And you thought your operation was efficient...

[Dalmatian90]

Put this here just 'cause I hang out here the most -- local big sawmill was offering tours today (part of "Walktober" that has hundreds of history, farming, and similar themed walks held during the month in our area). Plus there is some heating "wood" pics

If I remember right, they do about 20,000 board-feet per day which might not be big by southern and western standards but I don't think there is anyone larger in southern New England, and their might not be in northern New England, either. (They own a second mill just over the line into Quebec as well.)

Logs are bar-coded when graded and the 'puters in the mill route the higher grade logs to the band saw, and lower grade to the circular saw:


Band saw sharpener:

The guy just lines the boards so the curve in the grain is up...lasers and computers optimize and automatically adjust the saws to maximize production from each board.


Clean wood chips destined for furnaces, mostly at schools and colleges:

Sawdust fuels their own boilers, primarily to heat their kilns:

All the double-banded bundles are for shipment overseas, primarily China, where it goes into high-end homes for flooring and cabinetry:

 

[cantoo]

We have local Amish Mennonite shops that have merry go round mills here. Ash is the big thing here right now but lots of walnut too.

 

[Zeus103363]

I work for weyerhaeuser, southern pine sawmill. our operation is kinda similar except the equipment is much larger and runs much faster. We avg 1,000,000 board ft per 24hrs.


Thanks

 

[mn woodcutter]

I work for weyerhaeuser, southern pine sawmill. our operation is kinda similar except the equipment is much larger and runs much faster. We avg 1,000,000 board ft per 24hrs.


Thanks

Wow! I can't even fathom that! I would love to tour a place like that.

 

[stumpy75]

I work for weyerhaeuser, southern pine sawmill. our operation is kinda similar except the equipment is much larger and runs much faster. We avg 1,000,000 board ft per 24hrs.


Thanks

I worked for Weyco in Coos Bay/North Bend, Oregon in the late '70s. The last of the really big old growth was being cut then. I don't remember the bf/day, but it was a lot. The site is now a casino...

 

[unclemoustache]

I worked on the green chain for a couple weeks, but that was my only time in a saw mill.

Spend a year in a door factory building wooden doors. That was kinda fun. They cut their pieces straight from logs - didn't bring in lumber.

 

[Zeus103363]

Kinda sounds weird but you don't see large pine trees anymore for lumber. The bigest we can run is 27", and tree length 50'-60' long. What makes the whole operation really cool is the amount of automation. Every machine has scanners and X-ray machines all over them. Each machine can X-ray each log and roll the grain to the optimum direction to make the highest quality lumber. Our curve saw gang is a 12" but it's 72" wide. Each log is turned curve to the side and the gang saw box moves and cuts the curve of the log. it's a cool process. Even the planner mill X-rays each board and grades it instead of having board graders. much much faster. They can clean up 650,000 board feet in a 10 hour shift. If any of you ever buy weyerhaeuser lumber and see the 163 plant code, you know it came from Louisiana.

Thanks

 

[stumpy75]

In the Weyco district I was in, it was all up to the sawyers eye... Things sure have changed!