Hardwood Lumber Edger and Trimmer Training System

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Hardwood Lumber Edger and Trimmer Training System Hardwood lumber edger and trimmer training system D.E. Kline E.M. Wengert P.A. Araman P. Klinkhachorn in operator skill. Realizing that a primary factor affect- Abstract ing lumber value is hardwood lumber grade, compu- This paper describes a computerized hardwood terized training programs have been developed to help lumber edger and trimming training system. The pur- lumber manufacturers (3,5). These programs have pose of the training system is to help edger and trimmer been designed primarily to train hardwood lumber operators and sawmill managers better understand graders. To further assist the hardwood lumber man- how hardwood lumber grade, surface measure, and ufacturers, training tools are needed that are specifically price interact to affect lumber value. The training sys- designed to help the edger and trimmer operator better tem can be used both as a training tool and as a testing understand all the factors that influence lumber value. tool. As a training tool, the user can observe how the A research effort is presently being conducted to placement of edging and trimming lines can affect help improve the performance of edging and trimming lumber value. As a testing tool, the user’s learning operations. The research has focused on developing progress after various training sessions can be tested. tools to improve the skills and on-line performance of To maximize ease-of-use as well as programming flex- edger and trimmer operators. This paper describes a ibility, the training program was developed under computer program that was developed to simulate an Microsoft Windows 3.0. Various aspects and features actual edging and trimming operation for training and of the computer program are described in this paper testing purposes. The aim of the computer program is and an example session with the program is provided. to help edger and trimmer operators better understand how hardwood lumber grade, surface measure, and price interact to affect lumber value. Program description Previous studies have shown that lumber value can be increased by over 20 percent through ideal edging System components and trimming (1,2). Such lumber value increases can The hardwood lumber edger and trimmer training be translated into an increase of millions of dollars for program consists of four main components: 1) board hardwood lumber manufacturers. A recent edging and display; 2) edging and trimming simulator; 3) hard- trimming study (8) found that the lumber value recov- wood lumber grader; and 4) performance feedback. ery at the edger and trimmer ranged from 62 to 78 percent of the optimum for several sawmills producing red oak lumber. These percentages indicate there is a great potential to increase mill profitability by improv- The authors are, respectively, Assistant Professor and Professor, Dept. of Wood Sci. and Forest Prod., VPI&SU, ing edging and trimming practices. Blacksburg, VA 24061-0323; Project Leader, USDA Forest It is difficult to make ideal edging and trimming Serv., Southeastern Forest Expt. Sta., Brooks Forest Prod. Center, VPI&SU; and Associate Professor, Dept. of Electri- decisions because of problems associated with the cal and Computer Engineering, West Virginia Univ., Mor- complexities of National Hardwood Lumber Associa- gantown, WV 26506-6101. This research was sponsored by tion (NHLA) grading rules (7), the inability of an opera- a cooperative research agreement between the USDA Forest tor to include the effect of lumber prices and grading Service, Southeastern Forest Expt. Sta. and VPI&SU. This paper was received for publication in July 1991. rules into the decision process, inadequate machine © Forest Products Research Society 1992. feedback (e.g. board width when edging), and the range Forest Prod. J. 42(1):53-57. FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL Vol. 42, No. 1 53 Board display. – The board display component of ing performance feedback is by visually comparing the the program selects a “board (i.e. an unedged and user's edging and trimming solution to an optimum untrimmed lumber specimen) from a library of boards (i.e., maximum lumber value) solution. Therefore, the and displays the board on the computer display. Each optimum edging and trimming solution is also included board is represented by an image file consisting of the in the original board image file. Determined a priori coordinates that define the outline of the board edges using a separate optimization program, the optimum and the size, location, and type of all features on each edging and trimming solution includes the grade, sur- face. Feature types represented in the image file include face measure, and the outline coordinates for the max- wane, sound and unsound knots, stain, decay, pith, imum lumber value. Hence, the optimum solution can holes, checks, and splits. An encoding system was used be graphically overlain onto the user’s solution so any to represent the board features and was based on the differences can be seen. coding system used in Klinkhachorn’s (4) hardwood The separate optimization program determines op- lumber grading program. timum edging and trimming solutions by iteratively The primary function of the board display is to generating combinations of edging and trimming lines, translate the coordinates contained in a board image comparing lumber values from the different edging and file to a bit-mapped image on the computer display. trimming line combinations, and selecting a solution Different contrasting colors are used for each board that gives the highest value. Lumber values are com- feature so the user can easily distinguish between the puted based on volume and grade according to NHLA various feature types. Displayed images can also be rules. The optimization algorithm is discussed in more “flipped to compare the opposite faces of the board. In detail by Regalado et al. (8). addition to the displayed image, the board display Other measures are also included to provide perfor- presents and maintains useful information such as the mance feedback. The edging and trimming simulator overall length, width, and surface measure of the un- and the hardwood lumber grader can be used any num- edged and untrimmed piece of lumber. ber of times on a given board so the user can observe Edging and trimming simulator. – The edging and how incremental changes in the edging or trimming trimming simulator is used to place the edger and lines affect the lumber value. Useful statistics can be trimmer sawlines on the board display and to generate enabled in the display, such as the percent recovery in the corresponding piece of lumber to be graded. This lumber value. Also, a clock can be enabled so the user simulator allows the user to independently move the can observe how much time it takes to make a decision edger sawlines and the trimmer sawlines any number or how the time factor affects decision making. of times. The present resolution of the simulator is 1/4-inch increments for both the edger and trimmer Modes of operation sawlines. Every time an edger or trimmer sawline is The training program was designed to run in one of moved, the board display is updated to show where the two modes of operation, a training mode and a testing sawkerfs are to be placed and the resulting lumber mode. In the training mode, full access to all the pro- length, width, and surface measure. When the user is gram functions is allowed so the user can better learn satisfied with the placement of the sawkerfs, the sim- proper edging and trimming techniques. In general, the ulator generates an image file of the resulting piece of training mode allows the user to explore “what-if” type lumber. The lumber image file is generated by redefin- questions. For example, the user can observe how the ing the board outline coordinates and excluding all placement of edging and trimming lines can affect features that fall outside of the sawlines. The lumber lumber value. Questions can be investigated such as, image file is then processed by the hardwood lumber “How does the value change if I increase the board grader. width by 1/4-inch?” or, “How much wane can the board Hardwood lumber grader. – The lumber grading have before there is a drop in grade?” Also, the optimum component of the program employs Klinkhachorn’s (4) edging and trimming solution can be overlain onto the hardwood lumber grading routine to establish the board at any point in the training session so the user NHLA lumber grade. Potential grades used in the cur- can observe the sensitivity in lumber value. Relative to rent version are FAS, FAS 1-Face, 1 Common, 2A the optimum solution, questions can be answered such Common, and 3A Common. The grading routine uses as, “How much does lumber value change if I slightly the lumber image file generated from the edging and overedge the lumber?” Finally, changes in lumber trimming simulator as input. After the lumber grade is prices and how they affect lumber value can be ex- established by the grading routine, information is pre- plored in the training mode. sented by the board display, including the resulting The program testing mode is designed to test a lumber grade and lumber value. A database of unit user’s performance under a more realistic edging and prices for the various grades of hardwood lumber is trimming operation. Unlike the training mode, the used to established lumber value, and it can be up- sequence of events that occur in the testing mode are dated whenever necessary. fixed and occur in the following order 1) load a board Performance feedback. – To allow the user to ex- to be processed; 2) select the edge and trim lines; plore how different edging and trimming lines can affect 3) grade the board; and 4) display performance feed- lumber value, a mechanism is provided in the program back.
Recommended publications
  • PHASING in TECHNOLOGY Two Southern Mills Go Graderless
    Millwide INSIDERTHE MAGAZINE FROM USNR | MAY 2009 PHASING IN TECHNOLOGY Two southern mills go graderless BIBLER GOES GREEN Converting to clean, green lumber drying INTRODUCING BIOVISION New product brings vision to the green end Millwide INSIDER MAY 2009 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel.: 250.833.3028 [email protected] EDITOR Colleen Schonheiter [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sonia Perrine [email protected] Lean and green. USNR PARTS & SERVICE 7/24 Service: 800.289.8767 These are two of today’s hot ‘buzz’ words. The reality is, if you want Tel.: 360.225.8267 to stay in business in this rapidly changing world, these are two Fax: 360.225.7146 words you’d be wise to keep in mind. In the current context both Mon. - Fri. 5:00 am - 4:30 pm PT words are all about reducing waste, getting more out of available www.usnr.com resources and doing so in ways that are ecologically responsible. NeWNes-MCGEHee PARTS & SERVICE Like you, these words are important to USNR. That is why this issue 7/24 Service: 250.832.8820 is devoted to ways we can help you to be more lean and green. Tel. :250.832.7116 These days, mills need the flexibility to be able to adjust their Fax: 250.833.3032 Mon. - Fri. 5:00 am - 4:30 pm PT products quickly to take advantage of niche markets. Grade www.newnes-mcgehee.com optimization in both the dry and green mills facilitates just this kind of flexibility. It also allows mills to significantly improve their USNR LOCATIONS recovery performance.
    [Show full text]
  • Northeastern Loggers Handrook
    ./ NORTHEASTERN LOGGERS HANDROOK U. S. Deportment of Agricnitnre Hondbook No. 6 r L ii- ^ y ,^--i==â crk ■^ --> v-'/C'^ ¿'x'&So, Âfy % zr. j*' i-.nif.*- -^«L- V^ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO. 6 JANUARY 1951 NORTHEASTERN LOGGERS' HANDBOOK by FRED C. SIMMONS, logging specialist NORTHEASTERN FOREST EXPERIMENT STATION FOREST SERVICE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - - - WASHINGTON, D. C, 1951 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. Price 75 cents Preface THOSE who want to be successful in any line of work or business must learn the tricks of the trade one way or another. For most occupations there is a wealth of published information that explains how the job can best be done without taking too many knocks in the hard school of experience. For logging, however, there has been no ade- quate source of information that could be understood and used by the man who actually does the work in the woods. This NORTHEASTERN LOGGERS' HANDBOOK brings to- gether what the young or inexperienced woodsman needs to know about the care and use of logging tools and about the best of the old and new devices and techniques for logging under the conditions existing in the northeastern part of the United States. Emphasis has been given to the matter of workers' safety because the accident rate in logging is much higher than it should be. Sections of the handbook have previously been circulated in a pre- liminary edition. Scores of suggestions have been made to the author by logging operators, equipment manufacturers, and professional forest- ers.
    [Show full text]
  • Saturday, September 7Th, 2019 - 9:00 A.M
    Saturday, September 7th, 2019 - 9:00 A.M. Located at our facility between Frazee and Perham along Hwy 10 at 48208 Luce St. Perham, MN. From the intersection of US Hwy 10 and Co Rd 60, head West on Co Rd 60, then take your first right onto Luce Street and follow to the auction. May be Running Multiple Rings! Online bidding is available for the larger items through proxibid at www.bachmannauctioneers.com Tractors & Equipment Vehicles and Trucks Trailers Skid Steer -Attachments 1985 John Deere 8650 4WD Tractor, 4 1999 Chevy Silverado 1500 LS 2001 Wells Cargo 7x16 enclosed and Plows remotes, apprx. 40 percent on rubber, pickup, 4x4, V8 5.3 L auto, trailer, no rust, good tires, lights Bobcat 463 skid steer, 2675 hours, 4 hours 20.8-38 tires, heat, air, diesel engine, 227,000 miles, 3rd door ext. cab, and plug in cabinets on inside, since fall service and new battery at Swan- 9812 hours at time of listing good tires, newer front brake new spare tire, tandem axle, rear sons International 856 tractor with 1456 turbo lines, cracked windshield, comes swing doors, side door, 16ft in- Boss Polly V Plow 9ft 2 inch motor, 18.4-38 good rear rubber, 3pt. with spare parts cludes the tongue Meyer home plow snow plow for pickup dual hyd, repair invoices for recent re- 1998 Volvo C70 Convertible, 2 utility trailers Skid steer wood splitter attachment pairs are on hand 168,000 miles, collector plates, 2 Ski Kart 6x8 snowmobile trailer Skid steer pallet fork attachment 48 inch IHC Farmall 240 tractor with 2 point, push door Load Trail 20ft Skid
    [Show full text]
  • SUMMER 2013 Miller Industries’ SST™ Option Is Available for Both the Aluminum and Steel Versions of the 12 Series LCG Carriers, and Also on 10 Series Carriers
    PRSRT STD ON CALL 24/7 US POSTAGE PAID 8503 HILLTOP DR OOLTEWAH TN 37363 CPC INSIDE VIEW Constantly Looking Forward This issue of On Call 24/7 focuses both on our innova- 4 The Versatility of tive products and upgraded Miller Industries’ facilities. Car Carriers As you will see, we con- tinue to reinvest in our offer- 8 Miller Equipment 4 By Jeff Badgley ings to the industry we ser- From Around the CEO On The Cover vice. Our commitment to be World Miller Industries’ equipment demonstrations the leader in our industry has not and will 10 Rotator Review were once again a hit at the 2013 Florida Tow Show®. not waiver. Our job is to continue to improve A look at Miller Industries’ our products through innovative designs and heavy-duty evolution. improved processes to make your job of towing, recovery and transporting more 14 Concept to Reality manageable. Behind the scenes in product It is also our job to continue to invest in our development at Miller Industries. people and distribution network. Products and 18 Lifting a Loaded, facilities cannot serve you unless they are Dropped Trailer backed by an organization or a combination of Scenarios towing operators face daily organizations whose primary purpose is serv- when recovering trailers. 22 ing you, our customer. The importance of that organization or organizations surfaces as 22 Chassis Manufacturers you search the right product for your busi- Move Toward CNG Fuel ness opportunity and is continued through CNG fueled towing and recovery units? the product’s life span. You bet.
    [Show full text]
  • Handtools for Trail Work Forest Service
    United States In cooperation Department of with Agriculture Handtools for Trail Work Forest Service Technology & 2005 Edition Development Program 2300 Recreation February 2005 0523–2810P–MTDC You can order a copy of this document using the order form on the FHWA’s Recreational Trails Program Web site Notice at <http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/trailpub .htm>. This document was produced in cooperation with the Recreational Trails Program of the U.S. Department of Fill out the order form and submit it electronically. Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government Or you may email your request to: assumes no liability for the use of information contained in [email protected] this document. Or mail your request to: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manu- Szanca Solutions/FHWA PDC facturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in 13710 Dunnnings Highway this report only because they are considered essential to Claysburg, PA 16625 the objective of this document. Fax: 814–239–2156 The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, Produced by: who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data USDA Forest Service, MTDC presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect 5785 Hwy. 10 West the official policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Missoula, MT 59808-9361 This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or Phone: 406–329–3978 regulation. Fax: 406–329–3719 Email: [email protected] Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs —Cover photo: The 1924 Trail Gang in the Flume, Courtesy of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
    [Show full text]
  • Tree Girdling Tools
    Part 3 of 3 OPERATOR COMMENTS t the end of the evaluation, • Should have a double edge—it is • Do away with hook. an informal debriefing was only a right-hand tool now. • Add swivel to shaft where it enters conducted with the • Cutting edge should extend to tip. cutting head. AA evaluation team. The following statements are a compilation • The tool would balance better if • Put better guard over plug wire. of their comments, including those thinner tubing were used for the • If you bend over too far, the engine written on their data sheets and those handle. kills. made during the debriefing. These • Need a “gripping” surface on comments are important, but they do • Some heat came through the handle—too slippery when hands not represent the conclusions of this backpack. are sweaty or when wearing evaluation. gloves. • Operators should wear face masks as the cutter creates a lot of fine • Weight is about right. sawdust (filing rakers shorter might • A “T” handle to fit the palm of the alleviate this problem). The Hand Ax hand would be better when using • Operators should always cut to the • Least safe. the chisel point to peel bark. right. When cutting to the left, the • Too light. • The guard as now designed is unit always kicks back. good. • Single edge best for safety • Vibration was not a problem. purposes. • If the leaf-spring tree girdler is used on big trees with heavy bark, it is • Not good on big trees with thick an excellent tool to pry off bark bark. after a chain saw makes the initial The Chain Saw • A small ax will not work well late in top and bottom cuts.
    [Show full text]
  • MPAC Market Valuation Report Sawmills
    ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY GUIDE ASSESSING SAWMILLS IN ONTARIO 2016 BASE YEAR APRIL 2015 This document describes the assessment methodology that MPAC currently expects to use for the 2016 Assessment Update for properties for which the current use is as a sawmill and for which the current use has been determined by MPAC to be the highest and best use. Assessors exercise judgment and discretion when assessing properties and may depart from MPAC’s preferred assessment methodology when assessing a particular property, however, any deviation from these guidelines must be thoroughly documented. This document has been prepared by MPAC to help assessed persons review how the current value of the property likely will be determined, illustrate the uniform application of valuation parameters to the property type and consider whether MPAC’s subsequent assessed value is correct and equitable in comparison to the assessed value of similar real property so as to ensure the fair distribution of the property tax burden. The information in this document will help property owners to meet the requirements of subsection 39.1(4) of the Assessment Act and Rule 16 of the Assessment Review Board when providing reasons for making a Request for Reconsideration or filing an Appeal to the Assessment Review Board. © Municipal Property Assessment Corporation 2015 All rights reserved April 30, 2015 In accordance with the direction issued by the Minister of Finance on April 18, 2015, pursuant to subsection 10(1) of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation Act, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has published Assessment Methodology Guides for the following industries: • Pulp and Paper Mills; • Saw Mills; • Value-Added Wood Products Manufacturing Plants; • Steel Manufacturing Plants; • Automotive Assembly Plants; • Automotive Parts Manufacturing Plants.
    [Show full text]
  • Portable Milling Reference Guide V1.1 Created by Ian Hanna, Northwest Natural Resource Group Phone:360-379-9421, Email:[email protected], Web
    Portable Milling Reference Guide v1.1 Created by Ian Hanna, Northwest Natural Resource Group Phone:360-379-9421, Email:[email protected], Web: www.nnrg.org This reference guide is intended to educate new mill owners on the full spectrum of issues related to onsite milling, primarily with bandmills. The guide does not cover basic milling techniques or specific operating and maintenance procedures, which are typically included in manufacturer trainings and manuals. Last updated August 2007 - 1 - Note: See Glossary on last page for definitions 1. Safety Clearly, safety is the main concern in all aspects of mill operation. There are many hazards and the risk of severe or fatal injury is very real. Understanding the potential for these risks and planning for their prevention is critical to a safe working environment. 1.1. Safety equipment – Generally, safety equipment will be very similar to that required for felling or other chainsaw work. As a chainsaw is often used to prepare or modify logs going onto the mill, it’s a good idea to dress for both. Essential clothing includes: Hard hat Safety glasses (not just a helmet screen) Headphones (not earplugs) Tight fitting gloves (rubber coated cotton recommended) Heavy leather boots (steel toe optional) Heavy pants (chaps if operating a chainsaw) Heavy leather gloves (for changing and coiling blades) Comprehensive first aid kit, including eye wash Mobile phone or other communication device Passenger vehicle for emergency evacuation 1.2. Cutting risks – Never put hands, feet, foreign material, or any other object near the cutting head while the mill is running.
    [Show full text]
  • Potentialfor Small-Diameter Sawtimber Utilization by the Current Sawmill Industry in Western North America
    POTENTIALFOR SMALL-DIAMETER SAWTIMBER UTILIZATION BY THE CURRENT SAWMILL INDUSTRY IN WESTERN NORTH AMERICA FRANCISG. WAGNER+ CHARLES E. KEEGAN~ ROGER D. FIGHT SUSAN WILLITS+ I These management approaches will ABSTRACT New silvicultural prescriptions for ecosystem management on both public and likely result in an influx of small-diameter private timberlands in western North America will likely result in an influx of relatively sawtimber at existing processing plants small-diameter sawtimber for processing. Since sawmills currently process a majority thoughout the region. Since of sawtimber harvested in western North America (more than 80% in some regions), this process a sawtimber bar- study concentrated on determining the value of small-diameter sawtimber delivered to in & region (more than 80% in sawmills. Data were collected during the summer of 1997 to describe a representative the idand region of the western United random-length sawmill and a representative stud mill forthe inland region of the United States), this study concentrated on deter- States. Data included inputs for machinery, mill layout, machine speeds, volume and mining the value of small-diameter saw- gracte recovery, product prices, and fixed and variable manufacturing costs. A simulator timber delivered to sawmills. A simulator (MSUSP) was employed to describe the sawmills and to determine delivered-sawtimber (MSUSP) (21) was employed to describe values by stem diameter for each mill. The value of sawtimber delivered to a sawmill a representative random-length sawmill was based upon a 25 percent and a 10 percent return on investment (ROI) capital and and a representative stud mill for the re- upon covering only variable costs of production.
    [Show full text]
  • A Performance Evaluation of Edging and Trimming Operations in U.S. Hardwood Sawmills
    Stephen F. Austin State University SFA ScholarWorks Faculty Publications Forestry 1994 A performance evaluation of edging and trimming operations in U.S. hardwood sawmills Tony El-Radi Steven H. Bullard Stephen F. Austin State University, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, [email protected] Philip Steele Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestry Part of the Forest Sciences Commons Tell us how this article helped you. Repository Citation El-Radi, Tony; Bullard, Steven H.; and Steele, Philip, "A performance evaluation of edging and trimming operations in U.S. hardwood sawmills" (1994). Faculty Publications. 149. https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestry/149 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Forestry at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1450 A performance evaluation of edging and trimming operations in U.S. hardwood sawmills 1 TONY E. EL-RADI AND STEVEN H. BULLARD Department of Forestry, Mississippi Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, Mississippi State, MS 39762, U.S.A. AND PHILLIP H. STEELE Mississippi Forest Products Utilization Laboratory, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, U.S.A. Received March 25, 1993 Accepted December 21, I 993 EL-RADI, T.E., BULLARD, S.H., and STEELE, P.H. 1994. A performance evaluation of edging and trimming operations in U.S. hardwood sawmills. Can. J. For. Res. 24: 1450-1456. Edger and trimmer operators must make constant decisions in short time periods on the amount of materials to remove from boards produced in the sawmill.
    [Show full text]
  • Millwide Insider 2-2011
    Millwide INSIDERTHE MAGAZINE FROM USNR | ISSUE 2 - 2011 SHIFTING TO OVERDRIVE Murray Timber accelerates its primary line to broaden its market GOING GRADERLESS DOWN UNDER Australia’s WESPINE stakes its reputation on LHG’s vision technology KEEPING UP WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS A quick update on new products and enhancements at USNR Millwide INSIDER ISSUE 2 - 2011 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel.: 250.833.3028 [email protected] EDITOR Colleen Schonheiter [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sonia Perrine [email protected] USNR PARTS & SERVICE 7/24 Service: 800.BUY.USNR Ready to prosper Tel.: 360.225.8267 Fax: 360.225.7146 There are signs we are emerging from the global recession, and the Mon. - Fri. 5:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT industry is eagerly poised for a resurgence in demand. While it may www.usnr.com feel like we have been ‘through the mill’, one thing about surviving tough times is that many successful businesses can actually come USNR LOCATIONS out in a stronger position. While we hunker down into survival mode Woodland, WA we begin to look for innovative ways to make headway, or search Headquarters out niche markets we likely didn’t have time to pursue while we were 360.225.8267 busily filling orders during more prosperous times. In this issue we bring you stories of customers whose foresight and Parksville, BC Eugene, OR 250.954.1566 541.485.7127 smart business practices have positioned them to weather difficult times. Their good decisions made prior to and during the crisis have Plessisville, QC Jacksonville, FL afforded them resilience, and as financial pressures ease they’re ready to 819.362.8768 904.354.2301 take advantage of more affluent markets.
    [Show full text]
  • “Reading” Tool Marks on Furniture by Don Williams
    “Reading” Tool Marks on Furniture by Don Williams he process of producing lumber from a tree to lates to timbering, or working with big pieces of wood. a log to a cabinetmaker or joiner always leaves Sawing is cutting up pieces of wood with a saw, and is Tphysical evidence you can “read” from the more frequently referred to as lumbering. Secondly, it is surfaces of the lumber. As observers and caretakers of critical to identify the technology in question as being artifacts fashioned from these materials, it is vital for us human powered and controlled or machine powered to understand those marks so that we can consciously and controlled. In a pre-robotic age, while each tries study the creative processes and preserve their physi- to mimic the other, neither can fully succeed. That is cal evidence. There are three historical principles that our ace in the hole. explain this transformation from raw material to an intermediate usable form, and the attendant technologi- Hewing After the tree is felled by a felling axe or sawn down cal evidence. The first is the desire to most efficiently with something like a two-man timber saw, and re- extract a maximum amount of semi-finished material moved from the forest, the process of preparing the for the cabinetmaker from a finite raw material source, wood begins. In true hewing, the outside of the log is namely a log. The second is that cutting big pieces into cleaned up with peeling and cutting tools. This may be little pieces makes them easier to move and handle.
    [Show full text]