Hardwood Sawing Costs: Log Size Differences and Sawing Strategies

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Abstract

Sawmill profitability relies on five primary factors: cost of sawlogs, the lumber grade yield from logs of varying sizes and quality, overrun/underrun, market prices of the lumber products sawn, and the cost of sawing logs. This paper focuses on the cost of sawing logs and the mill strategies that help define the level of cost. Empirical data from several mill studies combined sawline times with the production of lumber and cant products. Cant products included a variety of types, including pallet cants and ties/timbers. By keeping track of the board footage of each product sawn from the sample logs, the footage per foot of sawline was calculated across three cant sizes using cross-sectional areas of the cants (≤24 inches; >24 inches and ≤40 inches; and >40 inches) and three log sizes based on scaling diameter (≤11.5 inches; >11.5 inches and ≤15.5; and >15.5 inches). Results showed board feet per sawline was maximized when sawing the largest marketable cant regardless of log diameter. Maximizing board feet per foot of sawline effectively minimizes sawing cost, which is illustrated by using a range of sawing costs per minute ($5, $20, $25, and $20 per minute). A strategy that seeks to saw the largest marketable cant, when economically justified, from logs of varying sizes inevitably leads to lower sawing costs and the ability to saw more volume per unit time. Where larger cant sizes yield higher prices per MBF (e.g., pallet cants versus railroad ties), profitability is further enhanced.

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