# tree cord calculator



## stoz (Jan 14, 2007)

Somewhere on the net I saw a calulator that estimated tree diamter to cord volume, anyone have an idea where I might find it?

Thanks

Scott


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## Robbie (Jan 14, 2007)

Is this it ?

http://www.state.me.us/ag/firewood.html


            Robbie


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## KarynAnne (Jan 14, 2007)

Smalian's formula:

V = [0.0054 (d + L/20)²] L

V = cubic feet
d = diameter at small end of log
L = length of log

Divide the whole thing out by aproximately 66 cubic feet.  (Average volume of unpeeled hardwoods per cord.)  This will give you an aproximation of cordage.


www.IntegratedStewardship.com
(shameless plug)


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## KarynAnne (Jan 14, 2007)

approximately

and

approximation

ahem, thank you


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## Gooserider (Jan 14, 2007)

Robbie said:
			
		

> Is this it ?
> 
> http://www.state.me.us/ag/firewood.html
> 
> ...



I don't think so,  That's a nice calculator for figuring out how many cords you have in a wood pile, which is useful but not what I think Stoz was after was a way to estimate how much wood he would get out of a tree that hadn't been cut down yet.  KarynAnne's formula is probably closer, though a bit harder to apply (hard to find the small end diameter when the small end is way up the tree...)

I'd probably use her formula measuring the big end and averaging that with as small a log diameter as I thought I'd want to cut up and burn...

 Gooserider


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## BrotherBart (Jan 14, 2007)

And of course if that log happens to be standing straight up in the air and you want to know its length then we go back to the Boy Scout days.

Take a pencil or or any old staight piece of anything, and back up until you have the pencil tip at the top of the tree and the eraser at the bottom of the tree in your view. Then hold the eraser end even with the bottom of the tree and rotate the pencil to level with the ground. Then proceed to that point on the ground and measure the distance back to the tree.

Viola! The length of the log that you are going to cut down.


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## Hogwildz (Jan 14, 2007)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> And of course if that log happens to be standing straight up in the air and you want to know its length then we go back to the Boy Scout days.
> 
> Take a pencil or or any old staight piece of anything, and back up until you have the pencil tip at the top of the tree and the eraser at the bottom of the tree in your view. Then hold the eraser end even with the bottom of the tree and rotate the pencil to level with the ground. Then proceed to that point on the ground and measure the distance back to the tree.
> 
> Viola! The length of the log that you are going to cut down.



Wow I never was taught that in the Scouts, or maybe I forgot LOL.
BTW Home Peehole hasn't lower the Englander wood burners for clearance yet . They did have the Englander gas on clearance, but I don't want that.


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## MALogger (Jan 14, 2007)

You could use a biltmore stick or a hypsometer to estimate the usable height.
A more accurate way might be to cut it down saw it to lengths split it and stack it then you will know what that tree will yield! 

But seriously the easiest way is keep records of what trees of certain size yield then you can roughly estimate what a given tree holds for volume by recorded experience!

Craig


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## JayY (Jan 14, 2007)

The US forest service published a table you could use based on  DBH (diameter at breast height) and log length to 4" inside bark diameter.  It is better than nothing.  I have pasted it below.  Hopefully it stays formatted.  I found it online somewhere. 


Tree Volume Table Commonly Used to Estimate Cords Per Tree.    

         Height in Number of 8-Foot Bolts
dbh
(in.)      1        2         3            4     5      6     7     8

Volume in Cords/Tree
6      0.02     0.03     0.04     0.06                        
8      0.03     0.05     0.07     0.09     0.12     0.14            
10     0.05     0.07     0.10     0.13     0.17     0.20     0.24     0.27
12     0.07     0.10     0.14     0.18     0.22     0.27     0.32     0.36
14     0.10     0.13     0.18     0.23     0.29     0.35     0.42     0.47
16     0.12     0.17     0.22     0.29     0.36     0.44     0.52     0.59
18     0.15     0.20     0.27     0.35     0.44     0.53     0.63     0.72
20     0.18     0.25     0.32     0.42     0.52     0.63     0.76     0.85
22     0.22     0.29     0.38     0.49     0.61     0.74     0.88     1.00

Note: Utilization standards: Volume is stem volume above 1-foot stump in standard, unpeeled cords. The standard cord is 4 x 4 x 8 feet. Height is number of 8-foot bolts to a variable top diameter not less than 4 inches inside bark. Applicable to all species except cedar. Source: U.S. Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station.

Edit  Bah!    The formatting stinks.   I did a google search and here it is on Univ. of Maryland website 

http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/Publication.cfm?ID=77


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## stoz (Jan 17, 2007)

Yes I am looking for a standing tree estimate of cords of firewood, I know I have seen it but can't find it.

Scott


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## Gooserider (Jan 17, 2007)

stoz said:
			
		

> Yes I am looking for a standing tree estimate of cords of firewood, I know I have seen it but can't find it.
> 
> Scott



The link that JayY pointed to just above your post has it, look down near the end....  It isn't a "calculator" as such, just a lookup table - tree diameter at chest height, height of tree, gives approximate cords of firewood.  The hard part is getting up the tree with the tape measure.  :gulp:  :lol: 

Gooserider


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## stoz (Jan 17, 2007)

I think I get it, so if you have a 64' tree that is 22", then you have a full cord?

Scott


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## stoz (Jan 17, 2007)

Also, that is for straight tree few limbs I'm guesssing? The table I saw was a general thing that said if you have a _" diameter tree you have x # cords, I would think it would be fairly accurate since forest trees grow taller and open trees branch alot and don't grow as tall.

Scott


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## Andre B. (Jan 17, 2007)

JayY said:
			
		

> The US forest service published a table you could use based on  DBH (diameter at breast height) and log length to 4" inside bark diameter.  It is better than nothing.  I have pasted it below.  Hopefully it stays formatted.  I found it online somewhere.
> 
> 
> Tree Volume Table Commonly Used to Estimate Cords Per Tree.
> ...



Fixed the formating.


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