Roundwood Measurement

A web clearinghouse of information on log scaling and other related areas. This website is intended to provide reference and a source of information for those who participate in roundwood measurement and those who would like to learn more about it.
Publications Links Organizations Meetings Employment Comments or Questions
download adobe reader here
What's new...
Timber Measurement Society will hold the 2008 Central Meeting at Harrahs Resort in Reno Nevada, USA on October 28-29, 2008. The meeting is open to all interested in measuring timber. For more information go to the Timber Measurements website. 

Timber Measurement Society held their Fall Meeting in Longview/Kelso, Washington, 17-18 October, 2007; Expert Speakers from four countries (Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, US) gave presentations on measuring logs and trees.

The meeting attracted more than 70 attendees. Topics ranged from methods of Scaling logs in Sweden, New Zealand (3-D, JAS) automated log scaling and tree length merchandizing, programs for reducing financial loss from logging damage, insect pests and timber, NWLRAG scaling procedures for oversize knots and frost cracks, the newest techniques and equipment for cruising, scaling accuracy under artificial light conditions, and loss of lumber recovery and quality from sweep and oval logs. The second day included a scaling and cruising field trip.  To view the minutes, all of the presentations and photos from the meeting, go to the 
Timber Measurement Society website and then to the Longview meeting page to view the presentations.

Publications
Featured Publications  
The Measurement of Roundwood
Methodologies and Conversion Ratios
October 2005, Cabi Publishing 288 pages, Hardcover
A comprehensive guide to the various methods by which roundwood and the products of roundwood are measured around the world. Click here for more information, reviews and purchase locations. 


Log Scaling Guide for Exporters
Bulletin No. 221
2001, New Zealand Forest Research Institute, 53 pages
This book was written as a guide for those involved in scaling, marketing and management of export logs. It has procedures and conversions for five different scaling methods. Click here for more information and to purchase. 


Procedures for the Measurement of Roundwood
Second edition
1994, New Zealand Forest Research Institute, 127 pages
This manual sets out the official New Zealand Forest Service procedures for the measurement of roundwood. Click here for more information and to purchase.  


Log Scaling and Timber Cruising
1993, OSU Bookstore, 439 pages, pocket sized
A reference for measuring trees and logs in the US (especially the Western regions). Click here for more information, and to purchase.  


Converting among Log Scaling Methods: Scribner, International and Doyle Versus Cubic
2004, USFS Forest Products Laboratory, 8 pages, downloadable PDF
A guide to converting with the scaling rules used in the US versus cubic measure. Click here to download a free copy.  


Forest Measurements
2001,  Thomas Eugene Avery, Harold Burkhart, 480 pages, hardcover
This text is intended for introductory courses in forest measurements. Emphasis is on the measurement of timber, with detailed coverage on measuring products cut from tree boles, measuring attributes of standing trees, inventorying volumes of forest stands, and predicting growth of individual trees and stands of trees. Background information on statistical methods, sampling designs, land measurements, and use of aerial photographs is also provided.  Click here for more information and to purchase. 


Without Fear or Favour
1998,  T.G. Honer, 213 pages

This book is the principle reference for early and current wood measurement practices and the 230 year evolution of the culling and scaling profession in Canada. Click here for more information and to purchase.  


Practical Lumberman
1940,  Bernard Brereton, 44 pages
Bernard Brereton was a steamship captain operating in the west coast of North America. He wrote two books on log scale and other information on logs and lumber which would be of value to those that work with timber as well as transport it by ship. He was certainly ahead of his time, and this book is full of timeless and useful information. Mr. Brereton's describes his book as follows: "If you manufacture lumber or veneer, buy sell or transport logs or piling by land or water, this is the book you need. The unique information it contains will prove a valuable asset to those engaged in the lumber or logging industries or steamship operations and at the same time it will give those who possess it a tremendous advantage over those who do not have it". "The erroneous Scribner, Spaulding, British Columbia and Doyle exorbitant allowance scales "now in force" are absolutely useless except to trap the unsophisticated or unwary transporter of logs by land or water. The intricacies of these pernicious, inconsistent, one-sided, and mystifying log scales are explained and exposed in this book".   click here to download (4.8 MB)  

Lumber and Log Exporters' Guide
1929,  Bernard Brereton, 111 pages
Bernard Brereton's complete guide to shipping and measuring logs and lumber. Full of useful and timeless information including: weight to volume ratios for western North American timber species, procedures for many methods of scaling and a plethora of other information on measuring timber and even running a steamship. Not only did he write the first significant guides to conversion factors for roundwood, but the log scale that he designed and bears his name (Brereton log scale) is the premier method used around the world for tropical timber. He prefaces the book as follows: "Owing to the increasing demand from all parts of the world for lumber and logs from the Douglas fir and California redwood regions, the eyes of commerce have turned toward the Pacific coast, a land of realities and opportunities for the far-seeing business man". "The information in this book is equivalent to a complete educational course in the operation of steamers engaged in the export lumber and log trade". The good news is that this book is currently available for purchase, at a very reasonable price ($6.50), from a book dealer who currently has a significant quantity in stock. Click here for more information and to purchase. 

Scaling and Cruising Publications

Alberta Scaling Manual

Austria Scaling Procedures (Holzmessregeln)

BC Cruising Manual

BC Scaling Manual (updated June 1, 2006)

A Collection of Log Rules

Estimating the Board Foot to Cubic Foot Ratio

Finland Scaling Regulations (Puutavaropolkky Jen Mittaus)

France Scaling Manual

Forest Products Measurements and Conversion Factors with Special Emphasis on the US Pacific Northwest

New Brunswick Scaling Manual

New Hampshire Best Log Scaling Practices Guide

Northwest Log Rules Advisory Group Scaling Handbook

Northwest Log Rules Advisory Group Scaling Supplement

Norwegian Log Scaling Regulation

Nova Scotia Log Scaling Manual

Ontario Scaling Manual

Quebec Scaling Manual

The Southeast Asia Lumber Producer Association (SEALPA) Log Scaling and Grading Rules

Swedish Timber Measurement Council Log Scaling Manual

UK Scaling

USFS Board Foot Scaling Manual

USFS Cubic Scaling Manual

USFS Timber Cruising Manual

Yukon Scaling Manual

Other Scaling Links
(Note: pages can be translated into many languages by opening page with Google translate)

AMBLQ (Licenced log scalers of Quebec) Newsletter "A Notre Mesure"

Argentina Scaling

Arkansas Timber Scaling

ATIBT Rules of Mensuration

Australian Scaling and Cruising

Australian Scaling Procedures (see appendix 8)

Belgium Log Scaling (Le Cubage des Bois Abattus en Belgique)

Italian Scaling Rules From the Bolzano Region (Messung des Rundholzes)

Brazil Scaling and Cruising (Cubagem de toras de Mogno)    (powerpoint version with lots of diagrams and pictures)

Brazil Log Measurement Standards

Cameroon Log Scaling

Chile Log Scaling

Coast Rica Scaling Standards (Sistemas de medición utilizados en Costa Rica para calcular volumen de madera en troza y aserrada)

Dr. Gil's Log Scaling Site 

Doyle Log Rule History and Overview 

Doyle Log Rule, Examples of Pitfalls

Estonia Scaling and Cruising Website

European Union Scaling Standard

Finnish Log Scaling page

Forestry Commission Research Log Scaling

France Log Scaling  (cubage des bois rond)

German Scaling

Guyana Scaling

Guatemala Scaling  (Manual Para Estimar el Volumen de la Madera)

Idaho Board of Scaling Practices

Indonesia Log Scaling

Indonesian Standards

Italian Log Scaling and Weight Factors  (Misurazione del legno)

Log Scaling, a Day in the Life of a Log Scaler in Redwood Country

Log scaler is murdered in 1912 (the eyewitness account)

Maine Log Scaling Regulations (see chapters 380-385)

Manitoba board foot scaling guidelines

Manitoba cubic metric scaling guidelines

Mexican Scale and Lumber Recovery

Nicaragua Log Measurement Standards (Estandarizacion de Unidades de Medidas y Cálculo de Volumenes de Madera)

NZ Log Volume Formulas

NZ Log Grades and JAS Scale

Ontario BF Rule

Swiss Scaling, Cubage des bois

USFS scaling manual, 1916 edition

Vietnam Scaling


Scaling Organizations


Timber Measurement Society
This American organization was founded in the early 1960s and currently is made up of Timber Measurement professionals encompassing  three chapters: the Cal-Vada district (California), Intermountain (East of the Cascade Mountains (Oregon and Washington and all of the Rocky Mountain states and Black Hills area), and the Cascade district (Western Oregon, Washington and Alaska).  District meetings are normally held in the Spring with the Main body holding its meeting in the fall. Meetings are typically two-day meetings with relevant speakers, timber measurement workshops and presentations. Currently the goal of the organization is to inform and educate the membership of relevant information and to promote uniform measurement of timber in the Western part of the US, however, anyone interested in founding a chapter outside of the current regions is invited to contact the secretariat with any proposals and any interested people are invited to become members. Contact the Timber Measurement Society.

The Northwest Log Rules Advisory Group

It was informally organized in 1951 for the purpose of analyzing and discussing problems in connection with scaling and grading of logs for all species in the Douglas fir producing area.  The Group was created for the express purpose of promoting uniformity and standardization of rules and the application of rules to be applied in scaling and grading logs. It was recognized that timber produced in the various areas differs in texture, appearance, and overall quality.  It was also recognized that there was a wide divergence of market prices log-wise, and of manufacturing procedures in these areas. At the same time, recognition was made of the fact that end products manufactured are competitive both market-wise and price-wise. The Official Rules for Westside and Eastside Log Scaling and Grading and the Supplement to Official Log Scaling and Grading Rules (Training Manual) are developed and produced under the auspices of the Northwest Log Rules Advisory Group. The NWLRAG meets semi-annually. Contact the NWLRAG.

Log Scalers Association of British Columbia

The forming of the association came about after log scalers throughout BC met on several occasions to develop a standardized log scaler curriculum guide. Founded in February of 1998, the purpose of the Log Scalers Association is to enhance, support, and promote professionalism in log scaling. The association desires to see the advancement of the knowledge, skills, and technology of   log scaling. Some of the goals of the association are to encourage and accommodate communication among its members and associated agencies, to promote log scaler training excellence, to foster understanding of scaling practice, policy, and standards, and to serve the growth of ethical standards through cooperative development of scaling excellence. Contact the LSABC.

L' association des Mesureurs de bois licencies de la provice de Quebec (Licenced log scalers of Quebec)

The Licensed log scalers of the province of Quebec (AMBLQ) is an association in existence since 1950 and with a goal of maintaining, improving and increasing the professional knowledge, skill and competence of its members in all the related areas of roundwood measurement and log grade within the province of Quebec. The AMBLQ also works at maintaining and raising the standing of log scalers in Quebec. To achieve the above stated aims, the AMBLQ organizes seminars and workshops and provides a forum for discussion amongst its more than 200 members.  Contact AMBLQ.

Swedish Timber Measurement Council

The Swedish Timber Measurement Council, VMR, is set up to work for a fair, practical, economical and a as far as possible uniform timber measurement. In order to achieve this goal the Council takes part among others in investigations of importance for the timber measurement. The Council also authorizes enterprises working with timber measurement. The timber measurement in Sweden is carried out by three impartial Timber Measurement Associations. They are organized like so called economical associations and measure almost all the wood raw material consumed by the Swedish forest industry. Contact VMR.
Scaling Meetings
Timber Measurement Society

The Central Committee meeting of the Timber Measurement Society meeting will be held at the Harrah's Resort Casino in Reno Nevada, October 28-29, 2008. There will be two-day of presentations on measurement topics, which will sure to be of interest to all people in the timber measurements profession. Anyone interested is invited to contact the TMS secretariat:

Chairman: Matt Fonseca                        Matthew.Fonseca@unece.org
Vice chairman: Dennis Moore               Dennis@nwlogscalers.com          
Secretary-Treasurer: Thelma Alsup     4alsups@centurytel.net
Last Updated on 2008/07/10
Webmaster can be contacted at: mail@roundwood-measure.com
www.branfordmusic.com