WITHIN-GRADE QUALITY DIFFERENCES FOR 1 AND 2A COMMON LUMBER AFFECT PROCESSING AND YIELDS WHEN GANG-RIPPING RED OAK LUMBER

Using a new computer grading program (UGRS), 1 and 2A Common lumber wa s sorted based on the percentage of board surface measure found in the maximum allowable number of grading cuttings. For 1 Common, 46.0 perc ent of 921 boards bad percentages in the FAS range (83-1/3% and above) . For 2A Common, 54.7 percent of 825 boards had percentages in the 1 C ommon range. When gang-ripped first, these quality sorts produced impo rtant differences in the number of rips, crosscuts, and parts produced for primary and salvage operations when processed to easy and difficu lt cutting bills. In addition, important differences emerged in the co st and amount of lumber required for each of the quality sorts.