Straight Laminated Timbers Now Available As "strndard" Product Through Lumber Dealers

An in'rportant milestone in "timber fabrication', r\.as reached rece'tl1- *.hen straight, glued, laminatecl tirnbers of any size were made availaltle through retail Inml>er dealers.

Nou', big laminated timbers can be incluclecl in the lum_ ber orcler on any job. Delivery on time is assurecl. Definite, reetsonable prices are listecl and can be figurecl_in on the job in advance, lvith complete certainty.

The Ed Fountain Lumber Co., I-os Angelcs l,holesale lumber dealer, has pioneered this progressive step, n.hich makes straight, glued, laminated timbers :r ,.standard', builcl_ ing product insteacl of a highlil engineered, expen.sive "timber stmcture" available only through fabrication com_ panies.

The nerv product is known as ,,F'ountain Lan.r-Loc Tin.rbers." They are made to exact specifications, on order, in a ne\v laminating plant operated by the Ed Fountain l_um_ ber Company. The plant is ecluipped to produce onlv straight laminated timbers, no curvecl, arched. or taperei members that require special engineering ancl special manu_ facturing set-ups.

The only variations are size (from 3x12 up to l2xZ4 or cssuring cccurote, unilorm pressure throughout lhe even larger); and length (anvthins rrp to 80 feet). The resrrlting simplicity. in operation is reflected in a much lorver cost than is usually associatecl rvith laminated struc_ tural timbers.

"Fountain I-am-l,oc Timbers" are a tirnely ansu.er to a serious problem ncln' facing the lrrmber and building industries. The last t.rvo decades have r,vitnessed the rapidly cle_ creasing availability of "big sticks." Our supply of virgin timbe: has drvindlecl, and the demands of the plyi,vood in_ dustry for peeler logs have consumed the over-size logs that formerlv furnished large structural timbers. Nfore and more architects and builders have been turning a\\,a). from the rrse of bi.q timbers to steel and other substitutes. er-en though less satisfactory in many cases.

What is the answer? It is no longer practical to u,ait 400 vears or more for trees to attain the necessarl. size to cut these structural timbers. So the ans\\.er lies in glued. laminatecl timbers . r"naking "big ones out of little ones.', \\,-hile glued laminated t.oorl timbers are not nerv, they have lteen limited tl'rus far to tl.re classification of a speciai. custom-engineered product, u'ith its accompanving high costs. Extensive technical research during and after World

War II has proven glued laminated timbers to be a unique stru,ctural material, with properties superior to those of solid timbers in strength and utility when manufactured to proper specifications.

This recognition has extended to architects and engineers. Specifi,cations have been drawn up by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association and have been generally accepted by city and state building departments. It remained only for someone to bring this product from the high-cost, specially-engineered category to that of a practical product, readily available at reasonable cost through the regular channels of the lumber industrv.

To manufacture glued, laminaied timbers to proper specifications is no simple task. It requires engineering skill and ingenuity. It is still a relatively new field in which quality of product depends on a thorough technical'knowledge of lumber, its handling and working.

The Ed Fountain Lumber Company tackled the job. They felt particularly well-qualified, having the experience and "know-how" with lumber, plus the necessary large supply of proper grades of lumber, plus yarding, drying and milling facilities at their wholesale distribution yard in Los Angeles and their mill in Oregon. It took almost a year to com-

Urges Change in Mining Regulations

Wendell T. Robie, general manager of the Auburn Lumber Company, Auburn, Calif., has sent the following letter to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Western Pine Association, and the California Redwood Association, regarding a regulation which prohibits any mining operator from building a head frame of timber construction:

"ft has been called to our attention by some of the California miners, tfiat the California State Department of Industrial Welfare has developed and is enforcing a regulation which prohibits any mine operator from building a head frame of timber construction. The ruling demands that they construct a head frame of steel.

"Heavy timber construction has been normal for head frames in the mines of California through all the years of history. Perhaps there has been an. oc,casional instance which might indicate hazard from fire, but no doubt hazards of equal danger would occur and might be pointed out plete the new laminating plant and solve the many complications involved, an indication of their thoroughness in doing the job right, once undertaken. for a steel structure (perhaps electrical or lightning danger). With the opportunity of fire protection at moderate cost, or perhaps fire resistant treatment, even this little hazard concerning a wooden structure could be totally eliminated.

"Fountain Lam-Loc Timbers" are being sold only through retail lumber dealers. The cost naturally is higher than solid timbers, but the added cost is more than oftset by the important advantages of greater strength; freedom from warping, twisting and cracking; ready availability; and economy of installation by the regular crew of carpenters on a job.

The architect or engineer specifies the exact size required, just as he does any other item of lumber on the job. The lgmber dealer obtains a definite price quotation in advan,ce and handles the order according to his usual procedures. The "Lam-Loc Timbers" are manufactured by the Ed Fountain Lumber Company, with prompt service, reasonable cost and, most important, the reliability for which the Fountain concern has long been noted.

The company plans to make "Lam-Loc Timbers" available in other parts of the country in the near future through franchised plants in key cities.

(Note: Fountain Lam-Loc Timbers is a registered trade mark.)

"Lumber and timber are a natural resource product of California and their use for this purpose should be retained. Many times the demands for domestic mining production comes at a time of national emergency, when steel is not available and when its use should be confined to the needs of defense and armament. Even under present conditions, it seems foolish that such a regulation lvould subtract steel from greater demand to substitute for the efficient and readily available timber stiucture.

"The production of the mills of many of your members are readily available for present and potential mining development. We hope you have the expert or technical information which you will present to this state department, irr order to secure a change in this resolution."