Rule book changes

EFLECTING an end to the long and sometimes bit. ter arguments over how hardwood lumber should legally be sold, the National Hardwood Lumber Association is sending its members corrected pasteover sheets for the NHLA Rules Book. The new rules affect anyone and everyone selling hardwood. Two of the NHLA sheets are reproduced on this page.

This regulation culminates two years of negotiations, with give and take on both sides, at two national conferences, five weights and measures regional conferences, and three meetings with the NCWM Laws and Regulations Committee.

The regulation finally approved by the NCWM, which is in accord with the recommendations of the NHLA kiln dried measurement committee and board of managers, reads as follows:

Special Ittspection Kiln Dried Lumber

The Model State Resulation adooted bv the National Conference on Weighti and Measures on- July 21, 1977 specifies that: "(l) Sales of hardwood lumber measured after kiln drying shall be quoted, invoiced, and delivered on the basis of net board footage, with no addition of footage for kiln drying shrinkage. (2) Sales of hardwood lumber measured prior to kiln drvine shall be quoted, invoiced, and deiivered on the bdsis-of net board footage before kiln drying. If the lumber is ro be kiln dried at the request of the purchaser. the kiln drying charge shall be clearly showri and identified on the quotation and invoice." This regulation has been approved by the NHLA Board of Managers and is recognized as law in many states and local jurisdictions.

When inspecting kiln dried lumber National InspeCtors will make no additions for estimated kiln shrinkaee.

Contracts for kiln dried lumber should specify cleaily which of the following rules is to govern:

Standard Kiln Dried Rule

If Official National Inspection is ordered afrer lumber sold under this rule has been kiln dried. the followrns specifications shall be aDDlied:

- Checks and warp shbll not be considered defects. No distinction can be hade between checks and waro which may have been present before kiln drying and which developed during' kiln drying. Rough kiln ?ried lumber specifi6d 3/8 in.-to lrzr iri. ihick miy be l/16 in. scant oT the ndminal thickness; 2 in. and thi'cker may be l/8 in. scant and the l0% of scant quartered lurirber admitted by Paragraph 35 may be3132 in. scanr on one 9dg-e in I in. to 172 in. lumber and 3/16 in. on one edge in 2 in. and thicker. The minimum widths mentioned in all grades may be % in. scant in width and the l0% admitted by Paragraph l0 may be 7: in. scant in width. In other respects the rules for grading air dried lumber shall apply.

National Inspectors will mark certificates under these specifications "Standard Kiln Dried Rule Aoolied."

- Special Kiln Dried Rule

Kiln dried lumber will be graded and measured as such_, the grading rules for air dried lumber to be applied in all respects, except that the allowance for scant thickness and width as defined in the Standard Kiln Dried Rule will apply.

National Inspectors will mark certificates under this rule "Special Kiln Dried Rule Applied."

(1) Sales of hardwood lumber measured after kiln drying shall be quoted, invoiced and delivered on the basis of net board footage, with no addition of footage for kiln drying shrinkage.

(2) Sales of hardwood lumber measured prior to kiln drying shall be quoted, invoiced and delivered on the basis of net board footage before kiln drying. If the lumber is to be kiln dried at the request of the purchaser, the kiln drying charge shall be clearly shown and identified on the quotation and invoice.

Story at a Glance

Major changes in how hardwood lumber must be sold after kiln drying Now official for the rule book, the changes end more than two years of wrangling . . hardwood must now be quoted, invoiced and delivered on the basis of net board footage.

This means that transactions for lumber which is sold as kiln dried and was last measured in its kiln dried state must be on a net measurement basis. There can be no adding back of footage for kiln shrinkage and this must be reflected in the price only.

However, lumber measured in its green or air dried state may be sold on that basis and if the customer wishes the lumber kiln dried the charge for that service should be shown separately.

The NHLA board of managers voted last October to eliminate the Table of Shrinkage Values from the Rules Book and the new page 98 (see sample on this page) replaces this table with pertinent information concerning kiln drying and technical references.

The entire NHLA Rules Book will be reprinted next January to incorporate these pages as well as rules changes approved at the 1977 convention, which was held in early October, as this issue was being printed.