdft is 12" x 12" x 1".
So for sawn timber it's a block 3.28' x 3.28' x 39.4" = 424 Bdft
Thats only approx because of variables in the bd/ft rule, like if wood is only 7/8" then it's still counted as 1" for working out quantities. So it might not be exact.

Cheers

Ian
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: extrapolate85 on April 01, 2006, 03:32:09 PM
It depends on which BF you want. If it BF lumber talley per m3 log scale - tell me roughly what the log diameter is and the lumber product produced and I can give you a ballpark conversion.

If it is BF log scale you are looking for, which cubic metre scale (BC Firmwood?) and what BF log scale? If it Scribner, there are three versions that border BC, Scribner long-log (used west of the Cascade mountains in WA, short log used in Idaho and Montana, and short log revised (used in Eastern WA).

Let me know what the logs look like (typical small-end diameter and length), which m3 method, and which BF (or region), and I can give you a pretty good conversion.
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: SwampDonkey on April 01, 2006, 03:41:39 PM
In my example it's logs
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: extrapolate85 on April 01, 2006, 04:03:38 PM
Well, since gtr appears to be in south-central BC and assuming it is log scale:

4.5-7.49" s.e.d:  1 m3 BCFW = 108 bf long log Scribner or 138 bf short log Scribner or 147 bf short log, revised Scribner

7.5-11.49" s.e.d: 1 m3 BCFW = 124 bf long log Scribner or 153 bf short log Scribner (revised and non-revised).

11.5-15.49" s.e.d: 1 m3 BCFW = 151 bf long log Scribner or 194 bf short log Scribner (revised and non-revised).

15.5"+ s.e.d.: 1 m3 BCFW = 215 bf long log Scribner or 246 bf short log Scribner (revised and non-revised).

The above are based on an average log length of about 8m (26') and assume an average amount of log defect and taper, thus the conversions are just "ballpark".
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: Brucer on April 08, 2006, 02:08:23 AM
Here in BC logs are sold in cubic metres of actual volume.

1 cubic metre converts directly to 424 BF, but logs ain't rectangular with parallel sides, so you gotta allow for waste. On a straight, round sawlog I usually saw out 320 to 330 BF per cubic metre.  The wood I'm cutting right now isn't sawlog quality, and I'm only averaging 280 BF per cubic metre. This'll give you a ballpark idea.

Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: Minnesota_boy on April 08, 2006, 09:46:40 AM
Where do you find these round straight logs.  I don't think I've ever seen one.  ???
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: SwampDonkey on April 08, 2006, 02:16:51 PM
Our average softwood sawlog diameter would be a bit smaller than in BC and I don't know if you could get 280 bf/m^3 unless it's pine or old growth red spruce. The price per m^3 at the mill suggests they can't. Takes 3.62 st m^3/cord according to price comparisons at one mill which handles cedar. Some folks have always said 2 cord/th, but I think from what loggers have told me it works out closer to 2.2 - 2.3 and as high as 2.9 cord/th. on some scales.  ::)

Eanie meanie minie mo  :-\
Title: Re: cubic meters
Post by: Brucer on April 09, 2006, 09:40:35 PM
Hey, Minnesota_boy, weren't you up at Percy's last year? Surely you saw some of them special west coast logs ;D.

Round means "not too oval", and straight means "not too much sweep". Parallel sides -- who said anything about that?