January 2001
LUMBER GRADING WORKSHOP OFFERED
North Carolina State University’s Wood Products Extension in conjunction
with the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) will conduct a Hardwood
Lumber Grading Workshop at Hodges Wood Products Laboratory on the North
Carolina State University Campus, March 12-14, 2001. The workshop
is co-sponsored by the Southeastern Dry Kiln Club. This lumber grading
workshop can serve as a good instruction for a new hardwood lumber grader,
mill supervisor or sales person. It can also serve as a good refresher
course for a hardwood lumber grader who has been working several years
and wants to fine tune their skills. Subjects to be covered include
an in depth review of the grading rules, how to apply the rules, protecting
hardwood lumber from degrade, and the NHLA sales code. Plenty of
time will be allocated for students to grade lumber. The workshop
registration fee of $250 will cover the cost of lunch each day and course
materials. For more information contact Joe Denig at 919-515-5582
(voice), 919-515-8739 (fax) or joe_denig@ncsu.edu.
UPDATED HARDWOOD DRYING MANUAL AVAILABLE
Drying Hardwood Lumber, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-118 by Joe
Denig, Gene Wengert, and Bill Simpson is now available. This 138
page publication focuses on common methods for drying lumber of different
thickness, with minimal drying defects, for high quality applications.
This manual also includes predrying treatments that, when part of an overall
quality-oriented drying system, reduce defects and improve drying quality,
especially of oak lumber. Special attention is given to drying white
wood, such as hard maple and ash, without sticker shadow or other discoloration.
Several special drying methods, such as solar drying, are described, and
proper techniques for storing dried lumber are discussed. Suggestions
are provided for ways to economize on drying costs to reducing drying time
and energy demands when feasible. Each chapter is accompanied by
a list of references. Some references are cited in the chapter; others
are listed as additional sources of information. Single free copies
of this publication are available to the public (US only) from the Wood
Education and Resource Center, 301 Hardwood Lane, Princeton, WV 24740,
telephone 304-487-1510.
“WOOD” YOU BELIEVE
Listed below is interesting and helpful information about wood products and their importance to the United States. The information was produced by the Temperate Forest Foundation.
** To grow a pound of wood, a healthy tree typically uses nearly a pound and a half of carbon dioxide and gives off more than a pound of oxygen. The process reverses itself in an old forest with more wood decaying than growing: for every pound of wood decaying, a pound of oxygen is used and nearly one-and-one-half pounds of carbon dioxide is released into the air.
**On the average, every American uses the equivalent of one tree that is 18 inches in diameter and 100 feet tall, every year. That’s 80 cubic feet.
**In 1995, some 1.6 billion seedlings were planted in the United States - more than five new trees a year for every American. Who’s doing the planting? The forest products industry (43%); private landowners (42%); and the government (15%).
**Wood is the only building material that comes from a renewable resource.
Most others come from non-renewable resources, such as the petrochemicals
used in plastics and the ores used for aluminum and iron.
**In 1920, timber harvest rates nationally were double the rate of
forest growth; by 1986, net annual growth was 3.5 times what it was in
1920.
**Forest products are recyclable and biodegradable. In 1993, nearly one million tons of wood were recovered for recycling and reuse in products ranging from particleboard and paper to garden mulch. More than 95% of the bark and wood residues generated from producing lumber and plywood are used for energy and in other products.
**Annual growth exceeds harvests and losses to insects by 33% each year in the commercial forests.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT THE FIRST TIME
Escalating prices for fossil fuels have started to revive interest in
the use of wood as a fuel for industrial, commercial, institutional, and
agricultural applications. If you are one of these individuals, Wood
Energy Guide for Agricultural and Small Commercial Applications (AG-363)
may be of interest to you. This manual is intended as a guide for
those who are interested in using wood as a source of energy for an agricultural
or small commercial application. It focuses on systems producing
less than 10 million BTUs per hour. The information presented will
help the reader decide whether wood energy would be practical and economical
in a particular situation. Although originally produced in 1985,
this publication is full of information for individuals considering wood
as a fuel. Topics include: introduction; the wood resource; heating
systems and combustion equipment; storage, handling, and feeding systems;
and the economics of using wood fuel. Also included are sections
on equipment vendors, a glossary, sources of additional information, an
analysis of wood fuel prices, and an analysis of economic assumptions.
If you would like a copy of this publication please contact Larry Jahn
at 919-515-5579 (voice), 919-515-8739 (fax) or larry_jahn@ncsu.edu (e-mail).
MARKETS TRENDS IN FORESTRY TELECONFERENCE
NC State University’s Extension Forestry will present a 3-hour teleconference
on Market Trends in Forestry on February 14, 2001. Those attending
this event will hear about trends in timber products output, forest products
price history, the abc’s of projecting future trends, and which way next.
Pre-registration is required. Limited seating is available and allocated
on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional information contact
Robert Bardon at 919-515-5575 (voice), 919-515-6883 (fax), robert_bardon@ncsu.edu
(e-mail).
Edited by: Larry G. Jahn
Wood Products Extension Specialist