Shannon's Lumber Industry Update

The 2x4. Its the basic piece of modern stick frame construction. But it is not actually 2" by 4". Many of us know this, but do we know why the size has changed but the name stayed the same. Moreover how did anyone even start with those dimensions. This single piece of lumber is a representation of all the changes that have occured in the building trades and the optimization of forestry, economics, and manufacturiung. Its not a measure but a convergence of optimization.

Today I feature the mighty Ponderosa Pine. I was marveling at these trees on a recent trip out west and knew I had to feature the species. A mainstay of the construction lumber industry often labelled as PP/LP on lumber racks. But also a species with a different life in the form of clear boards in moulding, interior flooring, paneling, etc. The species is fire propagating and is a perfect example of how healthy forest management needs a little fire from time to time. The Beetle Kill Pine is the result of weak forests without natures cleaning mechanism. Ponderosa is a yellow pine but a pale version of yellow pine both in appearance but in workability with softer and less difference between early and late growth. It makes for a more uniform working experience with planing, sawing or cutting joinery. Also in this episode I answer questions about: - Kiln Drying schedules to reduce trial and error when drying lumber - How pulp wood forests no longer destined to a paper mill could be turned into saw timber forests. - Typical construction lumber species in the 1920s in the NE United States

The featured lumber species today is Catalpa. A very oak like tree but with a really soft workability. High quality, clear lumber that is easy to work and comes in decent widths and lengths. Why doesn't this wood more popular? Also on the show, Tree of Heaven as lumber and the engineered wood products world of PSL, LSL, and LVL.

My featured species this episode is Buckeye. Its a non commercial species but not terribly hard to find and has some unique color and high propensity to form burls. But the real meat of this show is a look at how a forest regenerates after a disturbance like a fire or logging. The successional forest model helps us understand how forestry managers can foster a healthy forest through logging. But then we look at how bugs and blights can disrupt the succession model even further.

Monkeypod is a great timber coming out of Costa Rica that is almost entirely FSC. It is often sold as wider slabs due to the lighter weight and the way it is sawn in the jungle. A great alternative to many of the tropical species out there like Koa and Blackwood or even some of the fancy Rosewoods.

It could be said that Hickory built America. Hickory's properties made the American felling axe possible with its extremely high MOR and MOE values. Today we discuss this great American wood and why you need to add it to your repertoire of woods.

What are the markets for the common species of lumber you find at your hardwood lumber dealer. I delve into who is buying what and for what. Plus further discussion about logging in national forest land, wood movement and heat, buying veneer, and harvesting Boxwood.