Conversion of Timber

Conversion of Timber

Conversion is the process of cutting and shaping timber into commercial sizes. The tree trunk or stem is first cut into transportable pieces called logs. At the sawmill, the log is then converted (cut) into commercial, marketable sizes such as boards and planks.

Methods of Conversion

• Plain-sawn method
• Quarter-sawn method

Plain-sawn method:

In this method, the log is sawn into planks without paying attention to the rays. The method is simple, quick, and cost-effective.

Quarter-sawn method:

This method involves converting the logs into planks by cutting along the rays of the wood. The quarter-sawn method requires more attention than the plain-sawn method because the logs have to be turned to align with the rays. The planks produced by this method have fine figures. The converted timber is then stacked in the timber shed.

Timber conversion should normally be done by experienced individuals. Wastage of timber should be minimized, and adequate allowance should be made for squaring, planning, and shrinking when fixing the position of the saw.