To Cull or Not to Cull (at the Saw) Edmond Lim, P.Eng. Should we cull lumber at the saw? That is the question posed by Joe Kannapell, P.E. in The Last Word in the July issue, “Where to Cull Lumber.” As Joe discusses: “So where in the process should we cull lumber? To minimize touches, it can be done when the bands are broken on a... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 44
Insights and Innovations in Component Manufacturing Greg Bates The component manufacturing industry, specifically of roof and floor trusses, is undergoing significant transformation. To delve deeper, we spoke with Todd Drummond, a seasoned expert and long-time consultant with extensive knowledge and experience in the field of truss manufacturing. You can... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 88
Allowable Plate Embedment Tolerance MiTek Staff Oftentimes, MiTek engineers are asked what plate embedment tolerance is allowed for metal connector plates in wood trusses. Chapter 3 of the ANSI/TPI 1 (National Design Standard for Metal Plate Connected Wood Truss Construction) addresses the tolerance for metal connector plate tooth... Read More September 2024 Issue #16302 Page 114
Doing Your BCMC Homework Edmond Lim, P.Eng. It is that time of year again. With just two months until BCMC 2024 in Milwaukee, WI, here is some BCMC homework as you begin considering capital expenditures (CapEx). It is crucial to go beyond just the financial metrics like ROI and take into account several qualitative factors. And yes, all... Read More August 2024 Issue #16301 Page 40
What is Camber and Why is It Important? Glenn Traylor In the truss industry, camber refers to the gradual curvature of a chord member either naturally occurring or created to alleviate the natural deflection of a truss structure. That sounds simple enough, but there are key elements about camber that should be considered. Camber in Action All... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 33
Time to Make Time for a Feed The Beast Plant Tour! Edmond Lim, P.Eng. We’ve reached July and BCMC in Milwaukee, WI is only three months away. Whether you’re planning on traveling to Milwaukee or not, I highly recommend that you take the time to make time to attend our upcoming Feed the Beast truss plant tour! [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 42
MSR Workshop: A Place to Gain Understanding & Be Understood MSR Lumber Producers Council “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” – Ralph Nichols, American psychologist and communication theorist, often referred to as the “Father of... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 74
The Last Word: Where to Cull Lumber Joe Kannapell Component manufacturers have long been in search of “any practical technology that can lessen rejects”[1] when fabricating trusses from our imperfect supply of lumber. New machines and processes have increased material throughput, but they have also increased the time lost when... Read More July 2024 Issue #16300 Page 152
Does Fire Retardant Lumber Require Special Handling? Glenn Traylor Fire retardant lumber, also called FRTW, is used when a project has a requirement to reduce the structures’ ability to burn and to reduce the structures’ contribution to the spread of fire. Most fire retardant materials also reduce the development of smoke and the release of... Read More June 2024 Issue #16299 Page 33
Why West Fraser is the Most Trussed Name in Lumber Greg Bates As North America’s largest lumber manufacturer, West Fraser supplies the truss market with mechanically graded lumber, dimension lumber, and premium products such as Prime, Select Structural, and HiLine. Founded nearly seven decades ago West Fraser began operations in 1955 when... Read More June 2024 Issue #16299 Page 62