looking for a calculator

[sbishop]

hi, i have  a bunch of spruce logs that I want to get sawed up. do you know if there is an on-line calculator that will tell me how many 2X6 I could get out of a 20" diameter log? I need a 40 2x8x12 and 96 2x6x12.

Thanks for any help!

SBishop

[DanG]

Hi, SBishop.  There are calculators here that might help a bit.  Look for the red toolbox below the sponsor list on the left.  I don't know of any that can break it down to specific sizes, though.  That will depend a lot on the sawyer and what type of saw he is running.

[sbishop]

Thanks dang....i'm just looking for an estimate so I know what length to cut my logs...because I need different lenghts!

Sbishop

[Tom]

welcome to the forum!

How many 2x6's you can get from a 20" log is dependent on the accuracy of your cut, the thickness of your kerf, the straightness of your log, the efforts you spend in squaring the log, etc.  There is no finite answer.  I would guess that you  could get a 12"x12" cant from the middle. That would produce 12.  The log would square 18", so that leaves out making a third stack of 6.  You might skinny another 2 from each side of the cant that would otherwise be slab.  That might possibly give you another 8 boards.  But, I would say that your side-wood yield would probably be 4.   If you got a grand total of 16 clean 2x6's, you would be doing good.

We have calculators on this site that you can reach by clicking on the red tool box to the left.   They must be pretty good 'cause so many have copied them on other websites.  ;D

[getoverit]

Thanks dang....i'm just looking for an estimate so I know what length to cut my logs...because I need different lenghts!

you cant get 12 foot long boards out of a tree cut to 8 feet in length...if you need 12 foot lumber, then buck the logs to just over 12 feet to allow for end check....I would guess about 4 to 5 inches for each end...as far as the brdft of lumber you need:

(I got this from the nifty calculator that is located at the red tool box on the left)

Old Dixie Wood Works
456208 Old Dixie Hwy, Hilliard, Florida 32046 Phone: 904-742-4899 Fax:
Sat Feb 18 14:02:10 EST 2006

Lumber and Board footage List

#1 2 x 8 x 12 40pc(s) 1 pac @350/Mbf 640B.F. $224 Spruce
#2 2 x 6 x 12 96pc(s) 1 pac @350/Mbf 1152B.F. $403.2 Spruce
Total Board Ft: 1792 Total Price: $ 627.2
Customer: sbishop


now, there are between 192 and 217 brdft of lumber in each 20" log that is 12 ft long, so you will need at least 10 logs to get what you want (assuming they are all 20" in diameter)

[jpgreen]

 Dbh= diameter @ breast  height

Who's breast are we talkin' about here?

What is the best formula for figuring out lumber (various sizes) board feet with a small calculator? 

[extrapolate85]

The lumber order you have listed is 1792 bf, and I would guess that you will have to cut roughly 20% more volume to get the needed 2x6s and 2x8s (some of the stock will end up as shorter lumber, 4", or 4/4" thick), so an additional 20% on 1792 will be 2150 BF of lumber to get the needed 2x6s and 2x8s. If you divide 2150 by a "tipical lumber recovery factor of 8 bf per ft3 of log, you get 269 ft3 of 12'-20" logs needed

A 12' long,  20" small-end diameter log (assuming 0.1" taper/foot) will have 28.2 ft3 of volume, and if you divide the 269 ft3 needed by 28.2, you get 9.5 logs. Obviously defects and log size, etc. will affect these estimates, but 9-10 logs in the 20 diameter range will hopefully get you what you need.

[sbishop]

thanks for all the reply's...

i'm not really looking for the total of board feet per log but mostly how many 2X8's or 2X6's I can get out of a log of X diameter!

it would be easier for me if I could estimate how many logs I need to cut to get all those 2X8's and 2X6's!

you think they would be a tool out there that you could just pop in the diameter and what size lumber you want and it would estimate and tell you how many 2X6 or 2x8 you would get out of it!

THANKS
Sbishop

[wiam]

Too many variables for that kind of a calculator. :

Will

[beenthere]

sbishop
You pose some interesting questions, and are missing a bit on the understanding of the answers that you are getting. As stated, all the 'volume' of wood squared up in a log won't convert directly into 2x6 and 2x8 material. Shape of the logs (straight vs curved or sweep), round vs elliptical,  limby vs well pruned and surface clear, soundness (rot or ring shake), and a few other things will have an effect on what yield in 2X material you will get. On top of that, how you saw the logs (opening face, sets, turning, and a few other sawing decisions you make) will also affect the number of usable 2X pieces you get.
Can you pass on a bit of information about your experience previous to this 'moment' regards sawing dimension from logs, as that will help get you some more informative answers, I think. We just may be missing a bit about what you know about sawing logs from your past experience.
Welcome to the forum. You should like it here, so pull up a stool, a box, or a chair and set awhile so we can get to know you, and lend a hand. Someone here is bound to have been in the same situation as you are in now. 

[highpockets]

Sbishop,

My sawing is pretty limited. What I have learned is that one needs to gets some blades, logs, etc and saw.  Just remember there is always the fireplace to feed so nothing is lost completely.  Just joking. I have recently learned that sawing is an art.  I watched an old man the other day. He said he had been sawing for 60 years.  It dawned on me that straight logs with no knots, etc gave the best wood.  When it warms up, I'm going to try again.