TIMBER UTILIZATION CONFERENCE AT DALAT
A conference of momentous interest to the building in- dustry in the Far East took place at Dalat during April of this year.
The conference met under the auspices of the United Nations for the purpose of standardizing the nomen- clature, terminology, testing methods, grading and dimensions of timber. Mr. I. P. Tamworth, the Forestry Officer, appointed representative of Hong Kong.
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Meeting at Dalat, Vietnam, 18 Delegates and Observers from seven countries, having before them the Proceedings of the First Conference on Mechanical Wood Technology held at Geneva in September 1949, as well as papers submitted by Governments in Asia, unanimously adopted recommendations for submission to the First Meeting of the Commission on Forestry and Forest Products for Asia and the Pacific to be held some time late în 1950.
The participating countries included the French Union (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos), Indonesia, Thailand, Malaya, Hongkong, United States of America, and SCAP (Japan). The papers submitted for consideration at the meeting included Grading Rules for logs and lumber, material on Nomenclature, Terminology, Testing Methods, and Dimensions. These were submitted by Malaya, Indonesia, the French Union, India, Burma, Philippines, New Zealand and Thailand.
Consideration of this material along with background papers and the Report of the Mysore Conference on Forestry and Timber Utilization held in April 1949 resulted in the adoption of the following recommendations:
A. Nomenclature
1. The Conference recommends that the participating countries should group their timbers into five categories. These should be as follows:
Teak (Tectona grandis)-Conifers-Primary (Durable) Hardwoods Secondary (semi-durable) Hardwoods and General Utility Hardwoods.
Primary Hardwoods are heavy constructional timbers that will normally last more than 5 years if used in an untreated condition in contact with the soil in termite infested areas. Secondary Hardwoods are also generally suitable for heavy construction but must be treated with preservatives if they are required to last more than 5 years in contact with termite infested soil. General utility Hardwoods are those relatively light timbers that are in general use for interior construction and purposes such as packing cases, sheltering, etc.
2. The Conference recommends that countries agree to send to the FAO Regional Office at Bangkok a list of the trade names of their commercial timbers classified as far as possible as recommended in the first resolution. An appendix to this list should contain details of the density durability, colour, and ease of sawing of each commercial timber.
3. The Conference recommends that timbers of similar characteristics should be grouped under one trade name.
B. Terminology
1. The Conference agrees to the definitions of defects and of the more important terms used in the timber trade that are set out in the Malayan Grading Rules, with the proviso that they may submit additional definitions and amendments to the FAO Regional Office at Bangkok for incorporation in this list if agreed upon at a future Conference.
C.
Testing Methods
1. The Conference agrees with the Resolutions regarding methods of timber testing passed at the First Conference on Mechanical Wood Technology at Geneva in September 1949 but recommends:
(a) That the cross sectional dimensions of test pieces shall be restricted to 2 X 2 cm. or 5 X 5 cm.
(b) That the moisture content of test specimens in an air-dry condition shall be 15 per cent plus or minus 2 per cent based on weight when oven dry, and that the results shall be published as obtained at the time of the test.
(c) That tests shall be made as far as possible within the range of 25°C. plus or minus 3°.
(d) That the tension perpendicular to grain test shall not normally be carried out.
2. The Conference is desirous of setting up standard methods of making moisture-strength and temperature-strength adjustments and with this object in view, proposes to study the recommendations made at the Timber Mechanics Con- ference held at Ottawa in 1948.
3. The Conference recognizes the great importance of achieving as much uniformity as possible in the methods of selection of test material, and proposes an exchange of information through the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok so as to obtain if possible complete uniformity in selection methods within this region.
4. The conference agrees that no suitable equipment exists in any of the regional laboratories for the testing of abrasion, it recommends that close touch be kept with any new developments which may be made in respect of this test. 5. The Conference recommends that if any laboratory is to undertake tests on plywood or similar material a study should be made of the standard methods set out by the American Society for Testing Materials in their A.S.T.M.D. 805-47. Furthermore it recommends that close attention should be paid to the work being carried out at Dahra Dun, India.
6. The Conference recommends that an exchange of information on methods of carrying out durability tests (graveyard) should be conducted through the FAQ Regional Office at Bangkok as it is clearly very desirable that there should be Standardisation of such tests.
D. Grading
1. Teak The Conference recommends that the Burma Grading Rules should be adopted for the export of teak squares, but recognizing that there are differences in the quality of teak from different countries, considers that no agreement can be reached at present regarding that of very high quality and sawn teak for special purposes. Delegates agreed to forward their specifications for teak for high quality and special purposes to the FAO Regional Office at Bangkok so that studies can be made with the object of attaining a greater degree of standardization.
2. Conifers-The Conference considers that as there is very little export trade in conifers there is at present no need for standard grading rules for this type of wood, particularly as there is such a great divergence in the type of coniferous wood growing in these regions. But it recommends that a study be made of the problems involved in the grading of such timbers.
3. Hardwood Logs-The Conference recommends that the North Borneo Standard Grading Rules shall be accepted as a basis for the grading of hardwood logs for export.
It pro- poses that four grades shall be established, and that, after a comparison with existing rules of other countries in this region has been made at the F.A.O. Office at Bangkok, it recommends that a set of standard rules for the export of hardwood logs shall be drawn up for presentation at a future Conference. It suggests that these rules shall be as clear and simple as possible.
4. Hardwood Lumber-The Conference recommends that if any country of this region is to start exporting sawn hard- woods it should grade according to the Malayan Grading Rules and that those countries, who already have an export trade in sawn hardwoods, should study these rules and con- form to them as closely as possible. However, it invites coun- tries to make a comparative study of the method used in the Malayan Grading Rules with that developed in France. It is noted, however, that the Philippine Islands wish to retain their rules for grading Philippine Mahogany for export and that North Borneo does not wish to change its existing rules at present.
E.
Training of Grading Inspectors
1. The Conference recognizing the importance of the proper training of timber grading inspectors recommends that arrangements for the training of such inspectors in Malaya or other countries shall be made either directly or through the facilities of the FAO Office at Bangkok.
F.
Dimensions
1. The Conference agrees that the metric system of measurement of timber has advantages over all other systems but cannot recommend the general adoption of this system at present. However, it suggests that in the region only cubic meters and cubic feet be used to record the volume of timber, and requests the FAO Bangkok Office to draw up a table for converting dimensions in feet and inches to meters and centi- meters.
2. The Conference recommends that all countries send to the FAO Office at Bangkok lists of the standard dimensions of timbers for export and requests this Office to draw up a table including all these dimensions, so that, if possible, some common standards may eventually be evolved.
3. The Conference recommends that all timber for export should generally be cut oversize to allow for shrinkage.
Officers
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Honorary Chairman: His Excellency TRAN VAN CHI, Chief of State for Agriculture, Government of Vietnam.
Chairman: Monsieur M. BOUCAUD, French Union. Rapporteur: Mr. A. V. THOMAS, U.K.-Malaya.
Delegates & Observers
FRENCH UNION.
M. BOUCAUD Chief of Delegation
M. CONSIGNY Associate
M. NGUYEN VAN CHI Vietnam Expert M. DONG PHUC HỌ Vietnam Expert M. ROBBE Cambodia Expert M. HÈM CHIAM REUN M. BOUCHARON Laos Expert.
INDONESIA.
Ing. R. SEWANDONO Chief of Delegation Ing. G. N. DANHOF Member Dr. K. GRIFFIOEN Member
SCAP
JAPAN.
L. J. CUMMINGS Observer
THAILAND.
M. THIEM KOMKRIS Chief of Delegation M. KHID SUWARNASUDDHI Member
S. A. SUEBSUKSWASTI SUKSWASTI Member
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