Cutting Logs into Lumber vs Selling Logs to the Mill. Douglas Fir on Woodmizer LT15 Sawmill

In this video I cut up a Douglas fir tree into lumber with my Woodmizer LT 15 Start sawmill. I compare the amount of lumber I get out of the tree versus the amount of board feet in the logs according to Scribner log scale. I also compare the dollar amount I would get from selling the logs to a mill versus what the lumber is worth based on Home Depot prices.

Scribner log volume 120bf
3 2x8 31.8bf $46.56
10 2x6 80bf $129.80
12 2x4 63.6bf $79.63
10 1x4 26bf $43.90
201.4 total board feet
$299.89 Home Depot price
Link to the previous video where I cut down the tree to make the logs for this video. Also used my tractor with a Farmi winch to yard and load the logs into my dump trailer.
• Tractor Logging Farmi ...


[@gmrocwater9922]

Nice job 👍👍👍👍

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks for commenting.

[@theboakster]

This was a very informative video and thank you for both this and the former one where you felled the tree. Wh have our Woodmizer LT40 and now a Peterson circular mill. I’ve never operated the Peterson before but it looks pretty efficient. We are just starting to sell our milled products and all of your videos have been insightful right down to your MF 30. We have the same tractor although it doesn’t have the modified front lift nor do we have the winch system. We’re looking for one of those. Anyways, I probably would have taken down that other tree just to see what I could get out of it. Keep videoing and keep safe….. larry

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thank you for the comment Larry, it’s good to know someone is getting some good use out of these videos. I may have taken that last tree too if I didn’t have such an abundance of better material to work with.

[@southernadirondackoutdoors]

Good video and nice looking lumber!

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thank you, glad you liked it.

[@joeyrector934]

That's some nice lumber. Plus that's good prices

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks Joey, I always appreciate your comments.

[@joeyrector934]

@@WilsonForestLands you're welcome

[@marshvegas1973]

Are you feeling the fuel price increases when it comes to your overhead? Running the truck, chainsaw, mill and tractor…

[@WilsonForestLands]

I haven’t put fuel in the tractor since January before prices went up. It doesn’t use much and I don’t put a lot of hours on it. I may still have enough in it to last the rest of the year at the rate I’m going. Chainsaws and the sawmill use relatively little fuel for the amount of wood they produce. It’s definitely costing more but not a huge amount. Just running around the woods, the red truck goes months before I have to put fuel in it. Where I am really noticing the fuel prices is in the new truck driving back and forth between town and the woods. That’s where the majority of my fuel bill goes.

[@vdsgw52]

Maybe you could do a 3rd video on how you market your now milled lumber. Go from cutting the logs to cutting into lumber to the sales. Lots of work but a good job. Thanks for sharing.

[@WilsonForestLands]

That’s actually not a bad idea. I may do that. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@marshvegas1973]

Yes, I’d love to see the entire lifecycle of your lumber products. Not just the sales but the end product if that were possible.

[@MsdMakingSawDust]

Great educational video there Sir. I couldn’t believe the scale was off that much. You ended up with a nice load of lumber. Do you take it and dry it and sell it or do you keep it for yourself ? You also did a Nice job milling them logs up. Thanks for sharing. Take care Sir.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I don’t dry it, I just sell it as is. Since the price of lumber has been so high, I discount the price a little under the lumber stores and I can’t hold onto it long enough for it to dry. With this kind of construction type Lumber, I find most people don’t care too much whether it’s dry or not.

[@WilsonForestLands]

With some of my slabs and unique pieces I have been hoarding and drying those until I figure out what I want to do with them.

[@MsdMakingSawDust]

@@WilsonForestLands We sell a little around here buts it’s hard our county inspector are real strict, if it ain’t been grade stamped they won’t you use it even on a dog house. There all for the big box stores. Anything u build that is over a 100 square foot you got to have a permit or they will make you tear it down . Welcome to Virginia the common wealth. So slabs our are best seller And then we move some for those that are building less than a 100 square foot.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

Good video. I'm surprised that the Scribner scale is off so much. I thought it was more accurate than the Doyle. Anyway, really nice looking lumber. Dave

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks Dave, I think Nathan from Out of the Woods did a video recently comparing his yield to Doyle scale. I don’t remember what his results were but I think it was significantly more. I have heard of people getting up to 200% more than Scribner.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

@@WilsonForestLands I have found that you get more BF from a long log (that you scaled) by cutting it in half; then milling each half (or quarter in your case). Good video, though.

[@thekiltedsawyer]

I use the Doyle scale