Oak log value

[MikeH]

I was told by a guy I work with that a friend of his has about 10 Oak logs that are 10-18' long and about 2' in diameter.

Does anyone know what a reasonable price for them would be?

 

[JackLeg]

Mike, I'll bet you meant 10-18 feet long? If they came from someone's yard, they're probably just good for firewood, as most sawmills don't like "yard lumber." Too much metal of all sorts in them.

If they are forest oaks, then Ivey, saw4u, jeff, or Kyle could probably give you some good advice on the price. Good luck!

 

[MikeH]

Mike, I'll bet you meant 10-18 feet long? If they came from someone's yard, they're probably just good for firewood, as most sawmills don't like "yard lumber." Too much metal of all sorts in them.

If they are forest oaks, then Ivey, saw4u, jeff, or Kyle could probably give you some good advice on the price. Good luck!

You're right! I'll change it to feet and not inches. Thanks!

 

[jeff...]

Last time I bought a small quantity of forest oak (around 2000 BF) it averaged with delivery charge about .42 a board foot or ($420.00 a thousand) for #1 and #2 17' logs delivered to the log yard. anything under that (grade or feet or came form someones yard) I didn't mess with.

You mention the logs are about 24" I assume that the little end of the log not the big end. Log diameter is measured from the little end. For example if you have a #1 grade 16'6 20 DIB (diameter inside bark) White oak, it would stick out to about 256 board foot and be worth about $108.00 FOB mill. When delivering logs to a mill you can only charge for miles 1 way this is not an extra charge it's baked into the .42 a board foot.

I explained a little about log grades in this post, just enough to be dangerous.
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10634

Point is mentally divide your log into quarters if there is a defect (knot, dote, etc) in one or more of the quarters the grade drops considerably and so does the price. If the logs came from someones yard, I doubt you'll find a buyer, except for maybe a fire wood processor, they buy pulp wood by the ton for considerably less than grade saw logs.

Thanks

 

[MikeH]

I just spoke with the guy that has the logs and they are yard trees. I'm going to swing by and take a few pics of them and post later today. I would hate to see them turned into firewood. There has to be some good lumber there. Right? or are they not even worth the risk of damaging a blade?

 

[jeff...]

I just spoke with the guy that has the logs and they are yard trees. I'm going to swing by and take a few pics of them and post later today. I would hate to see them turned into firewood. There has to be some good lumber there. Right? or are they not even worth the risk of damaging a blade?

Mike, it's really not the blade damage so much, blades are replaceable, it's the quality of the logs. Your typical yard tree only grows so tall, usually less than 10' before it crotches, some less than that. ebarr recently posted a picture of a large tree in a school yard. It' a nice shade tree, with all those limbs, you wouldn't get a grade saw log out of it, but there's a lot of firewood there.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12689

Ebarr's thread is a perfect example of A tree growing out in the open. They are usually wind shook and have a thick ring of sapwood and tons of limbs. Tree's that compete for sunlight, water and nutrients in a forest, grow taller and slower and are a lot better protected from the wind, making a higher quality log. Here's me pictured with a mature forest tree, I think you can see what I'm talking about when you compare ebarr's picture to this these.

Back to trash in logs... personally, I could not allow myself to sell any wood from a log that I knew had steel in it when I cut it. There is no guarantee that my mill found all the steel in the log when I cut it. So if I saw one nail, I sawed the lumber for my own personal use. I can't think of a quicker way to ruin a guys reputation than selling lumber to someone that had steel in it. Just think what it would do to your planer and saw blades. I doubt you would be very happy with who sold it to you.

A few other sawyers I know, don't care where the log comes from or if it has trash in it or not, they are just out to turn a buck. One sawyer guy I know laughed at me for my moral standards, but hey it's my conscience not his :tongue100:.

Thanks

 

[DaveO]

That is why we like dealing with you Jeff! :yes:

QFT!!!!!:icon_thum
Dave