80% of This Yard's Yolume Is in the Pre-Cut Field

Even with the additional cutting charge tacked on and a fair mark-up on the lumber, they found a ready market for the studs and blocking because builders discovered they more than made up the extra cost out on the job.

The firm, well used to adapting to the times, was originally established as a wholesale operation by Lu Green and Harry Gamerston atll2 Market Street, San Francisco, in 1932. The firm later leased property on the San Francisco and Oakland docks, and gradually worked into lumber distribution and jobbing to a greater extent. During World War II, the Bay area docks were taken over by the 4rmy, whereupon Gamerston & Green's Oakland yard was moved to its present location at 2ffi1 Livingston and the San Francisco yard was moved to Tunnel Ave. Big Supplier to Tracts and Industrials

Over the years, Gamerston & Green Lumber Company has developed into one of the biggest suppliers of volume lumber to big tract developments and industrials in Northern California. Harry Gamerston presently heads the organization and Lu Green is executive vice-president. Working with them in the executive department are Fred Ziese, Wes Collins, John Gamerston and Ev Lewis, all vice-presidents of the big organization.

Since entering the pre-cut business shortly after World War II, the Gamerston & Green Oakland yard has gradually expanded into the pre-cutting of other dimension stock, until today nearly 8O/o ot the yard's volume is in the pre-cut field ! Presently, as well as cutting studs to exact length, the firm now pre-cuts mudsills and top plates to order. Jack studs and cripples are cut to exact length, as are rafters. The bevel at ridge and eave is cut accurately as well as the bird's mouth cut over the top plate. The only items not cut are materials such as roof decking, subflooring, etc.

The firm has found a ready-made market for pre-cut stock. Obviously, a builder isn't interested in lumber as lumber itself. His interest is in building a home out of it

. . as quickly and as economically as possible. If a yard can supply him rvith dimension stock, requiring no cutting and ready to nail together for framing, at an additional cutting cost charge under rvhat it .lvould cost the builder on-the-job, that yard has a job !

This is the sales tool that Gamerston & Green has incorporated into its operation. However, it has taken several years of research and trial and error to establish a sound, workable pre-cut operation. Today, the firm stands as one of the leaders in the region in the pre-cut field. And here's how they do it:

First of all, Gamerston & Green screens the builders in the area closely, narrowing the prospects don'n to the larger, reliable subdivision builders lvho are planning to put up at least 10 homes of similar design. \\rhile the cost of working up a cutting list for srnaller developments is considerable, once the list has been perfected for a certain design home, the yard can then accept orders from these builders-even on a ferv units.

Once a Gamerston & Green salesman l.ras located a good prospect, the builder and the salesman get together and prepare a preliminary cutting list from t1-re builder's plans. IJsually, a big builder will use three different home designs in his subdivision, therefore a separate cutting list is drar.r'n up for each design.

A pilot house for each design is then constructecl, from which the builder and Gamerston & Green's salesman correct the preliminary cutting lists and develop a detailed cutting list for each design. The final cutting list must be detailed because, in pre-cutting of framing, even 1/16inch could throw the whole project off. The builder assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of the final cutting list.

The corrected cutting list is then taken into Gamerston

& Green's pre-cut department and maintained on file so that future jobs can be taken from it. After the pre-cut framing has been delivered for the first few homes, the salesman and builder again check the units for any add! tional minor changes. The cutting listis then altered accordingly, and the framing for the entire tract can be cut at will.

As stated before, a charge is made for the cutting service; however, Gamerston & Green can point out with perfect truth that the builder will pay more for on-the-job measuring and cutting than he will under Gamerston & Green's mass production pre-cut method. A carpenter using pre-cut materials can just about throw away his saw !

The mainstays of tl're lvhole pre-cutting operation at Gamerston & Green Lumber Company are two pairs of big radial arm saws. Each pair allorvs t\'vo saw operations to the saw man, and therefore a minimum of setups. The pre-cut operation of each setup is handled by a sar,vman and one assistant. The assistant brings in the stock from the yard and marks each piece for identification. The sawman then adjusts his sar,vs according to the cutting list for the specific item, and feeds the stock back through the sarvs to his assistant.

Builder Works from Top of Load

The material from both of the pre-cut operations is then picked up by a package clerk, r,vho rvorks according to the cutting list in preparing a truckload that will include all of the needed material, and the correct number of each items, to complete the framing of one entire home.

The items are so placed in the load that, r,vhen the delivery is made, the builder has only to cttt the steel band strapping and just'nork off the top of the load as the mate-

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