Friday, October 10, 2014

Lumber Logs makes its Disney Hall debut

Two members of the LA Philharmonic recently joined the four members of So Percussion  for a performance of "Timber" by Michael Gordon at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The members of So made the walnut pieces being struck from Lumber Logs' wood. How cool is that?


photo credit Lawrence K Ho of the LA Times

 



Wednesday, October 8, 2014

The Problem,The Opportunity

According to Stephen M. Bratkovich from the USDA Forest Service:


"In the United States over 200 million cubic yards of urban tree and landscape residue are generated every year. Of this amount, 15 percent is classified as 'unchipped logs.' To put this figure in perspective, consider that if these logs were sawn into boards, they theoretically would produce 3.8 billion board feet of lumber, or nearly 30 percent of the hardwood lumber produced annually in the United States."


In most areas - and in St. Louis until 2004 - only a small percentage of those unchipped logs get sawn. Higher grade logs of desirable species have always gotten attention, but even all of these do not get used. (Nothing ruins a walnut log like a deeply buried bolt). It is keeping the gnarly pin oak from being dumped into a landfill that we at Lumber Logs are most proud of. Pallet boards, railroad ties, and blocking are not glamorous ends, but they all beat a landfill.


The reason these lower grade logs rarely get used is that collecting and getting them to a sawmill is simply not economic, at least not without the 5-10% that fall into the desirable category. By taking all of their log waste stream, we save tree removers time and money. By supporting Lumber Logs by buying your lumber from us, you are a key part of The Solution. I thank you for that.