small operation. Medium-sized logs can be decked a couple of tiers high in spiked skids quite easily, thereby saving the expense of a decking team and teamster. If you are hauling on a snow or ice road, keep the space in front of the skidways on which the sled stands free from bark and chips. Figure on loading the heaviest logs on the bottom of the tier. If the sawyers leave any knots on the logs, trim them off close to the bole and see that the binding chains or toggles are grabbed on the unloading side. If the sawyers have left a "chip" on the bottom of the cut, set the "Samson" (which should be higher than the log) on the near side, drop the swamp hook over the far side of the log, and fasten in the dog. Make the swamp-hook chain or logging chain fast with a half hitch around the top of the "Samson," and hitch the team to the chain. One pull from the team usually breaks the chip or turns the log over so that the teamster can reach it with his ax. If the teamster is not equipped with a swamp hook and does not understand how to use a "Samson," he can take a "roll" on the log with his log chain, with the draft down low on the side of the log opposite his team, and if the log is not too heavy and the chip too large, can lift the log far enough with his team to enable him to cut the chip with his ax and roll the log on to the dray. The jackknife dray has a roller in front set on gudgeons in the nose of the runners. A stout bunk armed with spikes connects the runners. If the dray strikes any obstruction it will "jackknife” or partially fold, hence the name. SCALING. There are many rules for the measurement of saw logs. None of them, however, is mathematically exact, simply because a saw log is not a mathematical figure. Also, the unit of sawed lumber is 144 square inches, or a piece of board 12 inches square and 1 inch thick. Any rule purporting to give the actual amount of board feet which a log of a given diameter will saw out is, therefore, only an approximation. The Decimal C rule is the one adopted by the Forest Service for scaling Government timber. This rule is made by dropping the unit figures of the Scribner rule and accepting the nearest tens as correct values. The contents of logs as given by the Scribner rule were found by drawing diagrams outlining the smaller end sections of logs and computing the board feet in the boards that could be sawed from them. The Doyle rule, which is extensively used, is based on the following formula: Deduct 4 inches from the diameter of the log, square one-fourth of the remainder, and multiply by the length of the log in feet. This gives the approximate contents in board feet. Another rule of more ancient origin, which gives the same results, is to deduct 4 inches from the diameter of the log as an allowance for sawdust and slabs, then multiply the remainder by half itself, and the product by the length of the log in feet, and divide by 8. The quotient will be the number of square feet contained in the log. Still another giving the same contents is, deduct 4 inches and square the remainder, adding to or deducting for the aliquot parts of a longer or shorter log. The Doyle rule gives less values in board feet for 16-foot logs up to 28 inches in diameter than the Scribner or the Decimal C rule, and above that diameter gives greater values. Between 22 and 28 inches in diameter, however, there is only a slight difference between the two rules. The 14 single logs ranging from 8 to 21 inches in diameter scale by the latter rule 12 per cent more than with the Doyle, though logs scaled by the Decimal C rule overrun the log scale by an average of 10 per cent when manufactured into lumber. The requirements of the Forest Service call for the measurement of sound material in the log irrespective of grade. Allowance is made for bad defects, such as rot, shake, check, cat face, crooks, wormholes, etc., or a serious combination of one or more such defects in one log. In timber of high commercial value, logs are classed as cull that have two-thirds of the gross scale defective; in the case of inferior species, such as fir, lodgepole, and balsam, one-half of the gross scale. It very often happens that timber or logs containing only one-third of the gross scale in merchantable lumber will not pay the cost of handling unless the lumber obtained is high grade. In such cases the scaler should possess a knowledge of grades and be qualified to differentiate between a log that pays for merchandizing and one that does not. The only true analysis of what a defective log will scale is found by seeing it opened up in the mill. A scaler's ability to make proper allowance for defect hinges on his experience in this particular respect. Defects such as large loose or unsound knots, an occasional knot hole, a great deal of pitch and pockets, some red rot and bad season checks, large wormholes, and any amount of blue stain, unless combined in one log, affect merely the quality or grade and not the quantity of merchantable lumber produced from the log. They are therefore not recognized as justifying a scaler in discounting the gross scale of a log. The fact of logs overrunning the log scale—that is, cutting more board feet than is shown on the Decimal C rule-should not be considered by a scaler in making allowance for defect. This matter of overrun is, in Forest Service sales, taken into account when ap praising the timber and establishing the stumpage price, and is not relevant to scaling. The following grading rules for western yellow pine logs are suggested by the Forest Service for use in eastern Oregon and Washington, and could be profitably used by portable mill operators in any section of the country: No. 1 clear logs shall be 22 inches or over in diameter inside the bark at the small end and not less than 10 feet long. They shall be reasonably straight grained, practically surface clear, and with not less than 25 per cent of their scaled contents capable of being cut into C select and better. No. 2 shop logs shall be 18 inches and over in diameter inside the bark at the small end, not less than 8 feet long, and with not less than 30 per cent of their scaled contents capable of being cut into No. 2 shop or better. No. 3 rough logs shall be 6 inches and over in diameter inside the bark at the small end and not less than 8 feet long, and having defects which unfit them for classification in the two above grades. C select grade means lumber 4 inches wide or wider. Knots, blue stain, some pitch or season checks are admissible. A 4-inch or 6-inch piece would show light traces of pitch or season checks. Heavier indications of pitch and season checks are permissible in wider boards, but should not be scattered all over the board. Medium blue stain, covering one-third of the face, if not in combination with other defects, is admissible. No. 2 shop means a grade of lumber valued for cutting purposes only. The grade of No. 2 door cuttings will admit of one defect in one piece. This may be a small sound knot not to exceed five-eighths of an inch in diameter, or a light-blue stain which does not extend over more than one-half the surface of the piece on one side, or, in the absence of all other defects, one small season check not to exceed 8 inches in length and showing on one side of the piece only. Each plank of No. 2 shop should contain either one of the following: At least 25 per cent of No. 1 door cuttings or not less than 333 per cent of No. 1 and No. 2 door cuttings combined. Rough logs of the grade lower than Nos. 1 and 2 consist of lumber the general appearance of which is coarse, admitting many defects in inch lumber and all defects common to dimension lumber that do not materially impair the strength of the piece. LOGGING OUTFIT. Following is a logging outfit for class A mills and its cost: 4 teams and harness, at $400-- Saws, axes, wedges, cant hooks, chains, and blacksmith outfit_. 2 logging trucks__. 2 lumber wagons. Camp cook outfit__. Sleeping camp_. Lubricating oil and kerosene_ Total_. $1,600 150 250 200 100 50 20 2,370 The following equipment would be suitable for a class B mill: 5 teams and harness, at $400_. Saws, axes, wedges, cant hooks, chains, and blacksmith outfit.. 2 logging trucks_. 2 lumber wagons 2 drays_____ Cook camp outfit.. Sleeping camp‒‒‒ Lubricating oil and kerosene_ Total $2,000 150 250 200 10 150 70 20 2, 850 Below is given an outfit of blacksmith tools for small loggers and others doing their own work: Coal and borax. 60-pound anvil, with hardies. Leg vice, 35-pound, opens 4 inches. Lever forge, 60-pound. Upright drill. Round shank drill. 6 taps and 3 set dies. Cold chisel. Assorted punches. Tongs, pincers, and rasps. Farrier's knife. Shoeing and turning hammer. Hoof parer, horseshoes and nails, calks, and sling for shoeing unruly horses. The following constitute logging accessories: Logging trucks, Montana, $130 each. Lindsay self-loading skidder, 2 wheels, 24 inches diameter; 5-inch tire, $30; 8-inch tire, $35; 10-inch tire, $40. Four-wheel logging trucks: Weight, 1,200 pounds, capacity, 4,000 pounds; 1 weight, 1,800 pounds, capacity, 10,000 pounds. 1 Large-size cant hooks, 5-foot stock. Swamp hooks, steel. Skidding tongs, opening 24 to 30 inches. Emery or carborundum wheels, 10 inches diameter and 1 inch thick. Runners, with McLaren's casting, finished and ironed, set of four. Gudgeon pins. King bolt. Pole caps. Tote sleds. Logging sleds (no bunks), complete. (Shipping weight, 2,400 pounds.) Lumber buggies, capacity, 2,000 pounds; weight, 300 pounds. Dump carts, 2-horse, weight, 1,900 pounds; 1-horse, weight, 1,300 pounds. Two-horse wagons with box, weight, 1,350 pounds. Boot calks for driving boots. Square shovels, D handles, 38 inches over all. 1 This rig includes whiffletrees, evener, stay chains, neck yoke, or tongue chains. Brake, $10 extra. Two-wheel carts with straight or arched axle. Round shovels, D handles, 38 inches over all. Shovels, long-handled, square pointed, 61 inches over all; round pointed, 61 inches over all. Spades, D-handles, 39 inches over all. Snow shovels. Earth augers for holes 5 to 8 inches diameter; 8 to 14 inches diameter. Posthole tamping bars. Hayforks, 4 tines. Manure forks. Manure D-handled forks. Railroad and grading plows. Wheel scrapers. Slushers. Slushers, double bottom. Wheelbarrows, tubular steel frames. Wheelbarrows, wood. Dynamite, 40 per cent (20 cents per pound in 25 to 50 pound boxes). Caps, per 1,000, No. 3. Safety fuse, 50 feet in coil, 2 coils in a package, per 1,000 feet, single tape. Blasting powder, 25-pound sheet-iron kegs, black F. Blasting machine, size 13 by 9 by 6 inches, weight 35 pounds, capacity 1 to 30 holes. Following is a list of tools and stores: Pickarooms or hookaroons: Axe-handle shape; straight handle. Pike poles with straight pikes, 14 to 16 feet. Pike poles with hook and straight pike. Straight pike only. Pike with hook. Adz handles. Spike maul handles. Riveting and farrier's handles. Round chain hooks. Corner bind or fid hooks, flat. Half round fid hooks. Boom chains made to order. Log jammer blocks. Loading blocks. Skidding tongs. Rollway breaking hooks. Loading hooks. Swamp hooks, steel. Cant hooks, iron clasp. Cant hooks, steel clasp. Peavies, malleable socket. Peavies, steel socket. Cant hook and peavy handles. Cant hook and peavy hooks. Top loader, heavy steel. Peavy sockets. Cant-hook clasps. Toe rings, iron. Toe rings, steel. Hook and peavy bolts. |