1. The Results of the Alaska In‐
Grade Tes5ng Program
A Presenta*on Prepared for the
Annual Forest Products Society Mee*ng, Portland, OR
June 20, 2011
By
Allen M. Brackley, Research Forester
U.S. D. A. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Sta*on
Valerie Barber, Director
University of Alaska Fairbanks Forest Products Program
School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
Forestry Specialist Coopera*ve Extension
2. Acknowledgement of Funding
Funding for this project were made available
from the following sources:
1. Direct grants to the Ketchikan Forest Products
Laboratory made available by late Senator Ted
Stevens
2. Joint Venture Agreements with University of
Alaska, Fairbanks, USDA CSREES (now NIFA)
Wood U*liza*on Research Program
3. Joint Venture Agreements with the U.S. Forest
Service, Sitka Wood U*liza*on Center
3. Background informa*on
Alaska, the last fron*er!
1. Popula*on 2010 – 700,000
2. Demand for Lumber Products – 100 mmbf
annually (68% es*mated as dimension)
3. 97% of demand for dimension lumber is
imported (AMB guess)
4. Exis*ng industry – many small mills all
over Alaska, with few medium sized
4. History of Lumber Grading in Alaska
1. During period 1950 to 2003 most of lumber produced in Alaska
was exported to Japan – Liele interest in North American
Markets, ALS, or US Grading Agencies
2. Forest Products Technology Center (approx 1985) was formed
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF‐FPTC)
a. UAF‐FPTC advocated grading rules for Alaska species (White
Spruce) as s*mulus for Industrial Development
b. Alaska Science and Technology Founda*on funded a
Grading Project (ASTM D‐143, STM for Small Clear
Specimens of Timber– ASTM D‐245, Standard Prac*ce for
Establishing Structural Grades and Related Allowable
Proper*es for Visually Graded Lumber based)
5. History of Lumber Grading in Alaska (cont’d)
3. UAF‐FPTC project made reference to “Crea*ng an
Alaska Grading Rule”
4. Chronologically, UAF‐FPTC project took place ajer start of
and near comple*on of the ALS/In‐grade Tes*ng Program
5. Final report of UAFFPTC project submieed to ASTF in
1995 and reported in the Forest Products Journal Vol. 45
No. 2 (78‐81) (Syta et al. 1995)
a. Results not geographically representa*ve of the range
b. Suitable only for a local geographically representa*ve
“grading rule”
6. Results of project did not create “Alaska Grading Rule” or
ASTM D‐245 derived strength values applicable
throughout the range of Alaska White Spruce
6. Alaska In‐Grade Tes*ng Program
1. 1998‐1999
a. Ini*al funding
i. Alaska Science and Technology
ii. Special Grants (Stevens Earmarks – Direct, USFS,UAF)
b. Administra*on ‐ Alaska Manufacturing Associa*on
(AMA)
c. Tes*ng ‐ Ketchikan Wood Technology Center
(KWTC)
d. Technical Support (Western Wood Products Assoc.
& Forest Products Laboratory)
7. AK In‐Grade Tes5ng (Cont’d)
2. 1999 – 2001
a. Lab provisioned and equipped in Ketchikan
b. Site leased at abandoned pulp mill – supplied by
Ketchikan Borough
c. Building modifica*on
d. Equipment purchased installed and calibrated
e. Sampling and Tes*ng Design Accepted
f. Ini*al samples obtained