Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Department
Forest Resource Management
Committee Chair
Joseph McNeel
Committee Co-Chair
Curt Hassler
Committee Member
Jan Wiedenbeck
Abstract
Understanding log yields and overrun is critical to a profitable sawmill operation. Lumber yield and overrun data can be gathered through one of two types of sawmill studies: batch studies or individual log studies. Little to no research has previously been conducted to determine if one method provides more reliable results than the other method. For this effort, 16 batch studies were conducted. Individual log studies were also conducted on the same logs, allowing a direct comparison of the results from both study types. A breakeven analysis was conducted for each study type, which determined the amount of variability in breakeven prices generated from the two types of sawmill studies. Results show that batch compositions were quite variable, leading to unreliable breakeven pricing results. The individual log study method provided more reliable lumber yield and overrun results, leading to more reliable breakeven pricing results.
Recommended Citation
Sisler, Levi Eric, "Comparison of the Batch and Individual Log Study Methods for use in Determining Log Breakeven Pricing" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7967.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7967
Included in
Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons, Wood Science and Pulp, Paper Technology Commons