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LUNCHEON SPEAKER WItt BE JOHN B. EGAN, IONG.TIME LUMBERMAN, WHOSE ADDRESS WII.T DEBUNK WIDEIY-HEID MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE TUMBER INDUSTRY

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'll/J,oJ pr"ludo Orvonrration o, -4ooociation

How to Buy Lumber

Buying lumber profitably helps enable a dealer to sell lumber profitably.

Much money has been lost and much litigation started because lumber dealers have placed orders for lumber without having a clear understanding with the seller as to just exactly what was to be shipped. Many times the dealer has been left "holding the bug'"

For legal protection, a written order is necessary. Even between friends, there can be misunderstandings when reliance is placed on verbal orders.

Of the many ways to write a lumber order, the following two are used most:

One way is to put on the order every little detail that the buyer wants covered, such as defects, moisture content, etc. This way is cumbersome and dangerous, in that some detail might be forgotten.

The other and better way is to choose from the association grading rule book the grade that is wanted. Use the exact association grade name and add to your written order the sentence . . "This lumber is to be furnished in accordance with the grading rules of such and such Association." Under today's requirements of FHA and other agencies, it would be advisable also to request grade-marked lumber.

Every dealer should have copies of the grading rules of the associations governing the different woods the dealer buys and should get as familiar as possible with these rules.

Among other things the rule books tell what thicknesses and widths are guaranteed in the various grades of the difierent species.

To keep costs down, never order larger sizes than association standards. For instance, the standard dressed width of 1"x6" Douglas fir is 51/z".If you order a dressed width of $3/n", you will have to pay for 8" wide stock instead of 6". Ordeting lumber o'sawn full thickness or width" gives the buyer no protection. The seller can claim the stock was sawn full but subsequently shrank. If a buyer wants to pay for plump lumber, he should specify the thickness or width "on arrival."

To save money, order standard mouldings if at all possible. If absolutely necessary to buy special mouldings, be sure the thickness and widths are such that they can be run out of standard sizes of lumber.

Although rule books were prepared primarily to provide a basis of agreement between buyer and seller, they are written to protect the lumber manufacturer more than the dealer. Accordingly, the dealer should learn enough about the rules to know what the manufacturer can ship under the standard grades as they are in the rule books.

Standard grades often contain provisions objectionable to the dealer. For instance, do you want random lengths 3 to 20-ft. in multiples of l-ft.; or, a moisture content of 12 to 25/o; or :unlimited sapwood; or any number of other features which some

by John Reno Polco Redwood

grading rules admit. You may get all these features the rules allow unless you write your orders so as to prohibit those you do not wish.

Suppose a dealer orders 20M' BM of I"xI0"-10/20' in even lengths, "C" & Btr. flat grain Douglas Fir with a moisture content range of 8% t" I2%, S4S with eased edges l/32" radius. He also writes on his order "Lumber to be in accordance with grading rules of the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau with special requirements indicated above." The special specifications he added are IO/2U lengths, in even lengths only, moisture content range of B to 12% and eased edges l/32" radius. None of these are standard in the rule book. However, they are readily available from high class manufacturers of Douglas Fir who are members of the W.C.L.A.

However, it is best to buy standard grades, sizes and patterns when they will fill your needs. Usually they are lower in price, more quickly available, easier to get in small quantities, more readily bought in desirable lengths and more convenient to match if repairs are needed. When special patterns are ordered, generally the dealer is expected to take the product of the machine, including trims, all lengths developing and downfall in grade.

If need be, ordinarily a big mill will readily cancel an unshipped order for standard stock but it is not fair for a dealer to expect a mill to cancel an order for lumber already run to a special or non-stock pattern. However, special specifications usually can be bought if they are of the practical and common sense varlety.

When ordering paneling and other patterns, instead of asking for V-joint or beaded or some other description, try to specify a definite pattern number, giving the association designation, as for instance WPA pattern WP4 or CRA Pat. No. 210. When you do this, the mill knows exactly what you want; size of V-joint, etc.

Unless a combination of grades is listed in the rule book under a grade name as for instance "C & Btr. flat grain Douglas Fir Finish," with permitted defects shown a dealer has no assurance as to what percentage of grades he will get when he orders a certain grade and adds the phrase "and better." This applies, for instance, to ooStandard & Btr. Douelas Fir Boards" and "A & Btr. California Redwood Finish." The way the dealer can protect himself is to state a percentage he will accept or will not accept; as, for example, "Standard & Btr., not over 25/o Standard" or "A & Btr. at least 5O/o Clear Heart."

Lumber is generally graded from the good face with the reverse face one grade lower. W'hen ordering two face patterns, you can specify which pattern is to be run on the good face. Generally when a dealer refers to the good face, he means the face with the fewer defects on it. My recommendation, when ordering two face patterns in flat grain lumber, is to order the face you want to be best to be run on the 'obark" side of the board. You may end up with a few more defects on this face in some boards but you will more than make up for this by having the preferred face on the smoothest side of the piece. Buyers of rough (unsurfaced) lumber can accomplish the same objective by including as a part of their written order for rough lumber, the proviso that