Collum's Lumber Products, LLC - Sawmill Tour

Summary

This video takes viewers on a detailed journey through the lumber production process at Columns Lumber Products. Starting with the arrival of logs, the process includes weighing, unloading, and debarking. Advanced laser scanning technology optimizes cuts, maximizing yield through various stages, including the carriage saw and resaw. The logs are further processed in the reducer twin and curv saw gang to create precise boards. Finally, the boards are edged, trimmed, and sorted before being stacked for drying in the kiln, culminating in their readiness for shipment to stores. The entire operation highlights modern sawmill efficiency and technology.

Takeaways

• 🌳 A truckload of logs is weighed before and after unloading to determine the weight of the logs, which is credited to the logger.
• 🪵 Logs are stored in a log pile or log deck to ensure a consistent supply of wood for processing.
• 🌲 The bark is removed from the logs using a debarker, and the bark is repurposed mainly for industrial fuel.
• 🔍 A merchandiser scans the log with lasers to create a 3D image, maximizing its value by determining the best cutting options.
• 🪚 The carriage saw uses lasers to find optimal cuts, manually slicing logs into slabs and larger pieces.
• 📏 The horizontal resaw removes boards from slabs, continuing until only waste remains, which is then chipped.
• 🔧 The reducer twin shapes logs by creating two flat surfaces using vertical band saws or chip heads.
• 📐 The curv saw gang cuts logs into boards by following their natural curves, improving yield efficiency.
• ✂️ The edger trims boards to make them square, with automated scanning determining the best cuts.
• 📦 Trimmed boards are sorted by size, packed with sticks for airflow during drying, and stored in the Green Yard before kiln drying.

Q & A

What is the first step in the lumber processing at Columns Lumber Products?

The first step is weighing the loaded truck at the scale house upon arrival at the sawmill.

How is the weight of the logs determined?

After unloading, the empty truck is weighed again, and the weight of the logs is calculated by subtracting the empty weight from the loaded weight.

What happens to the bark after it is removed from the logs?

The bark is loaded into truck trailers and transported off-site, where it is primarily used as industrial fuel.

What technology is used to assess the value of the logs?

Laser scanners create a 3D image of the logs, which helps determine the optimal value for cutting them.

What is the role of the carriage saw in the lumber processing?

The carriage saw cuts the logs into slabs and larger pieces, maximizing yield through scanning technology.

What is done with the slabs after they are cut?

The slabs are sent to a horizontal resaw, which further cuts them into thinner boards.

What happens to the waste generated during the resawing process?

The waste is sent to a chipper, where it is turned into wood chips.

How does the reducer twin contribute to the lumber processing?

The reducer twin creates two flat surfaces on the log using chip heads and band saws, allowing for better cutting accuracy.

What is the purpose of the edger in the lumber processing?

The edger squares off the boards by cutting them with multiple saws based on decisions made by the scanner.

What happens after the boards are trimmed to size?

The trimmed boards are sorted by length and thickness into bins, then packed together and sent to the stacker for further processing.