Manufacture of Quality Yellow-Poplar Studs Using the Saw-Dry-Rip (S-D-R) Concept

Hardwood studs are not generally marketed in the United States because of manufacturing difficulties, especially excessive warp due to longitudinal growth stresses. This paper describes a new, economically viable system for manufacturing studs from low- and medium-density hardwoods that produces high-quality, STUD grade material from yellow-poplar. The system, called S-D-R (saw-dry-rip), involves live-sawing small logs into 7/4 flitches, drying the flitches, and then ripping them into stud blanks for final planing. The S-D-R system reduces or eliminates the stresses responsible for excessive warping. The study compares four sawing and drying treatments by evaluating warp (crook, bow, and twist) based on the National Grading Rule-STUD grade warp limits. The best treatment, S-D-R live-sawn, high-temperature dried, had 100 percent of the studs acceptable and showed an 81 percent reduction in average crook compared to the conventionally sawed and dried treatment. Hypotheses for the success of the system are discussed as well as means for incorporating the process into a mill.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member