VOLUME 24, NUMBER 3
JULY 2002
ROUGH MILL TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR
North Carolina State University's Wood Products Extension will sponsor a Rough Mill Technology Seminar at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC October 2-3, 2002. The course is designed to present rough mill optimization concepts that will increase throughput, productivity and yield in lumber cut-up operations. The two-day course will feature presentations by innovative rough-mill equipment manufacturers and personnel from North Carolina State University describing optimization concepts vital to today's operations. The course targets rough mill supervisors, lead men, plant managers, engineers, and yield coordinators working in lumber cut up operations. For more information contact Phil Mitchell at 919.515.5581 (voice), fax 919. 515.8739 or phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu (e-mail).
HARDWOOD DRY KILN OPERATOR'S SHORT COURSE
Quality is critical in order to be successful in the dry lumber market. One of the best and most cost effective methods of insuring quality is by providing training for your dry kiln operators and their supervisors. In order to help in this task, North Carolina State University, Wood Products Extension, will conduct its 32nd annual Dry Kiln Operator's Short Course at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC September 24-27, 2002. The course is sponsored by the Southeastern Dry Kiln Club. The main thrust of the course is to teach the participants how to operate a kiln on a daily basis including sample selection and preparation, schedule selection, kiln monitoring, equalizing, and conditioning. The course participants will not only hear the theory of dry kiln operation, but will gain hands on experience drying a kiln load of lumber. The course is designed to give new kiln operators a strong background in drying lumber but has also proved to be a good refresher course for seasoned operators. For additional information contact Joe Denig at 919.515.5582 (voice), FAX 919.515.8739 or joe_denig@ncsu.edu (e-mail).
HARDWOOD PLYWOOD MANUFACTURING 101 SHORT COURSE
North Carolina State University's Wood Products Extension in conjunction with the Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association will conduct a two-day course entitled Hardwood Plywood Manufacturing 101: Common Problems And How To Solve Them at NC State University, October 14-15, 2002. This course is designed for managers, supervisors, quality control personnel, and others involved in hardwood plywood manufacturing. The course provides basic instruction on the following topics: the green end, drying, splicing, adhesives, glue spreaders, lay-up and pressing, and sanding, as well as the always popular wood anatomy, resource trends, grading, and panel handling presentations. For additional information contact Larry Jahn at 919.515.5579 (voice), fax 919.515.8739 or larry_jahn@ncsu.edu (e-mail).
PALLET RECYCLING WORKSHOP
North Carolina State University's Wood Products Extension in conjunction with Wake County, the NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance, and the USDA Forest Service will conduct a Pallet Recycling Workshop at the Wake County Commons Building, Raleigh, NC October 28, 2002. This workshop is targeted at pallet users, pallet manufacturers and recyclers, entrepreneurs looking for new business opportunities, and government administrators. Topics covered include the use, repair, and recycling of pallets, opportunities for entrepreneurs in this area, how to recover wood from used pallets and produce value-added products such as flooring, paneling, and furniture. For additional information contact Urs Buehlmann at 919.515.5580 (voice), fax 919.515.8739 or urs_buehlmann@ncsu.edu (e-mail).
DECK TREATMENT PRODUCT UPDATE
The June 2002 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine gave an update of their field tests concerning deck treatments. They looked at four types of deck treatments including: clear, which imparts no color to the wood; semitransparent and toned which, add some pigment; and opaque, which covers the grain. They applied one coat of each product to sections of pressure treated lumber (two coats if that's what the manufacturer specifies) and then exposed them to the weather for up to five years. For Consumer Reports, their most important attribute is durability. They derived their durability rating from the following judgements: how well the product resists the buildup of dirt and mildew and how well it will resist fading and color change. According to their results the best deck treatments after four years of exposure are opaque coatings. Cabot Decking Stain was best overall followed closely by Glidden Endurance Deck & Siding Oil Stain. They recommend deck treatments to avoid are clear finishes, which have consistently done very badly in their tests.
ANNUAL FOREST SERVICE REPORT AVAILABLE ONLINE
A pre-publication draft of the US Forest Service's 2001 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Timber Assessment, now available online, predicts that demand for wood and paper products will increase over the next 50 years, but at a slower rate than in the past. The projected annual rate of increase is 0.8 percent for the next 50 years, compared to an annual average of 1.4 percent since 1952. For the first time, the assessment has attempted to quantify measures of forest sustainability. The analysis raises concerns about loss of hardwood forest area and forest stand diversity, although the authors conclude that forest sustainability is stable under current trends. Overall, timber harvests are projected to expand 24 percent by 2050, while imports are projected to expand 85 percent. For the full assessment, go to www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sev/rpa.
HISTORY OF WOOD PRODUCTS PROGRAM PUBLISHED
50 Year History of the Wood Products Program at NC State University, compiled by Richard Thomas, Professor Emeritus is now available. This publication was produced to celebrate the Department's 50 year history of providing graduates to the wood products industry. Topics covered include: Program Development; Wood Products Extension; Research and Graduate Programs; Brandon P. Hodges Wood Products Laboratory (WPL); Machinery Donated to the WPL; Notable WPL Projects; Wood Products Future; Goals of the Wood Products Program; Chronological Listing of Faculty and Staff; and a Listing of Graduates of the Wood Products Program at NC State University. To obtain your free copy contact Myron Kelly at 919.515.5735 (voice), 919.513.3496 (fax); myron_kelly@ncsu.edu (e-mail). Edited by: Larry G. Jahn
Edited by: Larry G. Jahn
Wood Products Extension Specialist