Date: Tuesday 28 September 2021 (postponed from Thursday 06 May)

Instructor: Jim White

Location: The Timber Barn, Clifford Barnton, Drewsteignton, Devon, and Fingle Woods.

About:

This course is intended to help woodland owners and managers to get more value out of their homegrown timbers using principles of visual stress grading and appearance grading in order to access the bespoke and mid-range markets for timber supply in joinery and construction.

• Identify the four UK softwood species for structural use under the current British Standard for Visual Stress Grading Softwoods (BS 4978:2007)
• Identify the two UK hardwood species for structural use under the current British Standard for Visual Stress Grading Hardwoods (BS 5756:2007)
• Identify the key characteristics in the above timbers that determine their suitability to be cut with structural end use in mind by a) carrying out ‘knot plots’ of the softwood timbers, b) assessing density of annual rings in softwood timbers, and c) understanding the terms ‘margin condition’, ‘wane’, ‘infestation’, ‘rot & ‘fungal decay’ and recognise some of these conditions in all timbers that would prevent their suitability for Visual Stress Grading.
• Orientate roundwood through the milling process, in view of the above, to realise its potential to yield timber suitable for Visual Stress Grading and structural use.
• Understand the principles of appearance grading and what type and form of trees might produce figuring and grain which would help give greater value in sales for joinery and fine furniture production.

Duration: 09.30am to 4.00pm

Price: £75.00 RFS members / £85.00 non RFS members

Note: Course attendees are advised to bring packed lunch, as lunch is not provided.

About the tutor:

Previously employed with South West Forest, a rural development forestry project based in Northern Devon and North Cornwall, Jim took the primary vision of SWF into his own enterprise. Launched in July 2009, White Wood Management demonstrates the scope for using local timber and assisting local landowners in the establishment, management and care of the woodland resource, promoting opportunities for biodiversity conservation and enhancement. Building on this vision, he has this year, 2020, launched a new venture “Devon Timber” through which all sawn and processed wood products are now sold.

Now its eleventh year of trading, Jim’s business has built up a client group and reputation for reliability and integrity in sustainable woodland management, advice and utilisation. In this time WWM has engaged a range of skilled employees and associates to work with Jim on a diverse range of projects including planting, pruning, felling, saw milling, drying and grading timber.