State & Private Forestry
Forest Products Laboratory
The Forest Products Conservation & Recycling Review is assembled and edited monthly by Adele Olstad and John Zerbe of the FPC&R; Technology Marketing Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL). Review contributions and correspondence may be sent to either Adele or John at the address below. For copies of FPL or North Central Forest Experiment Station publications,
contact FPL Information Services at the same address.
The individual items included in the Review reflect the content and tone of the original articles. Inclusion of an item does not
imply agreement nor endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of facts or opinions contained in any article. The Review does
not evaluate the accuracy of the information reported.
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
Phone: (608)231-9200
FAX: (608)231-9592
E-mail: FPC&R; Technology Marketing Unit OR
FPL Information Services (for publication requests)
Look for items in these categories:
The Forestry Industry Network Web site (www.forestindustry.com) is a worldwide directory of Web sites on forest products resources. The directory is organized into the categories of forestry and logging; wood processing equipment, supplies, and services; lumber, wood products, and logs; leading worldwide industry publications; tradeshows, conferences, and exhibitions; associations; and classifieds. Each of these categories has links to subcategories. The Forestry Industry Network publishes a guidebook that describes the products and services available at their site. For information on obtaining a copy, call (250) 758-0665 or send e-mail to info@forestind.com.
Free Y2K Jumpstart Kit --The Department of Commerce National Institute
of Technology (NIST) has developed a software program for small
businesses that is intended to help deal with the year 2000 computer
problem. The main component of the kit is software known as
"Conversion 2000: Y2K Self-Help Tool." The software is available in
both Microsoft Access and Excel versions. The kit and software can
help small manufacturers and other small businesses conduct an
equipment inventory, identify core business systems and rate their
importance to the survival of the company, develop contingency plans,
and plan and manage remediation projects. The Y2K Jumpstart Kit can be
downloaded from the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Web
site at www.y2khelp.nist.gov.
It is also available from MEP centers by calling 800-637-4634.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 7, 1999]
Agroforestry Development Extension Educator --The University of Minnesota Extension Service is soliciting applications for a full- time, annual appointment. This appointment will be annually reviewed for renewal, with continuation dependent upon performance and availability of funds. Qualifications required include a bachelor's degree in a natural resources or agricultural field (a master's degree is preferred); course work or professional experience in agroforestry systems and the design, delivery, and evaluation of education or training programs; strong skills in written or oral communication; and experience working with diverse groups and collaborative programs. Responsibilities include designing, implementing, and evaluating extension education programs focused on agroforestry systems in central and west central Minnesota; maintaining a Web site on agroforestry issues, research, and educational programs; and developing partnerships with Federal, State, and local agencies, businesses, and organizations serving landowners. For more information, contact Dr. Melvin Baughman, Search Committee Chair, Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota. Tel: (612) 624-0734; Fax: (612) 625-5212; e-mail: mbaughma@forestry.umn.edu.
A Study Tour of the Forest and Forestry Industry in Ireland will be
held September 5-11. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UN/ECE) Timber Committee and the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) European Forestry Commission are sponsoring the tour. The tour
will provide an opportunity to visit forests and forest industries in
Ireland and to experience the unique landscapes, culture, and
traditions of the land. The industry in Ireland is facing a number of
challenges, including marketing its increased timber output and
compliance with international sustainable forest management
requirements. The tour will provide an opportunity to explore how
these challenges are being addressed. Information on the tour and a
registration form are available at the UN/ECE Timber Committee's Web
site (www.unece.org/trade/timber/)
or contact Mr. Gerry Egan, Coillte, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, Ireland. Tel: +353-1-6615666;
Fax: +353-16768598; e-mail: Egan_G@Coillte.ie.
[Source: Ed Pepke, Forestry Officer--Marketing, Timber Section,
Trade Division, UN/ECE and FAO]
The Status of Forest Certification in the ECE Region, by Eric Hansen of Oregon State University and Juslin Heikki of the University of Helsinki, focuses on the development, status, and potential future of forest certification. This 44-page paper, which was published by the UN/ECE Timber Committee, answers such questions as What is a "certified forest product" and Who supports certification and who opposes it? Also covered is the historical development of forest certification, including an explanation of the perspectives of various stakeholders and the resulting tension and conflict. This paper provides an objective overview of the motives and preferences of stakeholders (forest owners and managers, forest industry, industrial customers, retailers, consumers, and environmental nongovernmental organizations).
Environmental marketing in the forest industry and the role of certification in environmental marketing strategies are addressed. The paper also gives examples of individual company experiences in marketing certified forest products and related issues--both positive (e.g., market access, image, credibility, premiums, and networking) and negative (e.g., limited and fragmented market demand, lack of supply, limited industry involvement, and difficulties to obtain price premiums). The last chapter of the paper provides a comprehensive list of sources for additional information, including Web sites. Copies are available free of charge from the Timber Section, UN-ECE Trade Division, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. Requests can be sent by Fax: +41 22 917 0041; e-mail: timber@unece.org; or via the Web site at www.unece.org/trade/timber
The 1999 National Convention of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) will be held September 11-15 in Portland, OR. The technical sessions will cover a wide variety of topics, including global implications of local urban forestry practices, management and marketing of nontimber forest products, ecosystem health and sustainability, perspectives and prospects for the use of short- rotation woody crops, faces of fire in the Pacific Northwest, managing forests at the urban interface, natural resource and environmental education, innovative approaches to managing the nonindustrial private forest, and small timber utilization and markets. A full description of the technical sessions and other convention information can be found at the convention's Internet home page ( www.safnet.org/calendar/natcon.htm) or by contacting the Society of American Foresters, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. Tel: (301) 897-8720; Fax: (301) 897-3690; e-mail: safweb@safnet.org.
More Information on Using Wood With Character -- Last month we reported the work of Bruce Becken and Jeff Parsons from Burlington, VT, who are using a greater proportion of lower grades of wood with knots, mineral stains, and wormholes to manufacture unique furniture. During the past 20 years, Becken and Parsons have developed a steady core market for simple, well made, and elegant furniture; now they are working to build market acceptance for their new line of furniture. As consumers become aware of the importance of reducing waste and sustaining timber growth, acceptance of wood with more character markings is a logical forward step. It follows progress made after World War II in utilizing knotty pine and wormy chestnut paneling, and even some siding with abundant knots. Some New England mills also use short pieces with gluing and fingerjointing to make shelving and ready-to-assemble furniture parts.
Becken and Parsons have earned some private foundation and Federal research support, and the development of new markets for underutilized species and lower grades of timber was recognized as a primary goal of a governor's task force in New Hampshire last year. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation Utilization Program also contributed significantly to developing and sustaining the project. USDA Forest Service Economic Action Program funding provided the basis for beginning and extending the experimentation that led to an intense market study and analysis for furniture with character marking and/or made from less popular species. The Forest Service and its cooperators within State organizations continue as leading advocates for research and technology transfer in the use of lower grades and secondary species.
Value-Added Alaskan Forest Products, a workshop on technology and utilization opportunities, will be held September 27-28 in Sitka. This is the first event sponsored by the Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center, which opened in February under direction by Congress to help develop partnerships that build on "value-added" activities that may provide a durable mix of employment, profits, and forest products industry in Alaska. Presentations will cover the following topics: assuring future forest potential; maximizing value in secondary processes; enhancing value in lumber and engineered timber products; assessment of market conditions and Alaska's competitiveness; linking sustainable forests, communities, and industries; and an exposition of value-added wood products and services. To learn more about the workshop, call (907) 474-4309 or visit the Pacific Northwest Research Station Web site at www.fs.fed.us/pnw/.
Decks Gain Popularity in the Housing Market-- According to a recent
study, decks are a hot ticket in the U.S. home market. About 25% of
all homes in the United States currently have exterior decks, and more
than 80% of new homebuyers would like a deck. An estimated 800 million
to 1.2 billion ft² (74 to 139 million m² of lumber are used annually
in decking projects in the United States. Contractors build 60% of all
decks and homeowners build the remaining 40%. Contractor-built decks
cost from $18 to $25/ft² and homeowner decks $12 to $18/ft².
[Note: 1 ft² = 0.09 m².] The total U.S. residential decking market in
1997 exceeded $3 billion. The average price of a deck was $5,927, with
an average 73% payback factor in property value. The highest payback
was 149% in San Francisco.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 6, 1999]
Research and Development Seen as Keys to Enhanced Economic Future of
United States -- Key science and technology trends that will impact the
economic future of the United States include narrower research
horizons, shorter product cycles, and stiffer global competition, according to
the NIST planning report R&D; Trends in the U.S. Economy: Strategies
and Policy Implications. The report notes that technological progress
is recognized almost universally as the major driver of long-term
productivity growth. It concludes that if the United States is to
maintain a healthy economic position, a strong R&D; base is necessary
to foster innovation and gain market advantage and also to efficiently
assimilate technology from external sources. To request a copy of the
report, contact Denise Herbert by phone (301-975-2657) or e-mail
(denise.herbert@nist.gov).
The report is also available via the Internet at
www.nist.gov/director/prog-ofc/report99-2.pdf.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 7, 1999]
Exploring Change in the New Asia: Opportunities for U.S. Building Material and Housing Exports will be held September 15-16 in Seattle, WA. This national conference is being hosted by the Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR), the University of Washington, and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (University of Washington). The conference is intended to attract firms and organizations interested in developing the potential for U.S. building materials and technologies in Asia. The registration fee is $225 if received/postmarked before August 15; $250 if received later. For program information, or to be added to a mailing list, contact the UW College of Forest Resources, Forest CE, at (206) 543- 0867; Fax: (206) 685-0790; e-mail: ForestCE@u.washington.edu.
North American Lumber and Panel Markets Approach Peak -- 1999 has been
favorable for price levels in the lumber and panel industries, but it
has also opened opportunities for competition from steel and plastics.
The lumber and panel markets are apparently approaching their peak.
May 1999 prices for Spruce-Pine-Fir 2 by 4 (standard 38 by 89 mm)
lumber were listed at $324 FOB mill at British Columbia compared to
$328 in April 1999 and $271 in May 1998. Comparative numbers for
Southern Pine FOB mill were $410, $401, and $376, respectively. On the
other hand, panel prices showed significant increase from April to
May, and close to twice as much percentage increase as that for 2 by
4's from May 1998 to May 1999.
[Source: World Wood Review, June 1999]
Slower Market Growth Foreseen for OSB -- Economic changes may slow down the market growth of OSB while OSB production capacity rises. Oriented strandboard (OSB) producers in North America have announced plans for four new plants to start in 2001 and 2002, in addition to three new plants in 2000. This amounts to about 4.2 billion ft² (390 million m²) of new production capacity, about 60% of which will be in Canada. Additional production capacity may also result from increased efficiency in existing plants.
Compared to OSB production increases, structural plywood capacity is
decreasing through plant closings. However, some production of veneer
that is no longer used in plywood manufacture is being shifted to the
manufacture of laminated veneer lumber (LVL). Nevertheless, both OSB
and structural plywood production may suffer from slow or reduced
market growth. The U.S. housing market, which jumped from 1.20 million
starts in 1992 to 1.62 million in 1998 (not including manufactured
homes), may not be sustainable if mortgage interest rates continue to
rise. Developments in Japan and Europe, such as a sluggish Japanese
economy and production of more OSB in Europe, may also crimp export
markets.
[Source: World Wood Review, June 1999]
Composite Decking Manufacturer Uses Wood Wastes From Furniture
Manufacturing -- Trex Company, with a manufacturing plant in Winchester,
VA, and another to be built in Fernley, NY, purchases plastic and wood
wastes from the western and eastern United States as raw material for
its decking product line. Raw material includes reclaimed "pallet
wrap" or stretch film and recycled plastic grocery sacks from various
industries as well as waste wood from furniture manufacturers and
pallet recyclers. The product has been used for residential and
commercial decking, large-scale boardwalks, nature trails, and marina
docks.
[Source: Environmental Design & Construction, March/April 1999]
Scrap Pallet Wood Fiber Beneficial for Polypropylene Composites -- Nicole
Stark of the Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, tested
the feasibility of using wood fibers derived from pallets in wood-
plastic composites. The study compared the mechanical properties of
polypropylene (PP) composites combined with either wood flour or
fiber. Wood flour is the most common wood-derived filler used in the
plastics industry. The change from a particulate filler like wood
flour to a reinforcing fiber results in property enhancements. Fiber
derived from wood pallets and shipping crates and used as a filler for
PP resulted in tensile and flexural strength improvements compared
with wood-flour-filled PP. The addition of stearic acid to these
composites to increase dispersion of the wood filler in the PP did not
improve properties; however, the addition of maleated PP to improve
the interfacial adhesion between the two phases improved strength. The
use of wood fiber instead of wood flour also decreased the percentage
of mold shrinkage, which could lead to less warpage of a molded part.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 39-46, 1999]
Wood Products Enhance Our Environment is a popular factsheet that has
been updated, expanded, and reprinted by the Southern Pine Council.
This 1-page collection of facts and statistics spells out the many
advantages wood products contribute to everyday life. The factsheet
includes comparisons of the insulating properties of various competing
building materials, the environmental impacts of manufacture, and
various statistics on forestland resources and productivity. Copies
are available free of charge by contacting the Southern Forest
Products Association at (504) 443-4464 and requesting publication No. 908.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 9, 1999]
Exploring Opportunities for Carbon Sequestration will be held October 26-28 in Missoula, MT. Session topics at this national conference will include the science of the greenhouse effect, forest, soil, and cropland carbon sequestration; an in-depth look at current and future policy; issues and concerns on carbon sequestration; and model programs. For agenda and registration information, contact Kit Sutherland, Bitter Root RC&D;, Inc., at (406) 363-5450, ext. 118. Conference information and updates can also be viewed via the Internet at www.gomontana.com/RCD/carbon.html.
Tight Houses May Lead to Both Illness and Structural Deterioration -- Moisture is a concern in residences because of its effect on asthma and other respiratory illness, infections, fungal illness, increased bacterial counts, and hypersensitivity. In a survey of 200 homes in the Twin Cities, Marilou Cheple, housing researcher at the University of Minnesota, found the following problems: ice dams (26%), water on basement floor (15%), water standing in sump (25%), interior paint peeling (15%), frost on window frames (45%), and mold on sills (23%). Moisture problems have increased over the last two decades with the construction of tighter, energy-efficient houses. Since less fresh air enters the house, moisture and pollutants (e.g., carbon dioxide, dander, dirt, and pollutants from carpets, glues, cleaning products, and pesticides) are trapped inside. Owners of newer homes need to know how and when to manage their indoor environment because building codes and practices rely on owner decisions.
Despite the discovery of significant moisture problems, Cheple found
that homeowners do not manage their environment well, therefore
compounding the effects of poor construction, design, or siting. For
example, 35% of houses do not have gutters; 20% of homeowners never
use the bath vent fan, only 45% have kitchen exhaust (and only 50% use
it!), 45% line dry clothes inside the house, and 80% never open
windows in the winter. In Minnesota, changes are coming with a
statewide energy code that takes effect this month (July 1999). The
code, which Cheple's work has helped bring about, requires mechanical
ventilation to supply fresh air.
[Source: Minnesota Science, Spring 1999]
Energy-Efficient Houses Fraught With Moisture Problems -- "The energy- efficient wood-frame houses of the 1980s and 1990s are the most expensive, the most comfortable, and very likely the least durable residential structures ever built in the United States." This quote is the attention-getting opening for an article by Stephen Smulski, president of Wood Science Specialists, Inc., in the May 1999 issue of the Forest Products Journal. Smulski goes on to say that over the past 20 years, the occurrence of moisture-caused problems in new houses has skyrocketed. Homeowners complain increasingly of window condensation; mildew and mold indoors; mildew, extractive staining, and peeling of exterior coatings; and rot in windows, doors, trim, siding, sheathing, and framing--all within a few years of construction.
Reliance upon natural leakage of air through random holes in wood- frame houses worked well for centuries. However, the rapid evolution of building materials and construction practices in the 20th century resulted in the creation of houses whose envelope became progressively tighter and tighter. In the 1970s and 1980s, widespread adoption of insulating windows and doors, continuous vapor retarders, and air infiltration barriers, coupled with extensive use of caulks, sealants, gaskets, and tapes, reduced the amount of air and heat flowing through the envelope even more than did previous trends toward more effective insulation and vapor barriers in the 1950s and 1960s. Therefore, the walls of older houses (defined here as those built before the global energy crisis of the 1970s) tend to be leakier, warmer, and more forgiving of moisture, while those of newer houses tend to be tighter, colder, and less forgiving.
Energy-efficient houses can be wetted by ground water, piped water, condensation, and precipitation. In some cases, water naturally contained in green framing members at the time of construction is at fault. Water vapor in soil can diffuse through foundation walls and floors. Evaporating water increases the relative humidity inside a basement or crawl space, which in turn can raise the moisture content of sills, girders, joists, and subfloors to mildew- and mold- susceptible levels. Entry of liquid water into basements and crawl spaces can be eliminated by installing perimeter drains, sealing cracks and other points of entry, applying waterproofing to the exterior of foundation walls, backfilling with free-draining soil, grading soils to slope away from the foundation, and installing gutters and downspouts along eaves.
Transport of water into a basement or crawl space is controlled by applying dampproofing to the exterior of the foundation. Movement through the floor is prevented by installing a vapor retarder. Wetting of wood next to masonry is prevented by inserting a capillary break of metal or plastic between wood and masonry.
Condensation dripping from cold-water supply lines onto wood often leads to decay, especially in damp basements and crawl spaces. Prevention entails insulating cold-water pipes. Other condensation- caused problems can be kept in check by reducing indoor relative humidity in the following ways: placing vapor retarders against the warm side of walls, ceilings, and floors; venting clothes dryers, heating appliances, and kitchen range and bath exhaust fans directly to the outside; providing the needed ceiling insulation and roof and attic ventilation; and dehumidifying. Precipitation-caused problems can be avoided in new construction by installing siding over furring strips applied over sheathing and housewrap. Lap siding already in place can be retrofitted with thin plastic shims called siding wedges.
Design features that promote water shedding include steep roof
pitches, flashing in roof valleys and at roof/wall intersections, wide
eaves, door and window flashing with built-in drip edges, beveled
horizontal trim, and sloped window sills. The ends and back of siding,
trim, windows, doors, and other exterior wood products should be
finished with a water repellent. The exposed surfaces of these
products should be finished with opaque film-forming coatings that
combine high water repellency with high permeability to water vapor.
Exterior wood should be at least 8 inches (203 mm) off the ground to
reduce wetting by splashback.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(5): 8-16, 1999]
Carbon Sequestration in Landfills Controversial -- A Forest Products
Laboratory research paper has generated discussion and conflicting
views. The paper in question, which was published in the Forest
Products Journal, reported the effect of carbon in landfills in
relation to carbon emissions and their ultimate disposition. In a
critique, an article in the New Scientist (Jan. 23, 1999) stated that
carbon in paper and wood is trapped in landfills and if this carbon
were released into the atmosphere, it would accelerate the rate of
global warming. If this view is supported by studies that trace the
life cycle of carbon, the Environmental Protection Agency may be
tempted to classify landfills as "carbon sinks," just like forests.
This would make it statistically easier to meet global warming goals
set by the 1997 Kyoto protocol on greenhouse emissions. However, the
London-based Friends of the Earth respond that this is "a load of
rubbish. You can see manufacturers using this as an argument for
making more paper and recycling less." For more information, contact
Ken Skog, Forest Products Laboratory at (608) 231-9312; Fax: (608)
231-9508; or by e-mail: kskog/fpl@fs.fed.us.
[Source: Resource Recovery Report, March 1999]
New Insulated Panel System for Walls and Roofs in Residential
Construction -- Ingenuity Wood, Inc., of Greenfield, MA, recently
introduced its No Stress Panel System, a factory-panelized system that
is insulated with dense-pack cellulose and designed for use in timber-
frame home wall and roof components. The wall panels are 7-1/2 in.
(19 cm) thick and framed with 2 by 3 (standard 38 by 64 mm) lumber
spaced apart with short pieces of 2 by 4 (standard 38 by 89) blocking.
Roof panels are constructed using 16-in.- (40.6-cm-) deep web trusses,
24 in. (61 cm) on center, with an air space for roof venting. The bottom side
of the roof panels (facing the house interior) is finished with pine
boards in a tongue-and-groove, V-match, or beaded pattern. For more
information, contact Ingenuity Wood, Inc., by phone (413-773-1600),
Fax (413-773-3200), e-mail (info@ingenuitywood.com), or via their Web
site (http://www.ingenuitywood.com).
[Source: Forest Products Journal 49(6): 7, 1999]
The 5th Pacific Rim Bio-Based Composites Symposium is scheduled for
December 10-13, 2000. A call for papers has been issued. The symposium
is intended to cover a wide range of materials including conventional
wood composites (plywood, laminated veneer lumber, particleboard,
fiberboard), adhesives, and newer lignocellulosic materials. Possible
topics include the use of fast-growing tree species for composites,
use of agricultural residues for bio-based composites, property
enhancement through raw material treatment, adhesives and biocides for
composites, processing and product improvements, chemical modification
technologies, innovative and new products from lignocellulose, hybrid
composites from lignocellulosic material, composites made from
recycled materials, wood/plastic composites, and inorganic-bonded bio-
based composites. For more information, visit the symposium's Web site
(
online.anu.edu.au/Forestry/wood/bio/bio.html).
[Source: Wood E-Bulletin, May 1999]
Recent Price Trends for Nontimber Forest Products in the Pacific Northwest defines segments of the nontimber forest products (NTFP) industry, discusses some of the history and markets in various industries, and presents a price series dating back to 1989.
According to this article, the NTFP or special forest products market of the Pacific Northwest has gained regional, national, and international prominence in recent years. In this region, the principal NTFPs were historically composed of floral greens and Christmas greens (ornamentals). More recently, other products including wild edible mushrooms, wild edible berries, and various medicinal plants have gained considerable attention.
In a study conducted by Washington State University, researchers found
that year-to-year price changes were influenced by a wide variety of
factors, including availability, final market demand, and prices
offered by competing suppliers. An understanding of current local
markets coupled with historic price information from research studies
can help land managers better understand management opportunities and
markets for NTFPs.
[Source: Forest Products Journal 48(10): 28-33, 1998]
Bark Chemicals for Specialty Chemical Markets -- Richard Hemingway of the USDA Forest Service Alexandria Forestry Center in Pineville, LA, is investigating possibilities for obtaining useful chemicals from Southern Pine bark. His mission is to obtain fundamental information on properties of flavonoids such as condensed tannins.
Polyflavanoids constitute about half the dry weight of most tree barks. They are distinctly different from lignin in wood. Except during the oil crisis, phenol has been comparatively inexpensive in North America; therefore, much of the research at Pineville has been directed to use of tannins as substitutes for resorcinol.
In cooperation with Dr. Roland K. Kreibich, Hemingway and other Pineville scientists have developed ways to use tannins in lumber end- jointing adhesives. Work focuses on wood with high and variable moisture contents. When tannin adhesives are used to bond hardwoods, adhesive bond strength is high and wood failure is low.
Given the advances in the understanding of the chemistry of tannins,
the question is why a significant commercial enterprise has not yet
been established in North America. One critical requirement for
success is to locate the bark processing plant close to concentrations
of the resource. Here, the forest industry holds an advantage over
most other agricultural crops because large amounts of bark are
available at most pulp mills or many horizontally integrated forest
products processing complexes. It is also critical to locate the bark
processing plant immediately adjacent to a wood processing plant that
can accept spent extracted bark residues and any chemical processing
wastes. This also argues strongly for siting the bark processing plant
immediately adjacent to a pulp mill.
[Source: Residual Wood Conference Proceedings, November 4 & 5, 1997]
Hardwood Dry Kiln Schedules Available on World Wide Web -- Kiln schedules for 270 North American and tropical species of hardwood lumber, as well as estimated schedules for more than 3,200 other hardwood species (mostly tropical), are now available via the Forest Products Laboratory Statistics Unit Web site ( www1.fpl.fs.fed.us/drying.html). In addition to known hardwood drying schedules (published in the Dry Kiln Operator's Manual), the Web site includes a method for estimating drying schedules for species not included in the species lists, on the basis of specific gravity. An on-line program is available for generating schedules for 4/4 to 8/4 (25 to 50 mm) lumber; results can be viewed or printed.
North Carolina State University Wood Products Extension has announced the following workshops/short courses:
For managers, supervisors, engineers, and yield coordinators working in lumber cut-up operations. Topics include lumber and processing factors that affect yield, yield and productivity improvement practices in conventional lumber cut-up operations; operational benefits and issues associated with optimizing saws and computerized rough mills; optimization strategies at the gang saw and chop saw; and the use of downsizing to improve yield. For more information, contact Phil Mitchell by phone (919-515-5581) or Fax (919-515-8739).
For new kiln operators, but a good refresher course for seasoned operators. The focus is on how to operate a kiln on a daily basis: sample selection and preparation, schedule selection, kiln monitoring, equalizing, and conditioning. For more information, contact Joe Denig by phone (919-515-5582) or Fax (919-515-8739).
For architects, engineers, wood scientists, builders, and others interested in how to protect and restore wood in historic structures. The workshop will provide practical information on wood products and finish durability, types of exterior finishes, and preservation and renovation methods. For more information, contact Larry Jahn by phone (919-515-5579), Fax (919-515-8739), or e-mail (larry_jahn@ncsu.edu).
Guide to the Perfect Sawmill Tour, published by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and funded by the USDA Forest Service Economic Action Program, is a user-friendly guide for the sawmill industry on how to plan for an open house or tour. The guide contains checklists, activities, sample invitations, and other useful ideas. To obtain a free copy, contact the Forestry Information Center, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, by phone (800-444- 8978 or 603-862-3883) or by e-mail (kathy.barrett@unh.edu).
Contents
Forest Products Laboratory |
Forest Service |
USDA
Please send any questions or comments to
TMU/fpl@fs.fed.us.
Contact-Name: Adele Olstad
Contact-Phone: 608/231-9329
Document-Date: 1999 August 5
Abstract: July 1999 Issue of FPC&R; Review