Special & Stock Doors r

Over 500 Sizes & Kinds -

Lift Trucks

(Continued from page 12)the smaller "cushion tire" solid vehicles. Therefore when space is a concern, cushion tires are generally the best choice.

(6) Should the operator walk or ride? The primary consideration is need to cover distance quickly without undue operator fatigue. Is the distance short? Consider using walkie trucks, which are low in initial cost and are extremely maneuverable, an important consideration when you are loading trailers with palletized material. When material must be moved over long distances, a riding operator helps move material faster. The operator's productivity tends to last through the working day with minimum fatigue.

(7) Should the riding operator stand or sit? Where operators are on and off trucks constantly, a standing position is usually preferred because operators can mount and dismount readily. Consider that the operator who requires more head room, while standing all day, suffers from fatigue which lessens productivity. Sit- down trucks, on the other hand, offer operators more comfort and usually permit better access into and through low clearance areas.

(8) Specialized trucks. For picking orders, the best selection is often an order picker, whose operator stands on a platform behind the load and rides up and down with it. He can control truck travel and lift from the platform, selecting material from rack shelves and placing it on pallets. For carrying long, narrow loads in very narrow aisles, sideloaders are desirable, some are electrically operated and are used indoors, often in conjunction with cantilevered racks. The operator stays in his compartment at ground level. Sideloaders are also used for much heavier loads, in which case diesel power is used. Pneumatic tires permit operation over unimproved surfaces and out of doors. Another device for long load handling is the straddle carrier, usually an engine-powered machine which moves around and over a load like a chair over a toy. Loads are picked up by shoes or swinging fingers which move in under the load. A load supporting surface can also be swung un- derneath the load from the side.

Sideloaders and straddle carriers handle loads of great size and weight including 40' cargo containers used in ocean transportation.

Redwood Demand Gontlnuer

A wealth of consumer interest this summer in home remodeling projects using the lower cost garden grades of redwood (commons) is reported by the California Redwood Assn. Good news for dealers, says CRA, is that these grades are still in ample supply.

The uncertain housing market and record mortgage rates have convinced many homeowners to remodel their present home rather than buy a new one, and outdoor projects using garden redwood have become increasingly popular.

Energetic promotion of redwood commons, aimed at both consumers and specifiers, is continuing, and dealer sales aids are available. Many dealers have found CRA's popular new "how to" booklet, "Redwood Garden Structures You Can Build," to be an excellent consumer sales stimulator.

BLACK BART Hoo-Hoo club's annual Ft. Bragg bash drew nearly 75 recently for goll, socializing and a talk on deep sea fishing plus some door prizes. Present were (1) Marion Ward, Fred Holmes. (2) Bob Jensen, Joe Bowman, Joe Mayfield. (3) Don Sundstrom, Rick Curb; that's Jim Frodsham in background. (4) Dave Harrison, Don Michaelson. (5) Merl Tanner, Louie Loosely, Bill Niesen, who was program chairman. (6) Roger Howard, Pete Parrella.

ANNUAL SPORTS DAY' by San Joaquin

Hoo-Hoo Club, drew more than halJ a hundred to the Kingsburg club. Gary Johnson was gen. chairman; 1st low net in the golf was won by Brooks Shafler, low gross by Bill Oberholser. (1) Bill Oberholser, Roy Parsons, Tom Martin and Jim Froggett, winners of the Seouoia Forest lndustries Team Trophy. (21 Gary Johnson presenting high gross prize to Harry Ervin. (3) Bernie Barber, Jr. awarding main raffle prize to Arlie Ralls. (4) Chuck Wills, Pacific Forest Products; Damon Bailey, Valley Wholesale; Gary

Hodges, Hodges Building Materials; Arlie Ralls. (5) Brian Bonnington, Roy Parsons (wearing glasses), Bill Oberholser, Jim Froggett, Tom Martin, Elmer Rau, Craig Gaff ney. (6) Frank Montevecchi, Dick Kennedy and Elvin Haworth.

, Dealcr Butlnerl Study

Sales of consumer-oriented lumber/building materials dealers in 1973 rose nearly 15% over 1972 volume levels, according to a new complete cost-of-doing business study by the Home Center Institute and the National Retail Hardware Assn. on the nation's 2,000- plus consumer-oriented lumber/building materials dealers.

The study shows that lumber/building material dealers with retail sales floors operated on a 25.85% margin and showed a net operating profit of 3.53%. Net profit before taxes was 4.98%.

Average annual volume of the 307 dealers included in the study was $1.02 million and average inside selling area was just over 5,000 sq. ft. There are approximately 2,000 consumer-oriented lumber/building materials dealers in the country according to NRHA/HCI research director Richard A. Falk.

These dealers generated an estimated $2 billion dollars in volume during 1973 and make up the third prong of the concentrated hardgoods market which accounted for over $12.7 billion in volume during 1973.

The nation's 24,500 hardware stores did over $4.7 billion in 1973 while 5,200 home centers accounted for over $5.9 billion in 1973 sales.

Reporting lumber/building material dealers enjoyed a 22.76% profit on investment and turned their stock 4.8 times, had sales per sq. ft. of selling space (excluding outside sales area)'of nearly $200 and reached an average sale-percustomer of over $37.

16 New Memberr For SJ Club

Sixteen new members have been initiated into the San Joaquin Hoo-Hoo Club at its annual meeting in Madera, Ca.

New on the roster are: Wm. R. Smith, James H. Pickel, Norman J. Morrison, John J. Taylor, Richard E. Hipkins, Max Dazey, Michael A. Bakula, Robert S. Johnson, Bill L. Greer, Harry F. Ervin, Roy A. Parsons, Jerry W. DeCou III, Robert E. Bretz, Frank R. Talcott and Robert L. Nieson. Officiating at the concat were: Don Johnson. Jean Hartsock.

Steve Perrittee, Tom Lampe, Dale Smith, Mike Parli, Craig Gaffney, Bob Schlotthauer, Gordon Knott and Bernie Barber, Jr.

Newly elected officers are: president, Don Johnson; v.p., Norman Griesbach; sec.-treasurer, Bernie Barber, Jr.; vicegerent snark, Jean Hartsock. Directors: Craig Gaffney, Bob Schlotthauer, Normen Cords, Wally Kennedy, Ted Mathews.

Stud Grade Uro Up

Stud grade has in three years forged to the top in the Western species market for 2x4 lumber 10 feet and less in length, almost replacing the traditional threegrade sorting of construction, standard and utility.

The unexpected rapid rise of the new stud grade in the past year is shown by tabulations of lumber shipments by the Western Wood Products Assn. This grade was placed in the rules in 1970.

More than 55% of the 2.279 billion bd. ft. of 2x4 stud-length lumber shipped by Western mills in 1973 was stamped in stud grade, estimates WWPA's economic services department.

Its ratio has continued to rise swiftly in 1974. In a recent week, 84% of Douglas fir surfaced dry was graded stud, along with 57% of the D-fir surfaced green. Average for all species cut into wall studs is well above 60%for stud grade.

Its growing popularity with U.S. builders is obvious from the trend, and it is acceptable under all model codes, WWPA pointed out. Actually it tests out higher than standard grade in strength.

"The minimum piece of stud grade lumber is 42% stronger than the minimum piece in standard," explains Neal Pinson, technical services director. "The key here is size and location of allowable knots.

"Edge knots are allowed only up to l3/+" in width in the stud grade, compared to 2" in standard and 2Vz" in utility. Center knots may be up to 2t/2" but they must have sufficient fiber on both sides to assure the required strength.

Stud grade includes nearly all of the standard and better, and a large portion of utility.