The answer

[Bigjohn.fm.MKE at postoffice.worldnet.att.net]

Larry Caldwell wrote:
> 
> In article <3422AC03.37E3 at livingston.net>,
> Don Staples <dstaples at livingston.net> wrote:
> 
> > And, some species perform best in pure stands.  Southern pines are an
> > invader species, they come in on bare ground, after disturbances in the
> > site.  Clear cutting simulates the replacment of a stand from natural
> > losses, but by harvest instead.  Maximum production and maximum income
> > occure through short rotation clear cutting.  As our method of using
> > wood fiber changes, there will be shorter and shorter rotations.  The
> > more recent change to fiber is the production of orientated strand board
> > (OSB) a ply wood type material that is made from glued up wood chips,
> > similar to the old particle board.  This product can use smaller stems
> > than ply wood, but is a sorry excuse compared to ply wood for
> > construction.
> 
> Chip board (OSB) is a very nice construction material.  I re-roofed my
> house last summer, and put down chip board in preference to plyood.  Not
> only is it cheaper, it's stronger, more uniform, and more dimensionally
> stable.
> 
> I haven't seen any OSB certified for marine use, and a nice wood face is
> certainly prettier.  Also, I think OSB uses some non-renewable
> petrochemicals, but maybe it's resin bonded and 100% wood.
> 
> Clear cuts in the West have been moving to smaller acreages, trying to
> simulate uneven age stands by logging patches.  At the moment the jury
> is still out on the ultimate effectiveness, but early reports are
> promising.
> 
> > I guess where I am coming from is that demand for product is forcing
> > shorter rotations and more clearcutting.
> 
> The market is still shaking down.  Someday the blinking government is
> going to run out of legacy trees to mine, and wood prices will reflect
> the cost of production.  If somebody wants lumber from a 500-year old
> tree, they're going to have to pay 10 times the cost for lumber from
> a 50-year old tree, plus capital costs.  Wood fiber and small dimensional
> lumber will indeed run off of short rotation clear cut plantations.
> 
> Most large trees are being simulated in the mill nowdays.  Wood window
> frames and moldings are finger jointed, truss-joists are being used instead
> of 2 x 10 and 2 x 12 dimensional lumber, and glue-lams are used instead
> of solid beams.  If we're serious about saving old growth, these
> technologies are really important.
> 
> -- Larry

I do agree that there are no options left but the idea of all those
airborn phenols in our new airtight houses concerns me.

jp