Laminated Timber Conversion Table Scores for Morgan-Davidson Lumber

THE l-A\ll\ Al'ElJ Tl\llil'.R lorrrersiorr

I Iahlt'preserrlrd in ortr Jilnuilr\ i:sur'. pagt B. lras 1,r,,r1tt,',',1 orrlslanrlirrg rt.srrlts for Morgan-Dar idson Lumher Co.. Dowrrt'v. rsho rvas able to sav(' a (.ontra('tor $5":i00. sell laminated timbers to replacc steel. and makt' an extra profitl

This all started u'hen \'lorgan-lJavidson contacte(l Ed l,'ountain Lumlrer (io.. shortl.v after F ountain first mailed the stccl-totimber t'onvt'rsion chart to sevt'ral hnndred dealers in southenr California.

The project involved u a,s a recrt'ation and shopping centt'r consisting of six stores. a rollt'r rink. archt'ry ranple. pizza ls,staurant. and lrilliard parlor. \f ith tht' ,strit.t fire t ode for this tylit' of t'onstruction. it would rt'quire that the steel lream-* specifie<l be fi rt'-proofed. Tim Keller. I'{organ-Dar,i<lson sales represt'ntatir.<', suggestt'd to the contlactor that perhaps larninaterl timbers could lre substitrrted [or the steel girdt'rs.

After cht'ckirrg the t'onr.ersion table and with the structural engint'r'r. it u'as found that laminatcd timlrers t'ould be used [hroughorrt thr. lruilding. and the steel "I" beam-* elirninated. A further check u'ith

["ountain rt'r ealt'<l that laminated timlrt'rs <'ould he supplied for approrimately $:1.0{)t). The t'ost o[ the steel uas quoted at $9..-i(X), so tht' ('ontractor n ould seL'e $5.300. llorgan-Dalid-"on madt' the regular 10f?, profit on the laminatecl timbers plrrs a mightl' happr' <'ustomt'r. Needless to say. the t'llort requirt'd to ('onr('rt frorn stt'el to wood was rvell rewarded.

RITAItER SUPPLIE0 heavy laminated timbers support the complete roof struclure. The 15,000 sq. ft. building has accommodations for 500 people in the pizza restaurant and houses world's largest billiard parlor.

LAMINATED TIMBIRS SUBSTITUTING for the originally specified steel girders are viewed by lV. P. Shook, the contractor, Tim Kellar, Morgan-Davidson sales rep. and Pat Fitzgerald, the foreman. Because the timbers are of sufficient cross section, they do not have to be fireproofed. The fact that laminated timbers can be purchased in the exact length required and no special erection crews are needed, also accounts f0r much of the savinss with laminated timbers over steel.