Macdonald Report

White Specks in Fingerjoined Studs

Changes in the amount of white speck allowed in the fingerjoined area were approved at the NLGA Directors Meeting in Sep­tember.  White speck is now unlimited if only on one side of the joint.  If on both sides it is restricted to 1/3 total vol­ume.  If the white specks are over 1/3 volume then the permitted knot size shall be reduced.  The key here is for employees on the assembly line ahead of the fingerjoiner is to stagger blocks with white speck with those with­out white speck.  This would cover the white speck provi­sion of the vast majority of pieces with the grader mak­ing final decision on knots.

Recommended Reading

Dave Leckey has written a book called  ”Buying & Selling Softwood Lumber - A Guide to the Lum­ber Market of North America.”

    This is a well thought out book published by Random Lengths with answers to many questions one would have regarding the manufacture and distribu­tion of softwood lumber products.

    For more information contact Random Lengths Publications Inc. on their toll free # 1-800-874-7979.

No.2&BTR Grade Stamps?

Not yet.  Although it is common practice to invoice and ship lumber with the NO.2&BTR designation, we are not allowed to label lumber NO.2&BTR.  The regulations state the “&BTR” designation can only be ap­plied to the top two grades of any item.  For example “STAND&BTR” is acceptable in Light Framing, as there is only one grade higher than Standard which is Construc­tion.  But “STAND&BTR” is not acceptable in Para. 114 Boards because there are two grades higher than Standard which are Select Merchantable and Construc­tion.

The Canadian agencies and some of the American agencies are working toward a No.2&BTR for Structural Light Framing but at this time there is no consensus.

Message to all Macdonald Inspection (MI) Grade Stamp Subscribers

Greeting and best wishes for the new year.  Despite indications of a difficult year we hope for your success.

The North American mar­ket will slow somewhat as the National Association of HomeBuilders predicts housing starts will decrease by 8%.  However, there are in­dications that the Asian market will make a mild recovery mid to late 1999.

On a better note, MI is pleased by the inquires its receiving from potential US customers seeking mill iden­tifications on the MI grade stamp because they like the product and would like to contact the mill for orders.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the vast majority of MI grade stamp subscribers who are providing the marketplace with a well manufactured on-grade product with a clean legible stamp.

With the demand of the marketplace and tighter regulations there is no place for a grader to “push” the grade.  Macdonald Inspection will renew its ef­forts to assist mills in main­taining grades of over 95% accuracy.  Macdonald Inspection Services will strive to assist mills that are having difficulty with their grades, but will not tolerate any mill compromising the integrity of the MI grade stamp.

On behalf of the field and office staff of Macdonald Inspection, I would like to wish you the very best for the New Year.

Rob Finch, President

  ALSC / CLSAB Funding

collected by the agencies and passed on to the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Bureau (CLSAB) which in turn share these funds with the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC).  These assessments are determined by the previous year’s North American production figures.  Notices are sent out to all Macdonald Inspection’s Grade Stamp subscribers at the end of the year requesting their “1998 North American production” figures.  On the same notice a request is made for “1998 All Production” figures to calculate the National Lumber Grades Authority assessment at $ .007 per MFBM.

Seasons Greetings

Best wishes from Rob & Lil Finch

And all the M.I. staff.