Northwest hardwood meeting

I N ITS continuing drive for innovaI tion and improvement in its meeting programs, The Northwest Hardwood Association slanted the format of the 25th annual spring meeting to emphasize the mill aspect of the business. Kilns, boilers, fabrication, energy sources, saws, planers and cutterheads were all covered in a well received program put together by program chairman Arnold Curtis of Northwest Hardwoods, Inc.

Held early last month in Portland at the new Maniott Hotel, between eruptions of the Mount St. Helens volcano, the meetings were opened by president Dick Lambert of LaneStanton-Vance Lumber Co.

James Reitan, president of C.M. Lovsted Inc.. discussed cost factors of alternate fuels, such as bark, shavings, planer sawdust and indicated that often these can be a financially viable alternative to fossil fuels.

Storv at a Glance

Mill mitters dominate Northwest Hardwood Association meeting alternate energy sources, kilns, boilers, fabrication, saws alder use expected to remain strong.

William Brubaker of Wellons, Inc., presented a slide presentation showing a plant his firm consffucted for Paul Barber Hardwoods and the success they had utilizing wood residues over gas/oil sources, which had risen in cost.

Hildebrand North America's Mr. Heimerdinger spoke on electronic control of lumber drying, covering in technical detail subiects such as using steam from wood-waste, drying schedules, dry bulb vs. wet bulb drying techniques, temperature and moisture relationships.

Dick Elliott. CEAF Advanced Drying Systems, described his company's smaller and simplified kiln. He said that its unique recirculating and temperature features allow the elimination of many of a traditional kiln's components.

Next day's session, June 6, lead off with a talk by Doug Ward, Northwest Tube and Metal Fabricators, that stressed that the place to save money on a new facility was in the design stage. "A quality fabricator is essential," he said, adding that "an understandable bid package and time

0PEtllll8 UP meeting session with the NHA logo is lll Dave Sweitzer, Northwest Hardwood Assn., sec. mgr. l2l Jerry Nizich, Gordon Atkinson, Greg Atkinson. l3l Les 0liver, Bob Sherratt, Marcelline Crisanaz. [4] Ed Mason, Norm Ottoman, Mark Michie, Jack Kohl, Ed Slattery, Milan Michie. l5l Jim Baseman, Ken ThomDson, Otto Leuschel, allowed to quote it, without overly rigid and too detailed specs," was also very important. He advised use of 5-6 bidders per job and the scheduling of adequate time for project completion.

Speer & Jackon's Bob Creech presented an excellent film showing their saws in action.

Frank York and Al Richboure used a slide presentation to illustratiNewman-Whitney Company machinery in action, including steps taken to reduce noise from carbide cutterheads.

A look at market and furniture hends by Dick Behm of R.D. Behm Co., noted changing buying habits resulting in smaller cabinets in kitchens and bedrooms as these two areas of the house decline in size. He says projected use of a "great room" (an all-purpose living and dining room) will result in brand new groups of furniture.

He said that the kitchen market for wood cabinets should improve faster than the furniture side. Alder usage, especially painted, should contlnue strong.

Dan Zirkle. [6] Arnold Curtis, Clifl Chulos. l7l Jack Rose, Bob Peach, Ed Mason. l8l Gary Swaner, Dave Walther. l9l John Burns, Del Kelly, Dale Bull, Jack McMurtie. ll0l Jack Kohl, Jr., Jerry Hendryx. llll Suzanne Kohl, Gale Daugherty. ll2l Fred Nelson, Bob Carl, Eugene Ashe.

Wrapping up the convention program, at the family style luncheon, was a political talk by Daniel Goldy, an assistant to lameduck Oregon Congressman Robert Duncan which reviewed Washington, D.C. actions and their likely impact upon the Northwest hardwood industy.

In association business. a25%o dues increase was ok'd; as was an updating of the association's advertising and pamphlets. Membership has been gaining. It was agreed continued work is needed on log procurement.

A grading school is set for Aug. ll-22: at th; Thunderbird lnn, Kets5, Wa. The next meeting of the NHA will be Nov. 12-15 on the Island of Maui, Hawaii. The next spring meeting will be at the Red Lion in Portland, probably during June.