Diameter of logs prior to harvest?

[lngbeard]

I want to do a survey of my wood lot to determine if I have enough trees of sufficient length and diameter. When sizing a standing tree for diameter(bark still on) is there a method for determining what the peeled diameter would be? I am signed up for the next class (Oct 20-21) so this will most likely be addressed but I am pumped and ready to do something! I just noticed in the student homes section that a home on my street is shown. Mike Vowels place has many great details and he is doing a lot of his unique style of landscaping around his place. So much so that his place has recently been featured in the local paper. All this from a hardworking disabled gentleman. He can be seen outside wielding a weedeater or even chainsaw from his wheel chair on any given day. Do not know if Mike was disabled when he built his home but I beleive he could do the construction work himself anyway.

[Basil]

There's a lot of info on this site-

http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/departments/espm/extension/TREESTK.HTM

[rocklock]

I tend to do stuff for my self...
Try this... walk up to your tree... Measure the distance around the place where the base of the log. Divide by 22/7 then subtract twice the depth of the bark... If the tree is Douglas Fir, the taper will be about 2 to 4 inches per 40 feet... or figure out what the taper will be for your species... Ask a logger... Then you should be able to figure out what trees will work and which will not...
If a Douglas Fir log had a base diameter of 20 inches or a circumference of 68 inches I would consider using it... two inches of bark on each side or a log with 16 inches with a top of about 12 inches... A great log if it is straight...
Hope this helps some...
Dave
latest photo
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/flintlock1/IMG_2716.jpg

[lngbeard]

Thanks Basil and Rocklock.
The tool and formula info should help alot. Divide by 22/7? Excuse me if I am being thick, but this part isn't sinking in.

[rocklock]

Dividing the circumference by pi yields the diameter... ?
22/7 or 3.14159 works for me... Remember if you divide by a fraction you must invert then multiply...
Sorry, I do weird stuff to avoid the use of a calculator in the forest...
Note: This calculation is very necessary when calculating the length of your RPSL under the ridge pole...
Dave

[Basil]

I just made marks on a yardstick to create a biltmore scale. It's rough but similar to the measuring stick on the site I sent you to. If you have a tape measure like a seamstress or tailor would use, rocklocks method of measuring diameter then dividing by pi is very precise. He goes out of his way to avoid using a calculator. I go out of my way to avoid using math. your choice.

[2 cents]

if i have a circumference of 57 inches, then I would calculate 57 x 7, then divide by 22? that gives me a diameter of 18 inches. (or 57 divided by 3.14, also equals 18....) I got it!

2 cents

[lngbeard]

Thanks all, Now I get it too. This is the diameter including the bark, so the finished log will be a smaller dia less bark. Any way to figure this finished dia. prior to stripping the tree? Different species have different bark thickness for any given standing diameter? Only reason I am pursuing this is what if the live standing tree is close to minimum size with bark and maybe too small less bark. Don't want to cut a tree that may be too small when peeled.

[2 cents]

I guess you would have to find out the average bark thickness for the type of trees you have, and adjust for this.....
as rocklock said, subtract 2x the bark thickness from whatever you calculated the diameter to be.
In his example above he was thinking that the bark on a Doug Fir would be 1", therefore you'd subtract 2" from your calculated diameter.

2 cents

[rocklock]

My calculation was for the ideal log for me....
20 inches total diameter (68 inches around the tree) - 2 inches of bark on either side gives a 16 inch bottom and at 4 inches of taper for a 40 foot log will give a 12 inch top...
I would accept some smaller, but 57 inches yields 18.1 or about 14 inch bottom and about a 10 inch top...is just about the minimum that I would have in my home...
Note, the taper is for Douglas Fir grown in Western Washington - I doubt that any other of species of any other tree will be the same...
Another Note just to confuse everyone... Many of my logs had less taper. I remember one had about 2 inches of taper over 40 feet...
Dave

[Basil]

yea, keep bragging. Those of us in the east just can't get the good logs that you guys out west get. We get the point. Don't have to keep reminding us.

*SIGH*


JK BTW

[jetster]

I'm from the east, well not the west, I'm from north Arkansas and travil from here to Little Rock quite a bit, and I tell you there are a lot of southern yellow pines out here. I know that they aren't "THE GOOD LOGS" that people have out west but there is nothing wrong with these trees...

I used to look and see a lot of trees now I see LOGS and good ones... as a member said on here, They would use just about any type of tree as log as it is big enough long and as stright as an arrow.. and we have that!!!

Smile Keep them wondering.....

TS