Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1906-01-14
TESTS OF TIMBER.

! ductlng extensive tssis ~ the / J.
| Burton Lumber Compauy's .AHm'l
mar Chsrle-tpn. = c.. 20 is;erm NJ
the strength %; lob,o'ly vir.. Th.-
timber, which q known IN -" '1cA
market - North Carolina pine fo-m.
/ thu greater rsrt Of the amber cI' 1T
thls maj. ne IGh.p.is viU- flru..a".
\ u.efIl construction timber ~ mod
rate strength, J.. % very RAPID GruNth
and r"VToduc-s readily For th-.-
/ reasons il will remain one IL the mott
important timber tree. Of the south
Correct data on lie strength wi!i - =
p-Vmln-nt value
IL 10 found IN lch more cCny"I.-u'
% take 'he '-.tinG mschin- ~ -"
mill instead % bringing the arg
stick. ot tim Der 10 the laboratory from
I the mill. TIE conditions 10 which the
stick ~ timber il Subjected after being
cut in the forest determine ~ .onI-
degree how u will act when pa il u.e
Shc.c :: ~! .s:. :" cS!'J 9 600: ~
bear q .tr.in. And 90 It .om-tlmrs
be 'm-s an important, matter ~ snpN
| tn. history % the .;irks tested The
! logs from which il ia desired ~ cat the
'est pieces can be- selected in the 'or-
est. marked. and subsequently identi-
| fed at the log FOND. \ concise h.-
tory Of each log is kept, showing The
location Of the tree in the forest. the
kind ~ soil in which u grew. the time
u cutting and the l-n9,h Of time the
log lies ia tn. water. On arriving at
the mill the log IL sawed in any way
desired. and can then either be tested
shortly after coming from the saw or
LAID aside for the purpose OF air drying
or kiln drying befOr. testing. Every
s,ep OF importance in the life OF the
log after cutting 10 thus known, and
many peculiaritIes which arise in the
behavior Of sticks when tested can be-
explained.
The testing machine 10 Get up in the
mill and driven by the mill machinery.
The sawyer in the mill saws exactly
the kind OF sticks desired, and the
pieces intended for test are cent d.
rectly to the testing machine.
The plan OF work At Charleston i'm
cluded iDvestig&tions to determine the
esccs @: k.o;s 0. ;sc strength .; ;in.-
Der, tie relative strength OF sir.drled
and kiln-dried timber, the effect OF
rate Of growth upon the strength, the
influence Of the relative strength OF
cap and heart wood. and the influence
onthe strength Of the method OF saw
ing.
Judging from the inquiries received
in the Service, . widespread interest 10
manifested in this line Of work, and
without doubt many questions yet un.
decided will be definitely answered on
the completion OF the tests. The spsci-
fcations, for instance. under which en-
Rineers and architects receive Joist.
are very imperfect becaus. no one
knows the exact degree Of weakening
which arises from the presence Of knots
Of various . yes and kinds IN the joists
Again, there 10 common prejudice
against sspwoOd on account OF ito sup.
posed weakness. whereas The tests will
show that IN cases where durability
is no, an important factor the sapwood
il as strong as the heartWooi
The strength OF wood 10 pref I'D ired
by the presence OF knot, depend lng
upon the petition OF the knot, on i,s
condition. and on its size with refer
ence to the cros-.stction II the sick
When a knot ia firm and closely kni,
To the surrounding wocd It l. much
Irss harmful than when II O.. loo. ~
.kaky
IN he case 81 beam loadei ~ the
center Il knot occur, II the lower
portion OF the beam. close enough to
turn ILL., gram -. q rau--- rupture \
comparatively .srg- Anot placed FAR
enough from the edge nf The stick 10
allow the 'ib-rt To De continuous wi-n
.a.s.ng = los weakening than INA Ter