62 



MISC. PUBLICATION" 9 0, U. S. DEPT. OP AGRICULTURE 



It is trimmed (ends sawed off square) so that it is exactly 10, 12, 

 14, or 16 feet long, and is exactly the same width at one end as at the 

 other. 



The building contractors of to-day will not handle material that 

 has to be put in finished condition by hand. It is a slow and 

 expensive process with the present high wages paid to carpenters. 

 They can well afford to pay a much higher price for the finished 

 product. 



It has been demonstrated that just as good lumber can be produced 

 by the portable sawmill as by the larger mills if the following rules 

 are adhered to : 



Foundation for saw frame must be solid. This does not mean a cement 

 foundation. Logs will do if properly set and fastened. 

 Saw and carriage must be in alignment. 

 Saw must be set tight on arbor or shaft. A loose saw makes snaky lumber. 



Figure 32. — The second method of making lumber — a portable mill 



Saws must be filed and swedged properly, otherwise the result will be ridgy 

 lumber, which will not surface smooth, causing a degrade. 



Speed must be proper for the size of saw used. 



Lead of log into the saw must be proper. 



Power must be sufficient to operate the saw at capacity. 



Sawyer must understand how to get the best out of the log. On the ability 

 of the sawyer depends more or less the profit of the operation. 



Lumber must be graded in order to get the best price. 



Better systems of accounting are needed. 



HOW TIMBER SHOULD BE CUT 



From the standpoint of use, forests can be divided into two main 

 classes : Protection forests, and commercial forests. Protection for- 

 ests are those whose greatest use lies in the protection which they 

 afford against floods, snowslides, moving sands, and especially 

 against rapid run-off and the resulting shortage of water in the 

 streams later on. All the forests of Utah render an important 

 service in protecting and stabilizing the stream flow essential to 

 irrigation. Commercial forests are those whose principal value lies 

 in the growing of continuous crops of timber and forage. 



