The Washington herald., 1922-07-16
NATIONAL CODE
DECIDED UPON BY
LUMBER DEALERS
Committee Will Discuss
Simplification of Grad
ing Task.
TO NAME GRADES
Will Include Standardization
OF Dimensions and
Grade Marking.

MADISON, Wis, July 1.-THE
committee of construction en-
gineers and lumber technlcians
charged by the National Lumber
Manufacturers Association. sup
ported by the Department OF Com
merce and the United States Forest
Service. with the difficult task of
developing a simplifed system of
rules for grading stock lumber and
the formulating OF a national code
OF significant names of grades so
established met in the Forest Prod
lcts Laboratory here today, with
Dudley F. Hoffman. OF this city.
construction engineer OF the Ma
tional Association. presiding.
The committee will remain in
session until next Wednesday and
VIII submit its conclusions to a
representative conference of four
teen lumber manufacturing associ-
ations representing all the timber
producing regions of the country.
which will be held in Chicago
July 20. This conference will be
Joined on July 81 and % by rep
resentatives of the consumers and
distributors of lumber of all sorts,
. both trade and professional. Both
the smaller and the larger con-
ference will consider the technical
committees suggestions. as well
as Standardization of dimensions,
grade marking and inspection.
with a view to effecting simplified
lumber standards, in the interests
of economy and the protection of
the consumer, foreign and domes-
tic.
In an Introductory talk On the
general aspects of the national
Standardization OF lumber quality
nOmeclature. Mr.. Hoffman said in
part:
We are all aware of the diff
hculties involved in the prepara-
tton of a standard or simplified
set of grade rules for lumber and
timber. The field Is 50 large and
the manufacturing practices are
so diverse that there will be lit
tie hope of our getting very far
in accomplishing very much unless
we determine at the outset to con-
centrate on essentials and suppress
discussion which will lead US into
byways and blind alleys.
The general plan suggested by
the committee on grades. which
discussed the subject which now
confronts US, at the standardiza-
tion conference recently held in
Washington, contemplated the di-
vision of the grading Of all lum-
Der into three great b-divisbons
namely: (a) representing the best
qualities (b) intermediate quail
ties. (c) common qualities. That
committee, according to the state
ment contained In its report to the
conference, realized the fact that
IL was possible ITO accomplish the
development of An equality of
grades in all woods. II recogniz-
ed the fact that it was impossible
to reach any defnite conclusions
during the general sessions in
Washington, and recommended that
the National Lumber Manufacturers
Association set up competent
committee with efficient engineer
ing service seeking In so far as
possible to equalize grades in all
woods"
1T is for the purpose Of carrying
out the instructions OF that COM
mittee that we have met here to-
day.
There are two general methods
of presenting grading rules. The
first. a statement of general grades
more detailed statement under the
description of each kind of lumber
added to il: The second might
consist of a few general remarks
and statement covering all kinds
Of lumber. supplemented by more
extended and more detailed set of
grading rules with the description
of each kind of lumber. None of
the existing sets of grading rules
followed either one of these gene
raj plans closely. Variations and
combinations of both methods are
found in the grading rules of the
various associations federated in
the National Lumber Manufacturers
Association.
There is no doubt but that tn.
industry will profit by removing
the present elements of uncer-
tainty in lumber specifications
thus satisfying the consumer and
making it easier for him to use
wood properly. The adoption of
definite standards will cause the
designer to consider wood more
favorably and thus a greater de-
mand will be created. One Of the
best ways to meet the competition
OF substitutes" is TO make II
easier for the consumer to buy
lumber. A simplification OF grades
in the lumber industry will aid
materially In the development of
new markets and the preservation
of old markets.
You have a big task ahead of
you. but you are all men, who
both by training and experience,
have become SO accustomed to
think clearly that 1 think there
is little likelihood that we shall
ramble much from the main con-
stderations before US. Let US have
free and unrestricted discussion but
let that discussion bear upon the
subject at hand. Yard lumber
grades, which form a large part
of the lumber manufactured by the
various soft wood associations, in
the Judgment of your chairman,
offers US a good place to start
so with the recommendation that
you oonfine yourselves to a con-
slderation of the possibilities of
standardizing grade of yard lum-
Der turn the meeting over to
you"