1 • USES FOR SLABS, EDGINGS, AM) TRIMS By Forest Products Laboratory) i. Forest Service U. JS . | Department of Agriculture U.S. DEPOSITORY Marked increases in utilization of slabs, edgings, and trims for various products have been made over the years to a point where at many mills there is not much waste left for uses other than fuel. Slabs and edgings are ordinarily the offal of lumber manufacture for which use is most easily found and that most readily offer a margin of profit. Moreover, better lumber- manufacturing practices have led to thinner slabbing and closer edging, so that in some mills little salvageable material remains. There are many mills, however, where much room for improved practices exists. The cutting of small logs tends to increase the slab thickness. Also, at small mills that have little equipment for conversion of logs to lumber beyond the stage of primary log breakdown, the problem of utilizing or of profitably marketing slabs, edgings, and trims still remains unsolved. To assist mills inquiring of the Forest Products Laboratory as to methods of utilization of such waste materials, a list of their possible uses is presented in tables 1 to \ of this report under four headings. (1) Sawed products (2) Fuel products (3) Fiber products (k) Chemical products The bulk of the slabs, edgings, and trims is produced at sawmills, and, there- fore, is green. Green material introduces a seasoning problem that, although usually more complicated for cuttings from slabs, edgings, and trims than for lumber, is not insolvable. Factory trims and edgings are usually from dry lumber and thus offer no such seasoning problej&g^^Low cost and efficient methods of segregation and handling this type! ofJji^iX|rT^Hh^iriftfiih^erunseasoned or seasoned, constitute a basic problem, how^e^,W/Vi£ot^ MBM *suad.f Sctory » Usually, first consideration should be given/ to working up the slabs! edgings, and trims into finished or semifinished products aiv£^ ^liKjfc^of theflr produc- tion. At sawmills additional equipment oftep. must be providecrfor iihis pur- pose; at factories, at least part of the neJessary equipment is at Hand. Especially at sawmills, it is often desirabt(srfc<| p ^o. ff^-K part way if the production of a finished product; that is, to produce 6n\LjPrW^h»Hbfp.ni:s, —Maintained at Madison 5» Wis., in cooperation with the University of Wiscon- sin. Report No. R1666-2 -1- June l c 47 squares, and the like for sale to handle plants, small-dimension plants, and to toy and novelty factories for final processing. A possibility of waste utilization not to be overlooked is the pooling of waste from mills or plants in one locality to provide adequate volume for effioient remanuf acture in another plant. Factory waste at many plants is in small sizes and odd shapes that are costly to rehandle for manufacture into byproducts. In some cases, however, the cuttings that do not fit into the products of the originating plant are of such a size that they are well suited for the products of some other plant. A wood-waste-exchange plan has been put into effect in some instances with sufficient success to warrant some attention. Such exchanges have been operated by trade journals, associations, and individual concerns, and also by public agencies. The results, although not spectacular, have been sufficiently profitable to justify adoption of the plan elsewhere if local conditions permit. A fairly recent development that deserves careful consideration in locali- ties near pulp mills, is the conversion of green slabs and edgings, after all possible sawed products have been removed, for shipment to fiber plants either in the form of chips or as defiberized material. This type of mill- waste utilization frequently permits the inclusion of a reasonable amount of bark. The feasibility of removing the bark, in the case of the more valu- able pulping species, to permit use of chips in the more exacting lines of pulp production, is receiving increased attention by some progressive operators. Report No. f^.66-2 -2- Tab 1 e 1 . — Typical sawed products from slobs, edgings, and trims Use Species Users or purchasers Bsssarlcs Blocking and Machine Skids :Moat hardwoods and softwoods Box and Crating Stock Box shooks Crating Fruit and vegetable crates Industrial plants and shippers : Hough, sound, cut to order :Numerous softwoods and hardwoods :7arlous industrial plants :Cut to specified sizes : do i do : Do. : do : Individual growers and shippers : Do. Bread- and Meat-board Stock :Birch, maple, beech, soft pines Brush-back Stock Building Materials Moulding strips Sash stock Mulllon stock Frame stock Poultry feeders Hog feeders Threshold stock Quarter- rounds Floor shoes Short trim Picture moulding Flooring Screen moulding Floor bridging Clothes- rack Stock Cooperage and Basket Stock Slack heading Basket tops and bottoms Dowel Stock Fence Pickets Furniture Flat Stock Bed slats Upholstery franes Seat stock Chair backs Chair posts Furniture posts Cleats Glue blocks Core blocks Core stock Furniture Squares Chair legs Chair spindles Chair posts Chair stretchers Furniture posts :Maple, birch, beech, and other : hardwoods :Plnes, Douglas-fir : do.. : do.. : do.. :Douglas-flr, pines Kitchen-equipment manufacturers : Surfaced, often glued-up :Uakers of brashes :Cut to rough sizes :Mlllwork plants : do .1 do : do :Hetail lumber yards .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. :Clear stock. Finished at factory : Do. : Do. j Do. :Good grade. Sizes specified by : buyers. Air-seasoned I Do. :Douglae-flr (some hard), pines : :Maple, birch, oak, Doo^ las-fir : iPines, Douglas-fir, oak, birch : : do » : do : : do : : Mapl e and oak : :Pines : :Hau,lock, Douglas-fir, southern pine : do : Cut to specified dimensions :Pine, aspen, basswood, beecn, birch, : Specialty plants : maple I :Cum, oak, pine, elm, and others : Cooperage plants :Most hardwoods and some softwoods iBasket factories :Made from squares, clear; turned or : by dowel macnine : Sound stock, surfaced : Rough, sound stock. Solid or sawed : or sliced veneer :Maple, birch, beech, other hardwoods: Furniture plants :Chiefly softwoods :Betail lumber yards and bullders:Usually surfaced Clear, straight groin thoroughly seasoned :Largely oak, maple, birch, gum, :Furniture plants ; beech, Douglas-fir, plnee, redwood; : and other softwoods : do : do. . . : do • do. - . : do : do . . - :Delivered air-dry or kiln-dry. May : be rough to approximate dimen- : sions or sawed and surfaced to , : exact sizes; rough, semifinished : or fully finished ready to fabri- , : cats. Stock is clear and : do : reasonably straight-grained. : do •' Cut to order of purchaser and not : do : to stock sizes : do ; :Largely soft pines :Door and millwork plants '• iLargely close— textured, lightweight sFurnlture and panel plants : : hardwoods : : .do. .do. .do. .do. : Largely oak, maple, birch, gum, : beech, Douglas-fir, pines. : redwood, and other softwoods : Furniture plants .do. .do. .do. :Dellvered air-dry or kiln-dry. May : be rough to approximate dlmen- : sions or sawed and surfaced to do : exact sizes; rough, semifinished do : or fully licished ready to fabrl- do : cate. Stock is clear and reason- do : ably straight-grained. Cut to ; order of purchaser and not to : stock sizes Report No. R1666-2 Z y 73054 r (Sheet 1 of 2) Table 1. — Typical tawed product! fron ilabi, edging!, ml trlai (continued) Use fnrr.lture . Juvenile and Garden Grain Poors Handle Square i Brooa Hop Kettle Tool Lath Snow fence Building Tobacco sticks Pallet! Paper-Holl Plugi Hog-roller Stock Shade-roller Stock Shlmi. Ball road Sign Parti SMngle Bands Stepladder Stock Surveyor*' Stakei Tent Peg! Tie PI am Tollet-ieat Stock Toy Block! Toy Part! Toy!. Outdoor Scooteri Sledi •axoni lite etlcki True* Bed! (factory) laiEboard Parti i r - : ! • t Varlout hard and loftwoodi i Uieri or purctaien ! :Retall storei and lenber yardi Low-^rade itock of varloua ipeclet :aallroa-«. shippers Karri le-t ami ng plant! > ■».-». Southern pine, Douglas-fir, maple, oak, beech, gum do Hardwoodi Birch, maple, aih, oak, hickory .do. .do. .do. Largely oak. maple, elm, beech, i Snow-fence planti Do iglai-f lr. hemlock, pine I Spruce, Dougles-f lr. plnei :Hetall lumber yardi Beech, oak, eouthern pine Various hardwoodi and softwoods Blrcn, maple, beech Dou^las-flr and other ipeciei i Tobacco grower! : I Industrial planti and warahouiei Paper mllli Bug manufacturer! and dealers White and ponderoia plnei, baeswood, iMaken of window shades Doa^las-flr Maple, oak, beech, ash Soft pines, and other loftwoodi Douglas-fir. haxlock Southern pine, basswood. Douglas- flr, and otheri Mostly softwood! Mostly hardwoodi Softwoodi and hardwoodi, elm, Douglas-fir, guai, pine, and the like Blrcc. maple, gum Blrcr.. soft pines, and others do Maple, olrch, beech, aih do do Soft plnei. spruce Maple, oak, ash, beech iDouglas-f lr. pine, elm. aih. gum J Rallroadi Sign companies Snlngle mills Ladder factorial Retail lomber yardi Tent and awning cocpanles Rallroadi Makeri ol toilet seat! Makeri of eru.il toys do Makeri of outdoor toyi do : do i do Makers of factory traces ■ Woodworking planti Clear, or sound defects. Specified sites Surlaced. cut and nailed to detailed purchaser specifications Made from clear, green, or air squares of rarious sltss Do. Do. Do. Bough, sound. 1/2 z 1-1/2 z hi inches Rough, chiefly clear, 3/6 z 1-1/2 z 32 and ke Inches Hardwood 3/- a .-.,- l acnes z <♦ feet 2 Inches; southern pine Wisconsin 1/2 z 1-1/2 Inches z 4 feet &o~g.' or surf aceo ; clear or sound stock Smoothly turned and bored Sound, tamed t- specified site Clear, cut to ipecifled sits Cut to rough sites Cut to approximate dlmaniioni. Rough Cut to specifications Various sites, often ro .gf, 7or 5/S-lnch spike: 5/g z 5/8 z U-l/2 - 5 inches; for 9/l6-lnch iplke: 9/16 z ?/l6 * **-l/2 - 5 lncnes. Rougn. dry . . rougn sites Pieces cut to specified sites Do. Cut to ipecifled sites, air-dry Do. Do. Piece* cut to specified iltei Made to ipeclflcatloni Cut to exact ipecifled iltei Report Ro. R1666-? (Sheet 2 of 2) Table 2. — Fuel products from slabs, edgings and trims Use : Specifications : Users or purchasers ; Remarks Producing Plant Fuel : Largely green. All : mill waste, includ- (hogged or rough) : ing sawdust Hogged Fuel for In- [Largely green soft- : Western power plants. [Important only in dustrial Use : woods. Sawdust [Factories, hotels, the western states Public utilities : desired in mixture : and the like Hogged-wood Public buildings ■measure: a unit Factories, hotels equals 200 cubic feet Domestic Fuel Largely hardwoods in [Householders and fuel In eastern states Bulk East; softwoods in yards largely used as West. Dry or green. kindling or spring Sold in 12-inch to and fall fuel. In 48-inch lengths western states often used year long for heat, especially in saw- mill towns Bagged i Dry stock. Short , Retail lumber and ', Convenient package irregular shapes, fuel yards and ; for buyer pick-up sizes, and lengths householders : and home storage. Retails at high price on ton or cord basis Bundled ! Short, even lengths do Do. Processing Fuel : Bakers' wood Dry wood. Users do ! Bakers, for making ! Chicago reported not like bark. foreign-type bakery to use about 3,600 Maple, birch, goods cars each year beech, oak Tobacco drying No special types .Farmers, curing ! tobacco Brooder heating Air- dry Poultry raisers, : chiefly farmers Report Ho. R1666-2 Table 3. — Fiber products from slabs, edgings, and trims Use • : Species : Specifications : Users or : purchasers Fiberized '.'food Saturating or roofing felt Structural board Container board [Various species ;With or without bark. : Green •Asphalt roofing : manufacturers, : board mills Pulp Chips Saturating or roofing felt Insulating board Container and .Common hardwoods ■ and softwoods ■Chipped with or with- : out bark. Green. : Reduced to fiber at roofing plant do Asphalt roofing manufacturers, chem- 1 ical and semi- chemical pulp mills, board mills Do. do. . . do . , Do. boxboard Soda pulp Kraft pulp Pulpwood : do do Do. do. . .do.. Do. Pulps Various grades : of paper Mostly softwoods From bark-free slabs and the like. Dry or green Pulp mills. Fairly general use in West. Sporadic in East Container and : boxboard : Mostly softwoods With or without bark. . Dry or green Container- board manufacturers. An increasing outlet for solid, chipped, and hogged waste Saturating or : roofing felt Softwoods and : hardwoods : With or without bark. : Green : Asphalt- roofing manufacturers Insulation board Softwoods and : hardwoods : With or without bark. . Dry or green Insulating-board manufacturers Report No. R1S66-2 Table 4.— Chemical products from slabs, edgings, and trims Use : Species : Specifications : Users or : purchasers Distillation Destructive [Hardwoods (beech, : Usually 4-foot : Wood- distillation : birch, maple, oak, : lengths. Large : plants as operated ! and the like) and : sizes desired •in connection with softwoods sawmills Cedar oils Juniper heartwood. : Chipped and ground to -Plants in southern Eastern redcedar, : wood-flour fineness. states, mostly in Mexican cedar ; Heart stock Tennessee Dyes Osage-orange , sumac : Chipped, heart stock Not known. Little current importance Ethyl Alcohol ; Various species Hogged mill waste One pilot plant now in operation Fodder Yeast : Any softwoods and Hogged mill waste : At present experi- hardwoods mental only Smoking Meat : Hickory, maple, { Cut to specified : Packing plants and birch, beech, oak,. length. No : meat processors gum , walnut : softwoods : Special Chips : Vinegar : Beech preferred Cut to specifications Used by vinegar manu- manufacture : of users for special: facturers to provide shape to present bacterial aeration maximum surface area: for absorption : Gas purification : Hardwoods ! do Used by gas-produc- ing plants after : impregnation with ■iron oxide to remove : sulphur Tanning Extracts Chestnut, black oak : Chipped wood : Tanni n-ext ract : plants Wood Sugar .Various hardwoods :Hogged mill waste :One pilot plant now and softwoods : in operation Report No. R1666-2 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA III II 3 1262 08923 7100