We have a logging project going this summer in the Sierras and have lots of high quality fir logs available that would be perfect for anyone who wants to build "from scratch". Is this a good place to connect with people who would be interested in buying whole logs, peeled or unpeeled? These logs would definitely not be from a kit! We have built our own log cabin using these types of trees and it turned out great. Straight, healthy, long fir with very little taper. We liked 8" at the small end for our project but we have all sizes and lenghts. We can put together something specific for anyone's project. Please contact me if anyone knows where else to sell whole logs to people who want the natural thing, just the log, ready for you to do what you want.
Comments
How long will you be
Sun, 2010-05-09 21:16
How long will you be clearing this site?
whole logs
Sun, 2010-07-25 09:13
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. We had some unexpected events come our way and I had to go out of state for awhile. Anyway, we are cutting late into the season. Here is my cell # if you want to call 530-277-5125 or e-mail me at
Bare with me, I'm new
Ok, what's DBH???
Helen: are those dimensions before or after bark removal? And, if before, how much thickness should I account for bark?
I have friends in Grass Valley, I may want to cruise up to see your wood. How far from Grass Valley are you?
dimensions
Thu, 2010-04-22 22:49
Dimensions are diameter breast height which means about 4 1/2 feet up from the base of the tree. Bark is pretty thin on white fir although it gets thicker on larger diarmeter trees. Small trees at 12 or 14 inches DBH probably have 1/2 inch or so total of bark. We are in Nevada City. The woods is about 35 minutes just outside Grass Valley.
dbh
DBH=diameter at breast height
Thank you, is that measured
Thank you, is that measured under the bark?
typically no.
typically no.
Helen, How much for the logs
Helen, How much for the logs and how many will you have available in the 14"-20" range?
log pricing
Wed, 2010-04-21 09:28
We have over 1000 white fir in that size range DBH. Price includes the whole log to an 8" top unpeeled. Includes first 25 miles of shipping. We can peel for additional cost. We also have doug fir but it runs about 50% more and, in my opinion, doesn't have any advantage over white for whole log construction. We have about 150 doug fir. If you have specific length requirements, or want a bigger top, we could cut to that. Availability starting in June. We are located in Nevada County, California. Call us at 530-478-0545 if you have questions.
Prices on White Fir whole logs:
14" DBH $50
16" DBH $80
18" DBH $125
20" DBH $170
top measurement and taper
Helen;
Since we mostly talk tops, what would your estimate of the top of a white fir DBH 20" and 40 feet long. Most of my white fir had more taper than Doug Fir. Of course this diameter is without the bark.
Thanks
top diameter
Wed, 2010-04-21 14:32
Our white fir grows in understory and tapers less than the doug. I would estimate 1 inch diameter taper per 4 feet. That gives you about a 10 or 11 inch top for your 40 foot tree with 20inch DBH. (the cut end would be 21 or 22 inches)
Very interesting taper numbers
Very interesting taper numbers. I just checked my Doug fir taper numbers from my log catalog. They were all 4 inches or less over 40 feet (or and 1inch every 10 feet). I had a low of 2 inches over 40 feet. The tops were mostly 10 and 11's. These were from a tree farm in Washington - hence may account for the difference.
Thanks for your input.
very interesting taper for sure
Thu, 2010-04-22 22:53
I'm not getting something here unless they are milling your trees for you. 1 inch every 10 feet means you have a 100 foot tree that is 10 inches at the base. I have never seen such a tree. A light breeze or maybe a strong push would bring it down.
taper
It means IMO if a tree is at the base 20", 10' up it should be 19", 10'more up 18", 10'more up 17" and so on.....
You can see Helen's point
You can see Helen's point though, if measuring the entire tree. (10" at the base, 0" at the tip top is 100' tall to acheive 1" in 10') Would that be possible? Perhaps. Or perhaps they taper off rapidly the top third or quarter. I know I saw some incredibly tall, virtually taper free logs while hiking in the Gold Bar, WA area. [envy]
taper
Fri, 2010-04-23 10:02
I guess it depends on your starting point. We are on the ground cutting down the whole tree. My 20 inch DBH trees tend to run around 80 feet tall. My one inch in 4 foot taper example considers the whole tree. The mid- cylinder of the tree may have less taper and, depending on the length and the conditions it grew in, may be minimal. So maybe in that 40 foot mid-section, you do have very little taper. To be sure, we will have to cut down a few fir trees when the snow melts and report back.
More on taper of white fir from my property
The taper of white fir and Douglas Fir are not the same. My biggest log was white fir but it had a taper of 1 in 6. When I measured my trees and made my catalog, I measured the top and bottom which given the length allowed me to calculate the taper for what ever length the log. I you want to see white fir vs. Doug Fir, my bottom log in the front is a white fir - it is noticeably lighter or whiter that the others. Again Doug Fir seems to have less than 1 inch in 10 feet taper and White seems to have about twice that. This is one reason not to mix species. I think tree farming may also have some input into the idea of taper.
Note: my biggest tree was about 150 feet tall. If you watch My Log Home video you can see us cutting it down and also digging out the root. The root was right in the middle of my log home building site. It gave me a bunch of lumber logs (actually one or two) and two 35 foot house logs. I am guestimateing but the top of the second log was about 10 inches... I have more than several more trees that are about the same...
Taper and crow
Fri, 2010-04-23 20:36
Okay, it is time for me to eat crow. I went out to the woods today and took some measurements of downed trees. A relatively small tree had only an inch taper every 7 to 10 feet. For example, a 30 foot section of a white fir tapered from 11" to about 8", obviously making this only 1" taper for 10 feet. On a smaller circumference I got 1" in 7 feet and on a larger tree, in the mid-section of the tree, I got about 1" in 14 feet. I think we all on the same page now and, I can at least feel better about the taper on whole logs I have for sale. The taper is minimal when referring to the main section of the trunk that is used for construction. Sorry, I did not have any Doug fir to measure today for a comparison to white fir. Thanks everyone for the dialogue.
Tapered logs in California...
Helen, I already have my logs here in Sunny Southern Oregon or I'd be dealing with you right now. I have a feeling you're gonna sell some logs to a LHBA member or two.
whole logs
Sat, 2010-05-08 09:48
No bites yet but I am hoping someone out there will want some logs. Does anyone know how else to market these?
Trip to Norcal
Hello again Helen,
Heading to Norcal in the next couple weeks and would like to arrange to come view your logs, If I pull the trigger on this project, how far into the winter would your people be willing to fall my logs. As it is recommended to winter-cut for log home construction. I can be reached by email, or by cell 714 240-1825.
LBH member in Northern Va near me 50 footers forsale
I am not building but this might help some the others near me if they want check out the add call them.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mat/1736706837.html
marketing whole logs
No bites yet but I am hoping someone out there will want some logs. Does anyone know how else to market these?
I've seen loggers market logs in on-line newspapers or on Craigslist. good luck!
Hey Neighbors
I didn't realize there were so many of us in and around the Sacramento Region. We should get together for coffee someplace and meet face to face. A local gathering if you will.
Sacramento area members
I didn't realize there were so many of us in and around the Sacramento Region. We should get together for coffee someplace and meet face to face. A local gathering if you will.
Is that 3 of us now? Hopefully more. I know I would benefit from a caffeine induced meeting of the minds.
Tom
Taper
Just for reference, my 40' white pines have an average 6" taper per 40' or 1.5" per 10" with some going more and some less
best log might be 4"-5" taper and worst might be 7" or 8" taper - both for 40'
Logging
Tue, 2010-04-20 16:50
I also wanted to mention that the logs we are selling are coming out of our own woods that we are personally managing for long-term sustainable health of a forest ecosystem. We are on the ground marking trees and overseeing the logging which will be done with horses so that the ground has little compaction and the residual trees are not damaged by mechanical skidders. We are truly green!