Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating metal logs of a predetermined length in which the logs are cut into billets for an extrusion press. A furnace has an elongated heating chamber with an entrance opening and an exit opening. A pusher table is mounted adjacent the entrance opening of the furnace and a conveyor extends along the pusher table, through the entrance opening of the furnace, through the furnace heating chamber and through the exit opening thereof. A log dispenser is mounted adjacent the pusher table for dispensing logs seriatim onto the conveyor at the pusher table. An insert log has a length substantially less than the given length of the logs in the log train and is selectively positioned in the log train between the pusher and the lagging log in the log train to increase the effective length of the log train prior to adding a new log to the log train.