BnDIU00D---$till $haking Down

Bv SEIIWYN I. SHARP Cclilornio Redwood Associction Sqn Frcncisco, Ccrlilornicr

When Kenneth Smith wrote The California Lumber Merchant about the Redwood situation a year ago, he used the title, "l948-Shakedown Year?" In his outline he included, "We started this year being sure that 1947 would be the year when the insistant demand for Redwood in any shape, form or fashion would let up and we come to the end of the year wondering if we can be as wrong again in expecting the industry to shake down in 1948 We believe that by the end of 1948 the pattern for the years to come will have been pretty well set." At the end of 1948, with back-sight to guide us, we appreciate the wisdom of putting the question mark in the title, and lack enthusiasm in making at attempt to look forward through 1949 and, guessing what will happen during the coming year.

There is no doubt that real and substantial progress has been made toward the conditions which Mr. Smith foretold but there is also no doubt that the pattern for the years to come has not yet been well set.

The seasoning committee of the Association has completed the test runs in their experimental kiln through which they developed procedures and schedules which will improve the quantity and quality of kiln dried lumber. New kilns which have been designed to take full advantage of the findings of the experirnental kiln have been completed by one member mill and are in process of construction at another. At least two dry kiln installations are definitely scheduled for early construction and others are planned for a less definite starting dafe.

The ,A,ssociation has recently established a research committee which will explore the possibility of undertaking other research projects which may benefit the Redwood industry and its customers as definitely as the rvork of the seasoning committee has done.

Since making the services of the Department of Inspection and Grades available to mills that are not full Association members, the number of mills that are using the graders training program of this department has more than doubled..

' The Association is regularly releasing new promotional literature; has established a little publication-Redwood News; has re-established the farm structures service and has intensif,ed field work with dealers, architects, builders and users. The Association's industrial motion picture in

'technicolor, rvhich is being produced by Gene K. Walker, should be released early next year.

Green lumber has continued to dominate mill shipments but much more kiln dried Redwood was shipped and used in 1948 than in the preceding year and still larger amounts of even better seasoned Redwood will be available in the future. The mills with kilns have succeeded in increasing their stock somewhat. This means that partial air seasoning before kiln drying is again possible for a larger portion of the kiln dried output which in turn means a larger output for a given battery of kilns and a better end producl Stocks piled for air dried shipments have also increased' somewhat and improvements have been made in many drying yards.

It is also a fact that a larger proportion of the new mill lumber entering the market is of a better quality from the standpoint of both manufacturing and grading. At the moment it looks as if selective buying will quite soon eliminate the poorly manufactured, untrimmed, poorly graded Redwood that has been marketed by some of the small mills. There has been progress toward the establishment of companies that will sort, grade and remanufacture the products of mills not equipped to {o this themselves. Progress toward seasoning lumber by companies of this kind has been much slower but is more clearly in the future picture than was the case a year ago.

.Another large, modern plywood plant has been completed. We hope that next year we can report that Redwood plywood is again available.

What will all cif this mean to the dealer and his Redwood customers in 1949? In our opinion, scarcity of just lumber without consideration of quality, grade or size, is past unless we get into another war or a stepped up defense program. There should be all the Redwood you want even though Association members alone will not yet be able to supply all the requirements of their custombrs. Quality, manufacturing and grading of Redwood from the newer mills should be better. There will be less "splashing,' green 'Redwood;' more air seasoned or partially seasonld Redwood; much more, but not nearly enough, high quality kiln dried Redwood. The Association will be better equipped to help the dealer do a better job in selling and servicing his Redwood customers and to help its member companies in their objective of furnishing a product that will best serve the rleeds of the desighi:rs, builders and owners of high quality homes.