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INTRODUCTION 



Within recent years, disease and insects have killed numerous western white pine 

 (Pinus mont-icola Dougl.) and lodgepole pine {Pinus oontorta var. latifolia Engelm.) 

 trees in the timber stands of Idaho and Montana. Estimates place the annual mortality 

 of all softwood species in these two States at about 350 million cubic feet and for 

 western white pine alone at 60 million cubic feet. About 10 percent of the dead trees 

 is salvaged as a part of ongoing timber sales. The logs from these trees are usually 

 processed with green logs and the lumber is intermixed for drying and surfacing. 



This practice may not be the best since the lumber from the dead trees usually 

 has a much lower moisture content than the lumber made from green logs. With ever- 

 increasing energy costs, the present procedure is uneconomical with longer kiln dwell 

 time than is necessary for the lumber from the dead logs and excessive degrade of this 

 material by overdrying. 



The objective of this study was to determine the moisture content, before drying, 

 of lumber made from dead white pine and lodgepole pine logs. The moisture content was 

 measured using both a moisture meter and the standard ovendry test. The results were 

 compared to determine accuracy and consistency between the two methods. Small sections 

 cut from sample lumber were tested for moisture gradient and drying stress. In addition, 

 a few moisture meter readings were obtained from the lodgepole pine studs after kiln 

 drying. This information was used to evaluate the drying methods and determine if 

 changes would be desirable. Each of the study species was processed at a single mill 

 and the results of the two studies are discussed separately. 



WESTERN WHITE PINE 



Methods 



A sawmill in north Idaho was selected for the white pine study. The mill's proce- 

 dure was to segregate the dead tree logs in the mill yard and when a sufficient volume 

 had been accumulated, process the logs in 1 or 2 days' time. The mill, equipped with a 

 circular saw, cut dead logs into dimension lumber, primarily 2 by 4's and 2 by 6's, 

 with a few 1 inch sideboards being produced as well. On the green chain, the lumber, 

 of random length, was box piled and stickered for kiln drying. 



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