Janice K. Wiedenbeck

1992 Data Bank for Red Oak Lumber

The 1992 Data Bank for Red Oak Lumber is a collection of fully described FAS, Selects, No. 1 Common, and No. 2A Common boards (a total of 1,578 at present). The data bank has two unique features to aid in sample selection. The first feature is the double grading of FAS, No. 1 Common, and No. 2A Common boards to reflect the surface area in grading cuttings when grading with standard National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) procedures and when using as many grading cuttings as possible under NHLA rules. The latter gives a more accurate predictor of the potential utility of the board. The second feature is the inclusion of quality levels for the No. 1 Common and No. 2A Common boards. Written for researchers and industrial decision makers who may have only a limited knowledge of the NHLA grades, the data bank contains a limited description of factors affecting the grades. Included are a description of Realistic Grading System (ReGS), the computer program for grading lumber; some reasons why lumber users who buy kiln dried lumber may want to specify the Special Kiln Dried Rule; the effect of kiln-drying on soundness of knots; and the surprising finding that relatively few No. 1 Common and No. 2A Common boards contain any pith at all.

Product costing program for wood component manufacturers

Abstract Accurate and timely product costing information is critically important for companies in planning the optimal utilization of company resources. While an overestimation of product costs can...

A Regression-Based Method for Estimating Rip-First Rough-Mill Lumber Yield

Estimating yield from lumber cut-up in rip-first rough mills for material management and job costing purposes is uncertain unless simulation models are used. To augment the toolbox for industry practitioners, a novel yield estimation model was derived using linear least squares techniques and data derived from an orthogonal, 220–11 fractional factorial design of resolution V. The model estimated 450 of 512 cutting bills tested within 1 percent absolute yield. However, cutting bills that do not adhere to the model’s framework suffer a larger estimation error. The least squares estimation model thus is a helpful tool in ranking cutting bills that adhere to the model’s framework for their expected yield levels and facilitates the selection of part sizes to be included in cutting bills. Further research is needed to make the model useful for a wider range of cutting bills.

Wood Quality of Old-Growth Koa Logs and Lumber

Abstract Acacia koa trees are ecologically, economically, and culturally significant to the Hawaiian Islands. Koa wood is one of the most valuable species in the world and sale of koa products represents a majority of all the Hawaiian wood products sold by Hawaiian retailers. Today, there is concern in Hawaii among foresters, forest landowners and managers, wood products manufacturers, and the public that the remaining old-growth koa resource has become scarce, is suffering from declining health and diseases, and is characterized by poor growth form. Current practices require harvest of only dead and dying trees and using downed material in wood products manufacturing. We examined lumber volume and value recovery from logs sawn from dead and dying trees and from relic logs (logs that have been on the ground) from four sites on the island of Hawaii. Gross lumber recovery from all study logs was 71 percent. Log size did not significantly influence lumber volume recovery. Forty-five percent of the lumber man...

Product costing guide for wood dimension and component manufacturers

The North American hardwood dimension and components industry plays a critical role in the hardwood forest products industry as the industry is a user of high-value hardwood lumber. Customer expectations, global markets, and international competition, however, require hardwood dimension and components manufacturers to continuously improve their ability to manage their products and businesses. Accurate and timely product costing information is critically important for companies in planning the optimal utilization of company resources. While an overestimation of product costs can lead to loss of potential business and market share, underestimation of product costs can result in financial losses to the company. This paper introduces a product costing software package called WoodCite, which is designed specifically for small and medium-sized hardwood dimension and components manufacturers. WoodCite allows companies to determine product costs and create competitive bids based on their information. WoodCite uses a regression model to estimate overhead cost of a product based on historical cost information provided by the user. The application is available for free at http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/tools/WoodCite/.

Data bank for short-length red oak lumber

The data bank for short-length lumber (less than 8 feet long) contains information on board outlines and defect size and quality for 426 4/4-inch-thick red oak boards. The Selects, 1 Common, 2A Common, and 3A Common grades are represented in the data bank. The data bank provides the kind of detailed lumber description that is required as input by computer programs that analyze rough mill yield.