UTILIZATION AT GERMAN SAWMILLS 



203 



AN ELECTRIC CUT-OFF SAW USED TO CUT LONG LOGS INTO THE DESIRED LENGTHS. 



IT CAN BE MOVED BY OVERHEAD TROLLEY TO ANY PART OF THE ROLLWAY AND SAVES 



A LARGE AMOUNT OF UNNECESSARY WASTE IN TRIMMING. 



tions, small logs are the rule. This is 

 explained by the fact that under any 

 system of scientific forest management, 

 it does not pay to wait until trees be- 

 come of large size before they should 

 be cut. The "financial rotation," as it 

 is called, permits of the growth of trees 

 just large enough to be utilized for saw 

 logs and not left long enough in the 

 woods for the compound interest 

 charges to nullify the dividends. This 

 means therefore rather knotty and low 

 grade lumber. 



Long timbers or tree lengths are also 

 the rule. On many operations 23 feet 

 (7 meters) is the minimum log length. 

 The advantages explained in connec- 

 tion with this procedure are that the 

 logging and transportation to the mill 

 are more economical, the long logs can 

 be better sawed to the desired length 

 whatever the demands of the market, 

 at the mill, and there is no loss in 

 trimming. Loggers in this country 

 commonly allow from three to six 

 inches for abrasion in transportation 

 and trim at the mill. In many of the 

 German mills, logs are cut to the even 

 desired length and there is no trimming 

 done at all. Long lengths are a) r '. 



barked before shipment. It is said 

 that bark constitutes an average of 10 

 per cent of the total material in a log. 

 In the case of Norway spruce, beech, 

 and oak, the bark is used for tanning 

 purposes. The bark of other trees is 

 used for fuel. 



Another important phase of utiliza- 

 tion at German sawmills is the universal 

 practice of sawing closer than is the 

 custom in this country. That is, only 

 an eighth or a sixteenth of an inch is 

 allowed for dressing and stock intended 

 for a variety of uses is never allowed 

 to be sawed one inch in thickness, when 

 three-quarters or five-eighths will suf- 

 fice. Of course different standards of 

 measurement are used in Germany 

 (metric system) but this is offered as 

 exemplary of the manner in which they 

 study their market and then saw ac- 

 cordingly. 



As mentioned before, there are hardly 

 ever any trimmings which in this 

 country go to the "hog" or are sent to 

 the burner. Edgings are used for 

 handles of all kinds, chair rounds, 

 novelty and toy stock, etc., and are 

 seldom used for fuel. The wooden toy 

 industry is very important in Germany 



