A combination hardwood thinning and selection harvest in north central Minn
esota generated a mix of veneer logs, high- and low-grade sawlogs, and belo
w-grade red oak (Quercus spp.) logs representative of pallet and firewood q
uality material. A sample of 100 of the below-grade logs was selected for p
rocessing at a commercial pallet mill. The sample logs had an average small
-end diameter-inside-bark and length of 9.5 and 101 inches, respectively. A
circular saw (primary breakdown) and gang and horizontal resaws and chop s
aws (secondary breakdown) were utilized to process the below-grade logs int
o 4/4 dimension and pallet parts. Forty-eight percent of log scale volume (
scaling yield) was converted into clear dimension parts. Total yield, expre
ssed as cubic feet of dimension and pallet parts output per cubic feet of l
og input, was 31 percent. Sixty-one percent of the total product output fro
m the sample logs was in clear, defect-free, green dimensioned parts in len
gths of 12 to 43 inches and widths of 1-3/4, 2-3/4, and 3-1/2 inches. The l
onger 38- to 43-inch parts comprised nearly 30 percent of the total dimensi
on part volume. Pallet parts, in 42- and 48-inch lengths and a width of 3-1
/2 inches, accounted for the remaining 39 percent of product output. Total
product yield, for dimension and pallet parts, was 197 and 125 board feet p
er cord, respectively.