Eldon Olsen
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
Stephen Pilkerton
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
John Garland
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
John Sessions
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
Abstract
During June 1989, researchers from the Forest Engineering Department at Oregon State University evaluated the feasibility of using the computer program BUCK® to aid the Hahn Harvester operator in determining the best bucking cuts.
The computer was able to increase the total value by 7.5%. This is about US $6.40 per tree for the 38-cm [15-in] diameter trees we processed. This increase was from improved log quality and increased scaling volume when Scribner rules were used. The computer solution cuts roughly 16% more logs.
The computer solution increased the volume in the best export sort by 8%. The computer solution could increase the total value by 19.6% if more accurate tree quality information were sent to the computer before the bucking cuts were made.
