Scott A. Bowe

Exploring methods for prevention of oxidative stain in soft maple

Interior gray enzymatic oxidative stain for white woods such as maple has plagued the wood industry for many years because methods that have been found to reduce stain are hard to scale up to industrial levels. We examined possible alternative treatments to eliminate stain in soft maple (Acer rubrum L.), and found that exposure to sulfur dioxide gas eliminates interior gray stain and that staining might occur at different temperatures depending on the age of the logs. Comparing sawn and split boards showed that both eliminated surface stain, but sawing eliminated it to a greater depth. A mild kiln schedule also seems to reduce staining, and this solution may be easier and more economical to implement on an industrial scale, both domestically and internationally, because no other processing is required.

Opportunities and challenges for the export of U.S. value-added wood products to China

This report explores some of the opportunities for, and challenges associated with, exporting wood products to China. Five topics are examined: an overview of trends in forestry and forest products in China, export opportunities and challenges for U.S. primary wood producers (Study 1), export opportunities and challenges for U.S. secondary wood producers (Study 2), relevant barriers to trade, and a compilation of state export resources. This work is based on observations from three trade missions to China (March 2004, March 2005, and July 2006), interviews with persons knowledgeable with hardwood markets in China, and two surveys of Chinese forest products business groups.

Are there regional differences in US hardwood product exports

Abstract Exporting is a critical component of the product mix for many domestic hardwood firms. Previous research has identified factors associated with hardwood lumber exporting behavior, but less is known about the advantages and disadvantages to exporting associated with the region within which a firm is located, or about exporting of secondary hardwood products. A procedure comparing a measure of production (employment) to the level of exporting in three US hardwood regions (based on aggregations of state-level data) was used to contrast regional relative exporting of primary and secondary products. Several factors were then considered as possible explanations for the observed regional differences. Overall, the results suggested that proximity to seaports (i.e., the East Coast) benefited exporting of both hardwood lumber and secondary products, but the impact was greater for lumber. Thus, for secondary products, regional exporting barriers appeared to be lower. Firm size and sawtimber quality and spec...

Drying Temperature to Reduce Oxidative Discoloration in Soft Maple

Color degrade in soft maple can be minimized by drying soon after harvest at temperatures that do not exceed 43 °C.

Optimum drying temperature to prevent oxidative stain in soft maple

The objective of this paper is to determine the kiln conditions necessary to avoid interior enzymatic oxidative discoloration in soft maple. Three drying chambers were designed and constructed to control temperature and relative humidity of maple test samples. The tests showed that drying as soon as possible after harvest at temperatures below 42°C will greatly reduce drying discoloration in soft maple.