Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Timber Engineering looking for timber species weight info

where can I find listings for various timber species weights, for beam sizing and loads, etc. I have "simplified engineering", and "timber construction manual", but cannot find them there. There are some in alexander bell's, but it does not match with what is in Jack Sobon's 2nd book, or Ed levin beam sizing article. thanks

If you go to this site you can download the wood handbook. It has all this and more in it.

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/products/publications/several_pubs.php?grouping_id=100&header_id=p

I found what I was looking for in there.

good luck with your project.

Jim Rogers

Thanks Jim. It does not seem to be straight forward way, or am I missing something. I've done basic beam sizing using values for white pine as listed in Jack's book. But I still don't see a more streamlined answer. Am I missing something. Through NDS I see where to take specific weight values to determine density. ??

I use 3.5# per bd ft for white pine. 4 if it's very green. That tends to get me pretty close.

So how, or where do you come up with those values? I have used the previous values because I figured it would be in the ballpark for ponderosa. I use other species too, and its time to be a little more particular. Thanks

It's based on weighing samples in my shop over the years. We have a digital scale with a 2000# capacity. We used to have a lot of fun betting on how much any given timber weighed. Over the years I have sort of developed a feel for it. Based on handling a given order of timbers, I can usually come up with a pretty good #/bd ft number. At least it's good enough for my purposes -- YMMV. It usually gets me within 10% of the weight of any given crane pick -- verified by the crane's load cell. And since I have a lot more than 10% of extra capacity built in to the rigging, I'm ok.

If you need numbers that are scientifically verifiable by published data, then it gets to be a bit of effort. I haven't done those calculations since college, but the formulas for moisture content adjusted weights of timber should be in the wood handbook or Hoadley's book. I seem to remember needing to know only 2 things -- specific gravity of the wood and moisture content.

Bear in mind that wood can vary significantly in it's density within a species group, so any published numbers are potentially not very accurate for your situation.

best of luck

Years ago, I got a booklet that has a chart of weights of lumber, and logs in it.
Some years later, I got a new copy and these weights had changed.
I wrote to the producer of the booklet and asked how could the weight of logs or lumber have changed from one publication to the other.
They never replied.

Online there is this:
http://www.forestryforum.com/calcs/weight.htm

I use 2.92 lbs for green eastern white pine when I need to figure my loads for my forklift to lift.

Hope this helps.

Jim Rogers