Inside-out beams from small-diameter Appalachian hardwood logs

This study investigated the technical feasibility of producing inside-out (ISO) structural beams from small-diameter yellow-poplar, red maple, and red oak logs. The beams were made by slabbing four sides of the logs, removing the corners, quartering the cant, turning the quarters inside out, and gluing them together green. After the glue cured, the beams were dried and dressed to a final size of 3.5 by 3.5 inches. The study also compared some physical and mechanical properties of ISO beams with those of solid-sawn beams from the same material. The hole in the center of the ISO beams allowed them to dry faster and have more material treated with creosote. The ISO beams had no drying cracks as did all of the solid beams. The magnitude of the average longitudinal warpage for the ISO beams was about half of that for the solid beams. There was no statistically significant difference in modulus of elasticity or modulus of rupture between ISO and solid beams.

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