All Things Wood: Machine Graded Lumber: Technologies, Quality, and Benefits Linda Brown For more than 70 years, people have been using machines to assist in the grading of lumber. This article summarizes the machine grading methodologies for producing Machine Stress Rated Lumber (MSR) and Machine Evaluated Lumber (MEL) and highlights the similarities and differences between MSR and... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 80
Has the American Worker Lost the Desire to Hustle? Gary Fleisher Today, thoughts of working on a modular home factory production line isn’t the job many younger Americans want to grow old in. They also do not want to work in many other jobs where “hustle” is a requirement, like restaurants or construction. About 6% of the population or... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 100
Lumber Briefs: Disruption, Distortion, and Decision Points Matt Layman Minor & Major FDPs Forecasted Decision Points, FDPs, will be my legacy. These markers of when the price of lumber will rise and fall are misunderstood by at least 90% of our lumber industry. The reason is the same as why I do not understand what holds the universe together. I am... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 108
5 Things to Know About Ward Lumber’s Move to Co-Op Ownership That You Can Use Craig Webb “I’ve long said that our employees have owned Ward Lumber in their hearts for a long time,” CEO Jay Ward said of the company’s move to a co-op. “Now there’s ownership in the pocketbook.” Most news stories in May were about how Ward’s co-op works... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 110
Building Stronger Stick-Frame Roofs: Code Requirements and Connection Solutions Randy Shackelford While stick-frame roofs are sometimes preferred to premanufactured roof trusses in some areas of the country because they can accommodate larger attics, higher ceilings, and complex roof shapes, the code requirements for these roofs are often more complex. That’s largely because, unlike... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 124
The Last Word: The Last Word on Great Plant Engineers Joe Kannapell Who will step forward to direct the increasing automation of our truss plants? Only the best qualified need apply. For example, people with the discipline of Dick Rotto, the in-plant experience of John Houlihan, and the analytical skills of Keith Fell. Each of whom possessed unique abilities... Read More June 2021 Issue #13263 Page 142