An Analysis of Log Production in the "Inland Empire" Region
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2 5 1.0 :; /11/12.8 1/11/2.5 ::: 111112.8 11111 . 3 2 1.0 3 2 I~ 11111 . 2.2 §fl1!~ 11111 . I 2 •2 1-B~ ~~I1.Q. ~I~~ I:.; = I'I:: I:.; r~:,.~ I-0.. _ .0 f ~~ 2.0 '- " .... l..l.~ 1.1 .... L.:.L.; 'I:ll -- 111111.8 14 111111.25 11111 . _ 11111 1.6 111111.25 111111.4 111111.6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS ·1963·A NATIONAL BIIREAU or STANDARDS-I963·A T=EC=':='c=AL=,B=ULI.ET!N='=N=o.=3S=S =:;~='';;:.=.;'~"====, '==]UN=E=,1~933 l1.NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WASHh':,GTON, D. C. taN ANALYSIS OF LOG PRODUCTION, IN THE "h1LAND EMPIRE" REGION: By M.,~Il,A}?NER, in· ciLargC Of/i-ee Df F01'est Products, No-rtlMJ1"1t RDOlvy MDun tain Region,- F. J. KLonUCHEIl, formerly FDrest E:cu.miner; d. W. GIRARD, Logging Engineer, Di'vi8io-n O'f Fo-rest E('Q'lto-mi.os, Branch of Respu,rcl~; and: S. V. FULI..~ WA.r, JR., formerly {n 'charge Office of Forest Proilttcts, NOrthe1"1~ RDcky MDunta,in Region, Forest Service.' CONTENTS Page Introduction____ ._ •• ___ •••_. _____ •_____ .____ Page1 Scope and nature of the outputstudies______ 3 Aye"~~~~~_~~_~~~~~.:~~:~_~~_~::~~~~~_~~~~ 6l Logging-output graphs and their use_______ 5 Output data as a guide to pror'Er utilization stnndards_._______________.'. ____________.__ 58 Analysis of sawing-output data__________ i Appendi:<_ __ ________________________________ i3 Analysis of sltiddlng-output data________ 2l "\nalysis of loading and unloading output Recommendations (or the conduct oC data______________________ •____________ 42 logging-output studies________________ i3 Analysis of data for transportation other Labor and supply cost tables____________ 82 than skidding____________________.____ 47 Glossary o( logging terms 0.<00_________ 85 Analysisdata._________________________ of swamping and slash-disposal.________ 56 IN'I~lODUCTION The importance of logging, or the complete task of handling logs from standing timber to the sawmill or common carrier, is indicated in the enormous annual log output of the Nation. It is estimated that between 35,000,000,000 ancl 40,000,000,000 board feet of timber is taken out each year in the form of logcsized material. Further more, the logging end of the operation in this region actually 1 The" Inland Empire," which is considered as forming a distinct lumbel'ing region, may be defined for the purposes of this bulletin as including the forested areas in western Montana, Idaho north of the Salmon River; eastern Washmgton tributnry to Spokane, and, the northeastern tii) of Oregon. =The studies forming the basis of this bulletin were started by Girard in 1919. The col lection of the bulk of [he field data was made by Girnrd an,l Klobucher. Fullnway, while in charge of the office of forest Froducts in the northern Rocky Mountain region, assisted materially in the supervision 0 the project and in the revision. of the original report: covering the results of the studies. BrIldner prepared the final report for publication, adding to the ori;:in:ll work the results of Inter studies. The authors WIsh to acknowledge thcirinilebtedness to :lI1 who have aided iIi any way the accomplishment of thts work,. particularly to P. Neff, who has helped much in the col lection of the data and the cbecklng of results; to Clyde Webb. T. Crossley, It. Wlllia;ns. R. EJlis. J'. E. Keach, A. R. Standiford, R. Woesner. K_ A. KJehm,. O. A. Knapp, H. Regu'es. nnd I. V • .Anderson, now or formerly Forest Service Officers, for the acti'al collection of field' datn;. and to the Anal"Onda Copper Mining Co.~ the Polleys Lumber \;0., Beardsmore Lumber Co., Henry Good Logging Co., Whaley Bros. LOgging Co., Smith Br.¥!. Logging Co., Baird-Harper Lumber Coo, potlatch, Lumber Co., Bonners li'erry Lumber Co., Deer Park Lumber Co.• Rose Lake Lumb(,r Co., P. L. Howe Lumber Co., Dalkena Lumber Co., Ed wards-Bradford Lumber Co., l\IcGolclrlck Lumb!!r Co., and the J. Neils Lumber Co., for the' help IUId cooperation extended in making the studies on their logging operations. 158823°-33-1 1 TECHNICAL :BULLETIN 355, tr. S. DEP;'1.0F AGRICDLTURE i! involves about half the total actual cost of :production from the Stump to the finished product. The best logging methods are accord ingly of .first iIp.portance. Logging e:;lgIneering has developed remarkably during. the past ,.lj decade. Ther:~ has never been, however, a time in the history of the ,. lumber industry when the need for progress in this field was more pronounced than it is to-day. LDgging in virgIn timber has steadily progressed into the less-accessible and lower-quality stands, and the stumpage value has in general become increasingly higher. The big '. consummg centers are at great distances from the principal produc ing regions. Other materials have made substantial inroads upon lumber markets and competiti()n between lumber-producing regions has been greatly intensified by overproduction. Requirements for capital investments and prodnction costs all along the line from stump to finished product ~1re generally increasing. Industrial prog ress generally, as well as severe competition within the lumbering field, now points to the necessity for the lumber industry to follow the lead of other great industries and place its operations on a sounde:r hasis. The task of .selecting the best methocl of operation to insure a profit involves more considerations in logging than in most industries. Logging is done under operating conditions which vary constantly. Each inilividual chance or logging unit, however small, presents a different problem for solution. Further uncertainty is added through the influence exerted by the weather and other natural factors. Owing in part at least to this uncertainty, the successful logger of the past developed considerable resourcefulness. In his decisions, however, he was guided largely 'by personal experience. The type of improvements, the kind of equipment, the operating methods, and the standard of utilization ha.ve quite commonly been adopted upon the personal recommendation of one man. Records of past experi ence were seldom if ever kept in such form that the information they contained coulJ be applied to other operations. With the gra.dual development of logging engineering in recent years, the lumber industry has made marked progress in the use of recorded experience. Personal knowledge and jUdgment are now qualified and greatly influenced by actual records of past perform ance and results. N'evertheless, it is still quite widely helieved that organization and management in logging are largely matters of personality and pe.t'sonal judgment. There can be no doubt that these factors must continue to be essential in all industry, but in common with all other lines of endeavor, the planning and con ducting of logging operations will become less haphazard and uncertain as basic facts are accumulated and come into use and rule-of-thumb methods are displaced by methods that rest more upon recorded facts and less upon personal judgment. .A. very material step toward the development of systematic logging methods has been mucIe possible in the "Inland Empire" through a comprehensive investigation of logging output by the Forest Service. Records of actual accomplishment have been ob tained for the common methods of operation under a uniform classification of the natural conditions usually encountered. These ANALYSIS OF LOG PRODUCTION -:trElcords afford.. a means of accurately and conveniently measuring or estimating performance or productivity. In contrast to the usual cost data, such records have the advantage of permanent value. <,i Being based upon specific conditions, these records are applicable to such conditioiis wherever found. Thus, these logging-output studies constitute a new and significant departure in the logging~ . engineering field. ' The primary purposes of this bulletin are to present the results of these "Inland Empire" logging-output studies, to analyze the effect of the various factors upon output, to explain their use, and to demonstrate the practical value of such data. Very definite principles and methods are necessarily involved in making logging ou.tput. studies. A lroowledge of these is essential not only for the prop~r conduct of such studies but to permit the most intelligent J ! appI!wation of them. For this reason a section of the appendix is devdtecl to a discussion of the principles and methods involved. Logging-output studies furnish information of permanent value. Such data can be converted readily and accurately to a dollar or cost basis by the application of current wage scales and costs, and ~orm, therefore, a reliable means of estimatmg the cost of logging. As .\I, result they can be put to practical use in the appraisal of stumpage values, in bringing about better logging methods, in the intelligent letting of contracts, and in determining sound and profitable. utilization standards. Output records, in conjunction with a detaHed examination of conditions on the ground, afford the means of determining the most logical plan of operation and the best means of accurately appraising operating costs. A knowledge of these costs, quite as much as of man ufacturing costs and selling value, is essential to the establishment of a proper stumpage value. Output records also enable the operator to make a true comparison of the actual merits of the different kinds' of improvements, equipment, and methods for each logging chance, and thus assure the most efficient and economical operation. They make it possible to check the output of men or machines with the normal output, so that contracts to meet specific conditions may be let u.pon an intelligent basis. The profitable cutting size and limit of defect in a stand of timber can be determined only from detailed and accurate data such as are obtainable inlogging-output and milling studies.