Board Feet calculations?

[trigger_andy]

So, Ive been asked to Mill 500 meters of 1"x8" Oak. If Im correct in my calculations thats 1093 Board Feet?

 

So if going by the Doyle Log Scale I should yield 192 Board Feet from a 12'x20" log. Then Id need 6 logs to get the required 1093 Board Feet. 

 

But in reality is this the case? Assuming the logs are clean? 

 

Anyone know what the current price for sawn oak is? 

 

Cheers.  

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, trigger_andy said:

So, Ive been asked to Mill 500 meters of 1"x8" Oak. If Im correct in my calculations thats 1093 Board Feet?

 

So if going by the Doyle Log Scale I should yield 192 Board Feet from a 12'x20" log. Then Id need 6 logs to get the required 1093 Board Feet. 

 

But in reality is this the case? Assuming the logs are clean? 

 

Anyone know what the current price for sawn oak is? 

 

Cheers.  

I have never come across the tables you refer to but my own calculation suggests 7 logs of the size you quote  But depending on the quality you need this could be way out.  I would suggest 7 logs is the minimum and the maximum could be way more.  There will be knots, shake in the centre maybe rotten knots etc.  

 

Milling to order with Oak can be a stressful and wasteful business.

[trigger_andy]

4 hours ago, Squaredy said:

I have never come across the tables you refer to but my own calculation suggests 7 logs of the size you quote  But depending on the quality you need this could be way out.  I would suggest 7 logs is the minimum and the maximum could be way more.  There will be knots, shake in the centre maybe rotten knots etc.  

 

Milling to order with Oak can be a stressful and wasteful business.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe best give it a miss then. The margins are tight as it is with 7 logs let alone much more. I think he's been quoted £4 a meter delivered.

 

How did you calculate it if you dont mind me asking?

[Forest2Furniture]

With jobs like this it's best to work out what you'd charge and leave it at that.

Working to a price quoted by someone else is never a good idea, as you don't 

know what they had in mind when giving the price.

[trigger_andy]

11 minutes ago, Forest2Furniture said:

With jobs like this it's best to work out what you'd charge and leave it at that.

Working to a price quoted by someone else is never a good idea, as you don't 

know what they had in mind when giving the price.

Yeh I get that.

 

He's getting a quote from a Saw Mill. If I can better it I'd do the job. If its not worth it for me I'll not bother. 

[Squaredy]

15 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

How did you calculate it if you dont mind me asking?

If you use logic and maths you can estimate the squared off 20 inch log at around 16 inch by 16 inch (or nearly) which if there were no faults or taper or bend in the log would give 14 boards each 12ft long.  Reality kicks in and you may get about 10 to 12 boards per log which equals 120 to 144ft or 37 to 44 metres.  Hence to get 500 metres you need between 10 and 13 logs.  I did it in my head earlier and was a bit optimistic sorry.  In reality a 20 inch log is quite small and you won't get many 8 inch wide boards from it, even if you are lucky enough to have no faults.  

 

What actually happens is you put the log on the mill and find it is not straight, so you lose a fair proportion due to this.  Then you find some central shake, which ruins a couple of boards.  Maybe some have large knots which will be a problem for some uses.

 

I think the conversion tables you refer to are more applicable to straight softwood with no serious flaws.  You might be better off milling your Oak to useful sizes and then looking for buyers who simply have to buy whole boards - you will still get some faults and waste however.  And finding buyers can be very very time consuming, and half of them will want a different size/quality from what you have.

[trigger_andy]

8 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

If you use logic and maths you can estimate the squared off 20 inch log at around 16 inch by 16 inch (or nearly) which if there were no faults or taper or bend in the log would give 14 boards each 12ft long.  Reality kicks in and you may get about 10 to 12 boards per log which equals 120 to 144ft or 37 to 44 metres.  Hence to get 500 metres you need between 10 and 13 logs.  I did it in my head earlier and was a bit optimistic sorry.  In reality a 20 inch log is quite small and you won't get many 8 inch wide boards from it, even if you are lucky enough to have no faults.  

 

What actually happens is you put the log on the mill and find it is not straight, so you lose a fair proportion due to this.  Then you find some central shake, which ruins a couple of boards.  Maybe some have large knots which will be a problem for some uses.

 

I think the conversion tables you refer to are more applicable to straight softwood with no serious flaws.  You might be better off milling your Oak to useful sizes and then looking for buyers who simply have to buy whole boards - you will still get some faults and waste however.  And finding buyers can be very very time consuming, and half of them will want a different size/quality from what you have.

Awesome!  Thank you.

 

Yeh, sure seems like a pointless gamble. A lot of work for a few hundred quid.  

[Rough Hewn]

Yeh I get that. [emoji4]
 
He's getting a quote from a Saw Mill. If I can better it I'd do the job. If its not worth it for me I'll not bother. 

It's nearly impossible to compete with big sawmills.
I tried a few years back with sweet chestnut.
Absolute failure,
but I did get to meet a whole load of people who really helped my business.
I know a lot of tree surgeons and foresters with big yards, I buy big logs from them for more than firewood prices, mill them up and drop them round various woodworkers/builders and furniture makers.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[trigger_andy]

3 hours ago, EdwardC said:

When doing the back of a fag packet calculation don't forget to include some loss for kerf.

Thanks Edward.  Yes, thats a good point. I know the hoppus foot accounts for wastage but Im not sure if it accounts for kerf as well? I'll need to check.

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, Rough Hewn said:

It's nearly impossible to compete with big sawmills.
I tried a few years back with sweet chestnut.
Absolute failure,
but I did get to meet a whole load of people who really helped my business.
I know a lot of tree surgeons and foresters with big yards, I buy big logs from them for more than firewood prices, mill them up and drop them round various woodworkers/builders and furniture makers.

Mad, huh?

 

I know a couple of Tree Surgeons that Ive already had some logs for Milling, for Firewood prices.  

 

Was more of a investigatory project than anything. I'd make more money off-shore in overtime that Id make Milling the Oak. But would have been a fun project and if it had worked out cheaper for my mate then all the better. Id have kept all the center 1/4 sawn sections for myself anyway.