Effect of log Size on Sawn Outturn in Chir (Pinus roxburghii)

A study of the outturn of 215 logs of chir (Pinus roxburghii) sawn by Hanni's Portable saw mill has been made at Uttarkashi. The average sawn outturn as a percentage of the log volume on quarter girth (Hoppus) basis has been found to be 70.52 per cent, but this is found to vary between approximately 60 to 85 per cent depending upon the girth of the log and the cross section of the sawn pieces produced. In the circumstances prevailing at the sawmill site, and the need to supply sleepers to the Indian Railways, it is not possible to Increase the percentage outturn by sawing the logs wholly into planks, but it is suggested that flitches may be floated down from the sawmill site to be resawn at the collecting boom. The need to undertake river Improvement works to make log floating possible has also been stressed.