Library

For the last few weeks, I’ve been inundated with a barrage of emails with attached “invoices.” About 90% are caught by the spam filter, but that other 10% ends up in my inbox. I have no problem with simply pressing “delete” to rid myself of them, but there’s a...

Part I: Computerization Begins The arrival of the first computers 50 years ago signaled that truss design had come of age. And they came just in time. We urgently needed them to meet the growing demand for truss designs. But they didn’t come with experienced operators – in the...

We started with our foundation, floor truss equipment. Then we went up to roof truss production equipment. Now, it’s time to frame our project with walls. Each month as I visit manufacturers’ websites, I am amazed at all of the equipment available within our industry....

In April, I accepted the role of General Manager of the Oahu Lumber division and Truss Plant operation. Although I had spent most of my career at Kimal Lumber & Hardware in southwest Florida, and even served as the 2012 Florida Building Materials Association Chair, I decided the move from...

In my experience and with the work I do with hundreds of component manufacturers, I find that many companies will tell me Safety is important, but, in practice, safety is treated as a burden on the company. Good managers will always have an attitude that they want all of their employees to be...

The most common problem typically encountered is excessive defects in the plated area of the truss. While some defects are acceptable in the plated area, the degree of defects depends on the actual joint situation and forces at the joint. Connector sizes are controlled by design, handling,...

Our industry has been ignoring and not understanding 51% of the population’s needs—specifically, those of women therefore limiting the qualified candidates to fill vital openings

As a follow up to our 9-part “Ready for Change” article series, our next step down the “Lean” path is to introduce other tools and methods to reduce waste and time. The first in this new bi-monthly series focuses on SMED, Single Minute Exchange of Die, and how this...

Most people probably do not know that Hundegger USA was formed after Euclid Timber Frames, L.C. became the very FIRST Hundegger customer in North America. Hundegger was well known in the European market, but it was a distinct need in this continental market that brought German technology to the...

There are many things to consider when relocating a candidate. Making sure they are a fit for your organization and the position you are trying to fill accounts for about one-third of the equation. But it’s the other two-thirds where you’ll usually find the...