a /i(+;R. /4U -n 
 
 S/#- 
 
 
 
 USE CF SHORT 30AFDS IN SHEATHING C FATES 
 
 2y 
 
 Forest Products Laboratory,— Forest Service 
 U. S. Department of Agriculture 
 
 
 
 The common practice in sheathing crates is to use only full-length sheath- 
 ing "boards. One -piece boards that extend either the full length or full 
 height of the crate, depending upon whether the sheathing is applied hori- 
 zontally or vertically, are usually employed. 
 
 Tests at the Forest Froducts Laboratory have demonstrated that placing the 
 sheathing boards vertically is the best practice and that short-length 
 sheathing boards used as recommended by the Laboratory do not impair the 
 strength and rigidity of the crates. The utilization of short boards sub- 
 stantially reduces the amount of waste that usually results from using full- 
 length toards. 
 
 The following method of using short sheathing boards, not less than 2 feet 
 long, for vertically sheathed crates is recommended: 
 
 (1) Cut ends of boards at right angles to their length. 
 
 (2) Center the butt joint, formed by ends of short sheathing boards, at 
 the center of a frame member. 
 
 (3) Nail each short-length board to the frame member with the number of 
 nails required for fastening the ends of a Pul 1 ~1| iTM li iln n\ \\ \ i g bmzif 
 
 (4) Place nails 3/4 inch or more from the edge cf the sneatnin^^fnuTTOi 
 the edge of the frame member. Stagger the nails 
 
 (5) Use short boards not less than 5-1/2 inches 
 3-l/2-inch-wide diagonals and not less than 7-1/ 
 at 5-1/2-inch-wide diagonals. 
 
 OCT.3.1 1Q/Z 
 
 wide wnen joined at 
 inches wide when joine L 
 
 (KF.A.S. - Univ. of FlorifJa 
 
 (6) Use a full-length sheathing board for at least eve ryTEfra" bTra"T*d"*&f- 
 sheathing material and for the end boards at the corners of the crate. 
 
 "Maintained at Madison 5, '//is., in cooperation with the University of 
 '.'.'i scons in. 
 
 Report No. R1C66-17 
 
/ERSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
 II III III Hill HI-- 
 
 3 1262 08928 6164