The Utility of No 3 Common Northern Hardwood Lumber for Mechanized Processing Into Glued Products

A sample of 2,740 boards, or 16,260 bd. ft. of No. 3 Common lumber was obtained from three sawmills. The sample material was kiln-dried and surfaced on two sides. The boards were then examined and the number of clear 1 face and paint grade cuttings, of different sizes, was counted. This measurement was made by means of a transparent grid on which the size of cutting was blacked out with lines representing the saw kerf required to rip and cross-cut a given size cutting. The findings of the diagramming were substantiated by cutting tests made on a subsample of the boards. The results of the study indicated that the number of cuttings depended on the defect size and placement in the board. The yield of cuttings varied from approximately 36 to 75 percent of the total board footage for No. 3A Common and from about 24 to 63 percent for the No. 3B Common. Standardized cuttings should lend themselves to machine processing where they might find use in applications where a reduction in the tendency of wood to warp and twist are important, such as core stock; uses in which wearing qualities are of primary importance, such bowling pins; and uses in which the figure of the wood, including defects, could add value to the product, such as flooring or wall paneling.

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