Process
We maximize grade recovery from a log in order to produce high-quality lumber.
It’s easy to make claims about quality and efficiency; it’s harder to back them up. Maple Ridge Hardwoods produces the highest quality green hardwood lumber available anywhere, and we do it efficiently and with no waste.
As a landowner, you can be sure that your trees are used to their highest potential, and that every part of the tree is utilized – right down to the bark and sawdust. As a customer, you can expect that each load will be consistent and high quality – nothing less.
- Logs are routinely end-waxed as soon as we get them to prevent end checking and splitting and to fully utilize the log.
- Logs are sorted according to species. Light-colored species are milled quickly to ensure freshness and quality. Dark-colored species are kept wet to prevent bacterial growth.
- Logs are carefully bucked (cut to length) to produce the best yield.
- Logs are moved carefully to maintain the integrity of the wood.
- Our slant-band headrig with INOVEC 3-D optimization scanning is state-of-the-art for the industry. It gives us exact cuts with the highest yields in the least amount of time as well as producing the best opening face for the highest grade lumber.
- Our line bar resaw was one of the first to be installed in Michigan. With this machine we can maximize grade recovery from a log in order to produce high-quality lumber
- Our optimizing edger gives us the most precise cuts and the best yield from each board.
- Our filing room is state-of-the-art. Again, we were one of the first sawmills in Michigan to install a computer-driven, variable-depth, variable-pitch sharpening system, which minimizes vibration and produces lumber with smoother surfaces and more uniform thicknesses. Sawblade teeth are ground and swedged (shaped) to reduce friction and produce a truer cut.
- We change saw blades at least every 4 hours or whenever a sawyer notices compromised quality. We use thin-kerf (width of saw cut) bandsaw blades to minimize friction and to produce the least waste possible.
- We installed one of the first voice-recognition grading systems in Michigan. This hands-free device allows our graders to focus on accurately assessing and appropriately grading each board. Three graders assure accuracy and quality control. Each board is evaluated by at least two graders.
- We try to ship processed lumber within 24 hours. Boards are never shelved.
- Maple Ridge Hardwoods has two mills capable of producing up to 16 million board feet annually.
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Choice cut white oak ready to be loaded.
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Select cut cherry.
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Logs are off-loaded from truck.
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Logs are preserved under water during summer months using a recirculation pond.
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Logs are bucked to length to produce best yield.
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Logs are loaded on logdeck heading for debarking.
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Full logdeck.
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Log being debarked.
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Debarked logs transfer to the head rig.
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Head sawyer scanning log before making first cut.
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First slice on log reveals opening face of board with minimal waste.
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Cant exiting to resaw and log entering.
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Resaw sawyers closely monitor every cut.
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Cants on deck as viewed from the resaw booth.
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Resaw in action.
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Board is scanned before being edged.
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Board aligning for edger infeed.
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Board being measured and graded.
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Voice recognition allows graders to concentrate on accuracy and quality.
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Sorting and piling finished boards.
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Packs of lumber ready to ship same day.
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Dunnage (low quality by-product) is for industrial use.
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Sawdust coming off the line will be used for animal bedding.
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Sawdust pile for animal bedding.
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Bark pile for landscaping.
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Band saw is changed every four hours to be benched, sharpened and swedged.
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Every four hours blades are sharpened.
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Load of lumber is ready to ship to the customer.
