PART 1: 



Logging Production and Costs 



Logging production was recorded daily for each piece of equipment (Cross Data) . 

 Time was recorded for operational, delay, and down periods. Merchantable volumes were 

 weight-scaled, and nonmerchantable chip volumes were measured in piles at the landing. 

 A separate piece count was recorded for merchantable and nonmerchantable material 

 handled by the feller-buncher and the skidders. 



Production data were converted to cost by using industry's average equipment costs 

 and wage rates for the area. The costs represent only the direct cost of logging and 

 supervision at the field level. Overhead items such as payroll cost, general adminis- 

 tration, etc., are not included. 



Table 1 summarizes costs and shows the cost of each operation for each unit. 

 Units 1 and 4 were the near complete harvesting units, and 2 and 3 were conventionally 

 harvested units. Harvest statistics for each unit are shown in table 2. 



For this study, the chips were piled at the site for later experimental use. In 

 a commercial operation, they would be blown into vans and transported to the mill. The 

 cost of transporting chips is estimated from going rates and is shown in table 1. 



The cost of harvesting and delivering merchantable logs to the mill are similar 

 for both methods and are primarily influenced by piece size for the felling, bucking, 

 and skidding operations. 



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