Story ata Glance

lnsist on both net and piece tallies. check loads upon ar. rival. learn to use a tally stick . . .ask questions. .deal with reputable suppliers.

your invoice. To be sure, insist on a piece tally.

The one species of hardwood that may not require a piece tally is alder. Unlike most hardwoods, alder is manufactured in relatively uniform widths and lengths, and so units of alder are uniform in footage. Block tallies on loads of alder from reputable dealers or sawmills can be remarkably accurate.

Third, always inspect loads of hardwoods carefully when receiving them. Estimate the footage in the load by roughly calculating the average board footage in four or five tiers of lumber, and then multiply that average by the number of tiers in the load. Count the number of pieces in the load and compare your count to the piece tally. If your results don't approximate the dealer's figures, take an exception to the shipment.

yard or take the

Even the busiest lumber manufacturing plant must time to make at least this type of rudimentary inspection. Make it part of your receiving procedure. If you don't inspect lumber when you receive it, you have no recourse later.

Finally, if you're not completely satisfied that you have received everything you're entitled to, ask questions. And keep asking questions until you are satisfied. There's nothing confusing about figuring board footageit's a simple mathematical formula. And remember, as the

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