Value extraction from harvested trees and related laminates and processes

Abstract

A laminate of laminae of uniform rectangular cross-sections or depths and lengths arranged randomly or otherwise in the laminate, such laminae having been derived from a feedstock comprising a population of logs (single or multigrade) wherein the population of laminae comprises all of the laminae that can be derived from the population of logs (exclusive only of laminae or material for laminae that are not of acceptable rectangular cross-section and/or length), and where each cross-section of each lamina represents a maximum of one thirtieth of the log cross-section, or the thickness of each lamina represents a maximum of one fifteenth of the small end log diameter.

1 . A laminate of laminae, each lamina having been derived from a feedstock comprising a population of logs (single or multigrade), each cross-section or depth of each lamina being uniform and representing a maximum of one twentieth of the log cross-section or the thickness of each lamina being not more than one fifteenth of the small end log diameter, and arranged with a profiled array of their properties in the laminate.  
   
   
       2 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein each lamina represents a maximum of one thirtieth of the log cross-section.  
   
   
       3 . The laminate of  claim 1  which is engineered structural timber and the profiling has been with respect to strength and/or stiffness.  
   
   
       4 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein the profiling has been with respect to appearance thereby to maximise the external appearance.  
   
   
       5 . The laminate of  claim 3  when prepared by reliance upon variation of structural properties within a tree stem and between stems in a forest resource by having broken down logs into at least 20 thin boards or sticks per log to ensure for the laminate a mean structural performance at least 10% higher than milled lumber, a lowest structural property (90% confidence) of approximately twice that from milled lumber, and/or a very low or zero incidence of critical defects.  
   
   
       6 . The laminate of  claim 5  wherein each log has been broken down into 30 or more thin boards or sticks.  
   
   
       7 . The laminate of  claim 4  wherein there has been reliance upon sufficient variation of appearance properties within a tree stem and between stems in a forest resource by having broken log down into 15 or more thin boards or sticks per log, scanned for appearance properties, sorted into like properties and judicially reassembled by laminating edge gluing and finger jointing so as to provide a yield at least twice that of comparable appearance grade lumber that resource would have otherwise made available from milled lumber.  
   
   
       8 . The laminate of  claim 7  wherein each log has been broken down into 20 or more thin boards or sticks.  
   
   
       9 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein there is end-joined sticks throughout the laminate.  
   
   
       10 . A method of producing engineered “structural” lumber which comprises or includes the steps of 
 deriving thin boards at uniform laminar thickness (hereafter “sticks”) from a feedstock of single forest or multiple forest derived single or multi grade logs, drying the sticks at least to some extent,    (optionally) taking each stick to its substantially finished width by any suitable means,    testing or assessing each stick for at least one structural property and streaming them as a result of such testing or assessing,    endwise joining sticks of each stream and of finished width to at least the length of the lumber to be engineered,    laminating the endwise joined sticks and/or sticks from a plurality of streams so as to provide an appropriate strength and/or stiffness profile to achieve the desired strength and/or stiffness characteristic required for the engineered lumber.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the thin boards are of uniform laminar thickness.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a minimum of 30 sticks per log cross-section are obtained to expose a broad range of properties.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein prior to laminating the endwise joined sticks and/or sticks have been cut to customer length.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the length of each stick is from 1.2 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 1.2 metres.  
   
   
       17 . A method of producing an engineered “appearance” lumber which comprises or includes the steps of 
 deriving thin boards of uniform lamina thickness (hereafter “sticks”) from a feedstock of single forest or multiple forest derived single and/or multi grade logs, drying the sticks at least to some extent,    (optionally) taking each stick to clean width increment by any suitable means,    assessing each board for appearance and streaming by appearance property and width increment for endwise joining of sticks,    endwise joining sticks to at least the length of the lumber to be engineered,    panel forming to at least a desired width the endwise joined sticks,    forming boards of desired width from the panel or panels, and    laminating boards thus formed (optionally with others) so as to provide an appropriate exterior appearance for the engineered lumber.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the sticks are derived with a uniform laminar thickness.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein each stick has a maximum thickness one fifteenth ( 1/15) or less of the small end diameter of the log(s).  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the length of each stick is from 1.2 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 1.2 metres.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the sticks and/or endwise joined sticks have been cut to a customer length prior to lamination.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein better appearance boards are to the outside of the transverse section of the main faces of the laminated product.  
   
   
       25 . A method of producing an engineered “appearance” lumber which comprises or includes the steps of 
 deriving thin boards of uniform lamina thickness (hereafter “sticks”) from a feedstock of single forest or multiple forest derived single and/or multi grade logs, drying the sticks at least to some extent,    (optionally) taking each stick to clean width increment by any suitable means,    assessing each board for appearance and streaming by appearance property, panel forming to at least a desired width the sticks of common grade,    forming boards of desired width from the panel or panels,    endwise joining the boards to at least the length of the lumber to be engineered, and    laminating boards thus formed (optionally with others) so as to provide an appropriate exterior appearance for the engineered lumber.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the sticks are derived with a uniform laminar thickness.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein each stick has a maximum thickness one fifteenth ( 1/15) or less of the small end diameter of the log(s).  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the length of each stick is from 1.2 to 2.4 metres.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the length of each stick is from 0.5 to 1.2 metres.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the sticks and/or endwise joined sticks have been cut to a customer length prior to lamination.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 25  wherein better appearance boards are to the outside of the transverse section of the main faces of the laminated product.  
   
   
       33 . An elongate engineered timber product having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the cross section 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (a) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein each or any lamina is over the length of the product either 
 (I) a unitary stick from a log, or  
 (II) an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure of at least two sticks (“stick components”) from a log or logs,  
   and has the grain of its stick or stick components running at least substantially longitudinally of said longitudinal axis,    and wherein there has been a profiling of laminae strength and/or stiffness characteristics across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby to engineer a strength and/or stiffness characteristic of the product in planes normal to such thicknesses.    
   
   
       34 . An elongate engineered timber product having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the cross section 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (b) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein each or any lamina is over the length of the product either 
 (I) a unitary stick from a log, or  
 (II) an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure of each at least two sticks (“stick components”) matched as to strength and/or stiffness from a log or logs,  
   and has the grain of its stick or stick components running at least substantially longitudinally of said longitudinal axis,    and wherein there has been a profiling of laminae strength and/or stiffness characteristics across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby to engineer a strength and/or stiffness characteristic of the product in planes normal to such thicknesses, such profiling having the effect of at least emphasising the presence of stronger and/or stiffer sticks to the outside of the transverse section.    
   
   
       35 . An elongate engineered timber product made to length L and having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the cross section 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (b) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein at least most laminae over the length L of the product are an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure of sticks derived from a log resource with the grain of its stick components running at least substantially longitudinally of said longitudinal axis,    and wherein there has been a profiling of laminae strength and/or stiffness characteristics across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby to engineer a strength and/or stiffness characteristic of the product in planes normal to such thicknesses.    
   
   
       36 . An elongate engineered timber product made to length L and having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the cross section 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (b) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein at least a sufficient number of the laminae is over the length L of the product are an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure, each of longitudinally aligned and matched as to strength and/or stiffness, sticks derived from log resource(s).    and wherein there has been a profiling of streamed laminae already endwise joined of total length of at least L across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby reliant on stronger and/or stiffer laminae being placed to the outside to engineer a strength and/or stiffness characteristic of the product in planes normal to such thicknesses.    
   
   
       37 . An elongate engineered timber products 
 wherein each product having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to its longitudinal axis,    and wherein the cross section of each product 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (b) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein at least some laminae over the length of each product is an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure of sticks, each such stick being derived from a log,    and wherein using a sufficient log resource laminae strength and/or stiffness characteristics have been profiled across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby to engineer for each product a strength and/or stiffness characteristic of each of the products in planes normal to such thicknesses.    
   
   
       38 . An elongate engineered timber product of length L having a laminated transverse substantially rectangular or square cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the cross section 
 (a) in one of its major or minor axes is co-extensive with the transverse width parallel to that same axis of each lamina. and  
 (b) in the other of its major or minor axes, has the accumulated thicknesses of the individual lamina,  
   and wherein at least some laminae over the length L of the product is an endwise (e.g. finger jointed, lap jointed, and/or other such jointed) joined structure of sticks (“stick components”) of length much less than L derived from log resources,    and wherein there has been a profiling of laminae characteristics across that transverse axis of accumulated thickness thereby to best face the outside of the product on the opposed faces not showing the accumulated thicknesses,    and wherein each said endwise joined structure has been of at least length L prior to lamination and with at least some having been to a length greater than L.    
   
   
       39 . A method of deriving an elongate laminate product from a tree or logs thereof, said method comprising or including 
 (I) deriving logs of short length and/or of a variety of lengths,    (II) (optionally) profiling longitudinally at least part of the periphery of each log,    (III) longitudinally breaking such log lengths or at least part profiled logs down to boards, such breakdown to boards at least predominantly deriving surfaces defined by a longitudinal splitting and/or sawing (although at least one or some of the surfaces of each or some boards can be optionally dressed surfaces),    (IV) drying the boards,    (V) endwise finger jointing at least some of the dried boards (optionally after dressing to width) 
 i. of similar or the same transverse dimensions and  
 ii of like characteristics (e.g. selected from some assessment of at least one of the characteristics selected from the group of stiffness, strength and appearance) in order to derive boards of greater length (e.g. to at least customer length), and  
 iii laminating such boards to derive a laminated elongate product, such lamination being to provide both or either  
   (i) a structural member (e.g. beam, stud, etc.) having greater transverse dimension or bending resistance, or both, in a plane normal to the plane or planes of lamination rather than parallel thereto, boards of known characteristics being substantially optimally positioned in the laminated section, and/or    (ii) a structural or other member having its greater transverse dimension parallel to the laminating plane or planes (and, optionally, having one exposed face of greater transverse dimension as an appearance face), boards of known characteristics being substantially optimally positioned in the laminated    
   
   
       40 . A method of deriving an elongate laminate product from a tree, said method comprising or including 
 scanning tree stems and/or logs after debarking and deriving log lengths of lower value tree stem regions that are substantially defect free, [the logs being at least mainly from 0.5 m to 2.4 m in length],    profiling at least in part the exterior of each log,    longitudinally breaking such at least in part profiled log lengths down to boards reliant as a datum on at least part of the log profiling, such breakdown at least predominantly deriving surfaces of the boards defined predominantly by a longitudinal splitting and/or sawing,    drying the boards, and    both or either:    (A) inspecting, scanning and/or grading the boards [before and/or after, optionally trimming at least one side of some or all boards to extent required to match boards for transverse section and/or to customer width], 
 endwise finger jointing at least some of the boards of the same or substantially same transverse dimensions, and optionally substantially same grade, to assemble an elongated composite board [and, if necessary, prior to or post lamination transversely cutting the elongated composite board in order to derive boards to customer length], and  
 laminating such boards in a process to derive an elongate laminate product of customer length, such lamination being to provide a structural member (e.g. beam, stud, etc.) having by appropriate placement of different characteristics in the laminate a desired structural performance,  
   (B) inspecting, scanning and/or grading the boards, [before and/or after optionally trimming at least one side of some or all boards to extent required to match boards for transverse section and/or to customer width], 
 endwise finger jointing at least some of the transversely dimensioned boards of the same or substantially same transverse dimensions, and optionally substantially same grade, to assemble an elongated composite board [and, if necessary, prior to or post lamination transversely cutting the elongate composite board in order to derive boards to customer length], and  
 laminating such boards in a process to derive an elongate laminate product of customer length, such lamination being to provide a structural or other member having its greater transverse dimension parallel to the laminating plane or planes and having one exposed face of greater transverse dimension as an appearance face.  
   
   
   
       41 . A laminate of laminae of uniform rectangular cross-sections or depths and lengths arranged randomly in the laminate, such laminae having been derived from a feedstock comprising a population of logs (single or multigrade) wherein the population of laminae comprises all of the laminae that can be derived from the population of logs (exclusive only of laminae that are not of acceptable rectangular cross-section and/or length), and where each cross-section of each lamina represents a maximum of one twentieth of the log cross-section, or the thickness of each lamina represents a maximum of one fifteenth of the small end log diameter.  
   
   
       42 . The laminate of  claim 41  wherein each lamina represents a maximum of one thirtieth of the log cross-section.  
   
   
       43 . The laminate of  claim 42  wherein at least some of the laminae result from streaming of endwise joined parts thereof.  
   
   
       44 . The laminate of  claim 42  wherein no substantial pith content is in outside laminae.  
   
   
       45 . A laminate of laminae of uniform rectangular cross-sections or depths and lengths arranged randomly or otherwise in the laminate, such laminae having been derived from a feedstock comprising a population of logs (single or multigrade) wherein the population of laminae comprises all of the laminae that can be derived from the population of logs (exclusive only of laminae or material for laminae that are not of acceptable rectangular cross-section and/or length), and where each cross-section of each lamina represents a maximum of one twentieth of the log cross-section, or the thickness of each lamina represents a maximum of one fifteenth of the small end log diameter.  
   
   
       46 . The laminate of  claim 45  wherein each lamina represents a maximum of one thirtieth of the log cross-section.