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S A W M I L L U P G R A D E
The Hew Saw R200 Plus fired up in
January 2005. Note that logs can be kicked
off ahead of the infeed in the rare cases
where that is required.
Familiar Territory
Ledwidge Lumber relies on a pair of Hew Saw lines to recover quality
studs from its private log supply – An older MSA races through the
smallest of small logs, while a brand new R200 Plus makes the most of
larger logs.
by Scott Jamieson
o with what you know. That may well describe recent upgrades
at Ledwidge Lumber of Enfield, NS. The family-owned stud
mill replaced its ageing twin-saw line with a new optimized Hew
Saw R200 Plus small-log line, joining an existing Hew Saw line
that has been running for a decade, and making the family-run mill
an all Hew Saw affair.
Not that mill management is blind to other technology. You’d be hard
pressed to attend a major sawmill show or conference without running into
someone from Ledwidge. There, you’d typically find president and general
manager Doug Ledwidge or sawmill manager Richard Cox poking into the latest
machinery or discussing their challenges and upcoming needs. Still, unless
a change is essential, going with what you know is not bad advice.
“We were familiar with Hew Saw, and have had good success with the
approach,” explains Doug. “Still, this new line was new technology for us, and
for Hew Saw. It was the first R200 Plus in North America, and the first Plus coupled
to the double rotor log positioner. It was also the first one that Prologic had
done the optimization and controls on, and it was more complex machinery
then we had been used to. A lot has changed since we got that first Hew Saw.”
Doug Ledwidge, GM, at the planer mill outfeed.
“As soon as the training started, the mill staff
embraced the new technology.”
16
Canadian Wood Products May 2006

Small & smaller
Indeed much has changed since the
Ledwidges installed their first Hew
Saw small log line in 1997 in a
move to gain more buying flexibility
in the region’s almost 100% private
log market. In 1996, the mill
sawed 31 million bdft/yr, a record
year at the time. In 2005 Ledwidge
cut over 70 million bdft, despite
market challenges and having started
up its brand new line in January
of that year. While the original Hew
Saw sports the supplier’s classic
banana-style infeed, the R200 Plus
boasts a fully optimized infeed
with log rotator and positioner, an
addition Ledwidge expects to
improve recovery from its larger,
more valuable logs.
In the upgraded mill, incoming 8-
ft logs are set on an infeed deck by
Prentice ATL 425 or brand new
Fuchs 460MH loaders. The mill currently
relies on two older double ring
debarkers run by a single operator.
Handling the mix of fir (30%) and
spruce, they currently top out at 285
ft/min or a maximum of 25 logs per
minute each, making debarking a target
for future upgrades.
“It’s a bottleneck for us with the
new line, and we’re looking at
options to speed it up,” Doug
explains. “The key is doing so without
damaging our fir component or
affecting chip quality in the process.”
After each debarker are Prologic
log sorters, which use a shadow scan
and two laser line scanners to sort
the logs by solution. The original
Hew Saw R200 MSA handles the
smallest logs now, with four sort bins
feeding four ribbon-fed patterns – a
single 2x3; a 2x3 and 1x3; two 2x3s;
and two 2x4s.
“The new Hew Saw is positioned
so that we can run as a single-line
mill if need be,” says Doug, “but
that’s not our intention. We process
a lot of very small logs, so we like to
have the old line dedicated to those.
Larger logs, or those that the sorter
decides would be better off going to
the newer line because of defects like
excessive sweep or double crook are
sent there.”
This original line now races
through these smaller logs at a pace
of 33 or 34 a minute, fed from each
bin by Linden step feeders. Doug
notes that the older style banana
infeed has issues with double crook
or infrequently misses the horns up
goal, but adds that it still puts out
some respectable recovery numbers
given the log supply.
“There’s some trim back to 7-ft,
which hurts us, but we work on that,
and we see room for even higher production
yet from that old line. It’s
still a main producer.”
The “large-log” line enjoys the relatively
leisurely pace of 20 or more
logs per minute. With just two sort
bins ahead of the R200 Plus, the line
is fed in scan-n-set mode and
processes logs with larger patterns or
that can benefit most from the more
sophisticated log positioner. The
infeed has full-profile scanning driving
an optimized log rotation system,
all controlled by Quebec-based
Prologic. The log turner is a dual
rotor design, with the first turner
Canadian Wood Products 17 May 2006

Just Plane Better
Ledwidge Lumber’s planer mill
has also seen considerable
investment in recent years, with a big
infusion in 2001. It is now a simpleflow
operation with almost all new
gear front to back. Here is a sample
of what you’ll find.
A UV scanner reads the geometric
grade info. A new three-line waterbased
printing system was added to
the Autolog LPO system this year,
and has been a great improvement
over the original single-line system.
“The old one would miss a piece every
30 or 40 boards.”
After the Guerette planer,
one of the first Autolog linear
planer optimizers (LPO)
in the east was installed in
2001. “Adding the Autolog
was a big benefit to the mill,
not just in recovery but in
the quality and value coming
out of the mill. Certainly if
we can upgrade a piece by
turning it into a 92 5/8",
there’s no hesitation.”
Like the sawmill, the planer mill
relies on a PLC high-speed lug
loader for singulation duty.
Finished products
move on to the
Samuel-Acme
strapping system.
Some 80% of
production still
goes to the US.
Two seated graders
work at Carbotech
grade stations, and
thanks to the Autolog
LPO, have only
visual defects to
worry about. “The
biggest benefit is
length – it is always
accurate, so they
don’t even think
about it.”
18
Canadian Wood Products May 2006

doing all the rotation up to 89
degrees, and any rotation over that
being split 50/50 between both
rotors. The Ledwidge crew had spent
a lot of time investigating various log
turning and positioning options, and
had healthy skepticism regarding
accuracy in real world conditions. In
the end, Doug says, the Hew Saw
positioner has done what the
suppliers said it would. It has passed
what the mill felt is the industry
norm of +/- 15-degree accuracy, and
is now performing much better than
that. Still, Doug was not surprised
that it took all parties some effort to
get there.
“We have some pretty rough logs
from time to time, with big knots
and flared butts, and that’s what the
line has to handle, without slowing
down – we’re not about to kick out a
lot of logs that we’ve paid for
because they’re a little on the ugly
side, although that would make
things easier. Hew Saw and Prologic
worked very well with us – they are
great guys to work with – and in the
end they did a fantastic job. They
adjusted the pressures and beefed up
the traction on the rollers, and now
it’s where we want it.”
Accelerating
With accuracy under control, the
next quest is speed. The line started
up at 600 fpm, but with some initial
trouble was dialed back to 500, and
then brought back to 550 where it
runs on the smaller logs today. The
log gap was about 13 feet when CWP
was on site, but Doug says they have
plans to drop it to 12.
“That’s doable, and I know we can
speed it up too, but right now with
the limitations at debarking, there’s
no point.”
Both large-log bins use Comact
wave feeders, and since the optional
gap control system is not yet
installed, the mill has another
avenue to pick up production down
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Canadian Wood Products 19 May 2006

the road.
After rotation, logs go through
the Hew Saw’s four-sided chipping
canter, and then on to a doublecluster
saw section.
“We went with the two different
clusters so that if one gets dull or isn’t
working well, we just push a button,
wait a second, and then continue
running with the other cluster.”
The new Hew Saw includes edging
tools, so that all lumber passes
from both lines right to the green
chain, with little edging required.
Thinking, not spending
On the green chain, Ledwidge has
A Fuchs loader was recently added, and
has helped increase log storage potential.
two graders marking fir and rot trim
backs, which in addition to super wet
fir sorted out by a downstream
CRIQ/Gemofor weigh scale, will be
kiln dried in separate charges.
“We also find the appearance
grade products dry a little differently,
so we sort them out in the sawmill. It
means a little more rough inventory,
but it allows us to optimize our kilns,
and has helped keep our sorts down
in the planer. We don’t have a sorter
in the planer mill, so our goal is to
have one prime sort that goes right
to the stacker, with the rest going to
two or three guys stacking the odd
piece. It has helped keep the planer
mill simple, and investments under
control.”
The green end is completed by a
PLC lug loader, Lucidyne grade
mark reader, Autolog trimmer opti-
More on page 37
Private Matters
Getting enough fibre to run the expanding mill has not been a problem to date says president & general manager Doug
Ledwidge, as their reputation and contacts in Nova Scotia’s private wood market are second to none. It helps if your
sawing technology allows you to accept an average log diameter of 5.35 inches (small end) with a fair bit of taper, and take
stud logs down to a three-inch top. Still, he adds that while quantity has not been an issue, quality can be another matter.
“We’ve got loyal suppliers, good contractors, and a couple of solid log/chip exchange deals with area pulp mills, so
between that and our own log quality program, the guys do a good job of watching log quality. But we buy a lot of private
wood, and deal with over 700 different suppliers, so sometimes we end up with heavy sweep, double crook, limbs,
what not. It’s sound and makes good lumber in the end, but it can get rough to deal with.”
Nor have salvage efforts to clean up after Hurricane Juan helped matters, efforts that were still ongoing as of January
2006. Although the salvageable timber is still clinging to its roots, Doug says it gets drier with each passing month.
“We’re seeing more shake and stem breakage and a lot only shows up at the planer, where it breaks apart and causes
a few pile ups. It has affected recovery and productivity, yet it had to cleaned up, both on our own land and on
other woodlots.”
Responsible forestry is nothing new to Ledwidge Lumber. The company was in fact a
pioneer in private land sustainability when it launched its Future Forest Fund Association
(FFFA) in 1998. Started as a voluntary program to promote and help fund silviculture on
private land, the fund sets aside $6 per cord of wood harvested for such future silviculture
investments as planting, pre-commercial thinning or commercial thinning. In 2005,
Ledwidge invested $528,000 in the fund.
“We’re very proud of that program. Jim (Doug’s brother and woodlands manager) has
Ledwidge Lumber’s main contractor Frank Weir on
a harvest site near the Halifax International Airport
with his 100% cut-to-length logging crew. Over 95%
of Ledwidge’s logs come from private land, and professionals
like Frank are key to repeat business.
done a good job, and thanks to initiatives
like that, and Dad’s reputation for
fairness before that, we have a good
name out there, and when close to 100%
of your wood comes from private land,
that is key.”
20
Canadian Wood Products May 2006

MILL YARD EQUIPMENT
Safer tips; faster loading
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orestry machine manufacturer Komatsu Forest has developed a unique
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the boom tip and eliminates hose breaks to let operators work faster. The result,
the manufacturer says, is greater productivity, reduced operator stress, and
reduced oil spills. In the woods, the innovation has made Valmet forwarder operators
as much as 10% more productive, and the technology has now been aimed
at mill yard equipment. ProTec has a completely protected hose entry into the
crane tip between the crane and the grapple, as well as a new multi-plate brake
system that effectively dampens grapple swing paired with a specially designed
rotator.
More info at www.komatsuforest.com
Ledwidge
Continued from page 20
mizer (recently upgraded to higher resolution
scan heads), Carbotech fence,
multi-saw trimmer, 63-bin sorter and
stacker-sticker placer. The latter is the
main bottleneck in the mill back end
now, and Doug says they are investigating
options to speed it up.
The mill has also recently updated
its drying operation to keep pace. To
its two Wellons dual air pass track
kilns it has added a Coe package kiln
bought in a bankruptcy sale. It, along
with a refurbished Wellons/FEI 250-
hp, low-pressure steam boiler was
commissioned earlier this year by inhouse
kiln controller Mark McGrath.
“We will dedicate the package kiln
to fir,” Doug explains, “and with the
associated 70 to 75 hour schedule, will
not be penalized as much by the slower
loading and unloading times. The
boiler will allow us to run the new kiln
as well as heat the sawmill.”
With the investment, Ledwidge’s
annual drying capacity climbs from a
borderline 65 million bdft to over 85
million bdft, allowing for future
growth.
In 2005, the mill produced 70.4
million bdft, an increase of almost five
million bdft over 2004 despite the
start up, “and we intend to ramp production
up further still,” Doug says.
The mill ran double shifts for 10
months during 2005, running singles
the rest of the time to adjust log supply
and inventories. Early in 2006 the
mill was on single shift, but jumped to
doubles in March.
As the new line ramped up, the
mill continued to run the old twinsaw
line to make sure production was
not sacrificed. It then sat idle for
months while Doug made sure it was
not required. As of press time, the cautious
manager felt confident enough
to offer the old line up for sale.
Ironically, when CWP first visited
Ledwidge early in 1995, this twin PHL
line was the mill’s newest high producer.
As for the staff, however, obsolescence
is never an option. Doug notes
that the capable crew has adjusted
very well to the new line, and with the
increased running hours and production,
very little in the way of staff
reductions were required.
“There was some hesitation at first,
which is natural. This system is a lot
more complex then the older line,
with over 21 axes of control and movement
in a very tight space. Yet as soon
as we started training on the new system,
everybody really embraced the
technology, and the operator on the
twin line is now our dayshift operator
on the new Hew Saw. Just yesterday we
put almost 24,000 logs in a single shift
on the two lines. That’s a lot of logs,
yes, but we need to do more yet.”
In fact, in all the predicted areas,
the new sawline project has paid off,
Doug concludes.
“It has helped us quite a bit. We’ve
seen a 10% mill-wide jump in recovery,
an increase in 8-ft lumber production,
which is key, and quite an
increase in grade value recovery –
more appearance, more on spec,
more 2 & better – it’s all where
you need to be today.”
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Canadian Wood Products 37 May 2006