definiton of a veneer log

[treefarmer87]

what makes up a good red or white oak veneer log? this maybe a dumb ?. I have cut lots of poplar veneer, but have come across few red and white oak veneer logs- are they hard to come by. only one mill around here I know has them listed on their price sheet? I googled red and white oak veneer logs and they look similar to what I have cut before, but I didn't get veneer price ??? im in a nice stand of oak now and the trees I have been cutting 12-20'' small end are healthy, so im sure the big ones are too- I hope. im going to take those to the grade mill and try to get veneer price for them.

[WH_Conley]

The outside needs to look like a fly never landed on it. No blemishes of any kind. Heart must be centered. They don't like wide growth rings around here, I don't know about other places. Usually have a minimum size. Make the buyer show the defects, he will, believe me when they are buying they have eyes that would make a hawk look blind.

[beenthere]

Seems the veneer log buyer decides if the log is veneer. Depending on what the demand is at the time, what they will buy as veneer may vary from 3-4 clear faces to even better than that. The bark can give some tell-tale evidence of the life of the log as the bark often leaves traces of scars, dropped limbs, bumps, etc. that may blemish the underlying wood.
Bottom line, there are some guidelines that one might obtain, and some minimum diameters, growth rates, soundness, holes, bumps, etc. but they don't leave much for the seller to go by when it gets down to taking the log as veneer. Drop by a sawmill sometime and see if they have some potential veneer logs laying out waiting for a buyer to come by and take some. If one buyer doesn't take all, then maybe the next buyer will. But looking at those logs, they all may look just perfect.

[Maine372]

never done it myself but read some articles and threads here that use this method.

if you even think it is a veneer log lay it out on a set of skids and when you have a significant amount call a veneer buyer and have him come look at them. he will tell you how he wants them cut, and which ones he will buy. I believe most of them get tagged and some of them truck their own.

id call the veneer buyer and get your info straight from which ever end of the horse you feel like talking to.

[chairguy]

The logs I've sold that were tagged as veneer logs were,as has been said, clear on at least three faces and the heart was centered. Having said that, demand seems to have a lot to do with the grade of a log. Around here as demand goes down so do prices and opportunities to sell logs. The mill closest to me will only allow me two loads a week right now. I only try to haul my best logs but, while I think I'm consistent about quality the grades that the buyer assigns don't seem to be. I guess the bottom line there is that I'm not perfect and neither is he.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Ask your buyer about the specs and what not. When I was a buyer the specs or demand would change frequently. One day I would buy certain logs as veneer and then sometimes the next day we would "tighten up" on what we wanted so those same logs would no longer pass for veneer. It came down to our veneer mills orders and markets and what they were going to need. There were also times when they got a "hot order" so we would buy a lot of possible veneer just to cover us and they would truck it ASAP, once at the mill and one the lathe they would reject a lot of what we bought but the finished product prices were good enough that they could toss the rejected logs in the boiler and still make money.

So bottom line what makes a veneer log is up to the buyer...

[treefarmer87]

ok, I will check with the mill. thanks

[Autocar]

Treefarmer I will P.M. you later today with a phone number, this company pretty wells buys all over the country.

[Bill_G]

It all depends on the company that's buying , also there is a big difference between slicer veneer and rotary veneer . Alot of veneer in this area is now being shipped to China . When Columbia Forest Products was in full swing they had several grades they would purchase . The tighter the markets , the tighter the specs .

[coxy]

what columbia usta  buy from me 10-15 years ago is now 1 saw log go figer

[mad murdock]

Tf87, if you think you have some hardwood veneer, you need to get ahold of the mill spec of the prospective mill, if you buck the log then see if it is veneer, you might have already disqualified that log, most veneer mills I have sold to wanted a different length than the standard 100".  Most Veneer mills in the upper midwest spec'ed Veneer logs at 100" + 4" trim, so total log length had to be 104".  When in doubt, double check the spec, before you buck, or you will be cutting up a lot of $$ into bolts or pulp.

[treefarmer87]

I usually cut 10'6''s and 8'6''s when I haul grade logs, so there is less taper. I trim the root swell off too. I figure there is lees chance of a defect on the shorter logs, shorter logs will make a better clear log.

[SwampDonkey]

We don't have much for oak way up here. But the specs where never changed unless notice was given through our marketing boards. Our buyers were not fly by the seat of the pants and things were consistent. We never worried about ring count, all hardwood is tight ringed here unless it's a lawn tree, in which case not marketable. They went on size, clear faces and heartwood mattered on maple, but yellow birch and white birch heartwood was not a defect. We even sold veneer as short as 4'-4" to one market. Up here the only reason they could get what volume they could was that they never played games on specs. Except, if they wanted a little more volume the specs were a little loose, but it didn't go in the opposite direction. When you don't follow your own rules, you don't get wood. ;)

Our buyers always worked with us in day courses to show producers where to make the cut for the best grades. Our marketing boards also helped the buyers and the producers and for almost no cost because of the shear volume of sales where less than 3% was levied to support our boards. Our boards are run by the woodlot owners and producers, not the government. And there is an oversight mechanism with government, industry and woodlot owner reps.

[WDH]

The buyers set the spec.  They always have and they always will.

[smwwoody]

TF
I have bought and sold veneer for many years. I can come look at what you haveany time give me a call. I am going to be buying veneer again next month I might by what you have now on the landing. Don't cut them to length until I look at them if I can't pay enough I have phone numbers for about 5 other buyers

[treefarmer87]

I haven't cut them yet, ill let you know when I cut them