Luc Batard Trip Pictures, Page 4

Pat Shima, Filing Supervisor at Weyerhaeuser’s Green Mountain Sawmill in Toutle, Washington, discusses the results achieved with their curve sawing edger. 600,000 board feet (1400 cubic meters)of dimension lumber is produced in each 10 hour shift.

Left to Right: Vincent Colineau, Luc Batard, Brigitte Batard, Christian Cheveaux, Bernadette Cheveaux, Christian Nicolas, Philippe Siat stopped to stand among the tall trees just outside the blast zone of Mount St. Helens. The height and girth of the old growth trees was a constant source of awe.

The elevation of Spirit Lake was raised by about 197 feet (60m) in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Part of the eruption's landslide swept into the lake and the resulting wave washed fallen tree trunks from the surrounding hillsides back into the lake. About one square mile (300 hectares) of the lake's surface is still covered with the floating tree trunks. Overall, an estimated 4 billion board feet (over 9 million cubic meters) of timber was destroyed in the eruption.

No restaurants were open by the time we emerged from the dense fog in Mt. Rainier National Park, so a late dinner of pizza, beer, fruit and chocolate was improvised just before this gas station/convenience store closed. The operators kindly left the light on for us when they left for the night.

Cascade Hardwoods’ Bob Jackins looks on as Head Filer Mike West compares notes with Luc and Brigitte Batard. The Batards and Christian Cheveaux were especially interested in techniques for profile grinding and side grinding the swage tooth, variable pitch band saws.

John Gammelgaard, Filing Supervisor at Weyerhaeuser’s Cascade Lumber in Enumclaw, Washington, explains their "reliable process" philosophy to Vincent Colineau and Brigitte Batard.