• Sinclair, Steven A.
  Maine Forest Service
  

Balsam fir has the potential for increased use as dimensional lumber. Its light color, straight grain, and small tight knots all contribute to its suitability as a raw material for dimension lumber. An initial sawmill study to assess this potential was conducted in Superior, Wisconsin in September, 1979. In this study, approximately 10,000 board feet of lumber were sawn from 100" healthy balsam fir bolts selected from the mill's log inventory. The bolts were measured and placed into six one inch diameter classes (small end diameter) and the ends were color coded by diameter class. Bolts were sawn with a circular headrig, followed by a single-arbor "bull" edger. All lumber sawn was tallied by diameter class and a rough green grade.