Title: Thin Kerf Sawing: A Technology Worth Adopting

Author: Bratkovich, Stephen M.

Year: [n.d.]

Publication: Misc. Publ. [Newtown Square, PA:] U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Area State & Private Forestry

Abstract: The saw kerf has a significant impact on conversion efficiency (referred to as lumber recovery). A crude but effective way of calculating the amount of sawdust that develops during sawing is to determine the total wood usage per "pass" (logs being processed as a sawmill generally move or "pass" back and forth through the saw blade). Wood usage per pass includes the average thickness of the piece being sawn plus the saw kerf. For example, in cutting a board that is 1.125 inches thick with a saw kerf of 0.300, the total wood usage per pass is 1.425 inches. Calculating the saw kerf as a percentage of the total wood usage per pass results in 21% of the wood removed as sawdust or about one-fifth of the log resource. A band saw with a kerf of 0.140 inch would result in an increase in lumber recovery of about 10%.