Thev Built a Mill in Two \(/eeks Just to Turn Out Aircraft Lumber

Here is a story of how Weyerhaeuser, a lumber concern, built a special sawmill in two weeks, and ope,ned a tract of high mountain timber especially to supply that mill with special timber for Aircraft Lumber. Many miracles have been performed by the lumber industry of America to help the war effort. This is one of the most dramatic.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association conducted special meetings of Northwest lumber manufacturers during 1942, to acquaint the mill men of that territory with the U. S. war machine's great need for Aircraft Lumber. These meetings were called on behalf of the Treasury Department. At these meetings it was pointed out that this material is one of the most critical of all war materials, and that amounts required for air'craft construction seemed greatly in excess of possible production. What could be done ( ?) was the question asked.

Since the beginning of 1940 when the British Government began buying Aircraft Lumber from them, the Weyerhaeuser mills in the West had been expanding their production of such material. It is the work of a specialist, for Aircraft Lumber ca.nnot be cut from just any log. Then when the United States began its great program of airplane building, the demand increased, and Weyerhaeuser gave special attention to the effort to produce a maximum of such materials.

But when the great call came and the Association relayed requests for all good lumber manufacturers who could do so to come to the aid of the Aircraft makers, Weyerhaeuser decided to do something very definite and practical about it-and do it quickly. First it was necessary to locate adequate supplies of Noble Fir, which has been approved by the Western Log and Lumber Administrator of WPB as a suitable substitute for the inadequate supplies of Spruce. As Noble Fir is found only in high altitudes and scattered stands, surveys were made of the tremendous timber possessions of the company to discover where it might be found available. Three stands were discovered, none of them accessible to existing railroads. However, in view of the urgent demand, preparations were made for the immediate production of Noble Fir in the most accessible of these stands.

An experienced timberman was set to marking the trees to insure only those of the proper specifications would be felled. The most careful fallers were selected. Ground was cleared to reduce the breakage of falling trees to a minimum. And at the same time work was started on the completion of a partially built railroad on the mountainside. A skidder was set up and a sky line stretched as far as possible up the mountain toward the stand of Noble Fir at the top of the ridge. The logs were brought down by 'tats" (Caterpillar tractors), then lowered down the moun-

A line Noble Fir log being sliced into cqnlg lor Aircrclt Lumber. tain to the rail,.where they were carefully loaded on cars for the trip to the mill. They even replaced the regular customary skidding and loading tongs with cable slings so as to damage the selected logs as little as possible. And so Noble Fir logs selected for Aircraft Lumber began coming fast to the Longview plant of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company.

They already had three sawmills in operation at Longview-all very large ones. But they decided that they would specialize in this Aircraft Lumber production in a mill built especially for the purpose. So they proceeded to build a single band mill especially equipped for the purpose, and they installed second-hand machinery throughout. It took them exactly two weeks to build the mill, install the machinery and equipment, and start making Aircraft Lumber. They call this Mill No. 4. The Noble Fir logs do not come to this mill. They go to either or all of the other three mills, where thick cants are cut from them and transferred to the Aircraft mill for special cutting. So the new mill cuts only cants especially selected and cut from selected logs. They saw these cants with the grain, since straight grain is the essence of Aircraft Lumber. And the lumber sliced from these cants is trimmed, edged, gtaded, resawn, etc., by experts in this particular work.

At Longview they call Mill No. 4 the ',Tifiany,, of sawmill operations, because nothing but the most expert work is done in that unit, and everything that comes out of there is ready for use in Aircraft factories. Not all the Aircraft Lumber produced at Longview is Noble Fir. They also have uses for certain items of Douglas Fir, West Coast Hemlock, and, of course, they have a considerable production of Aircraft Spruce.

The picture with this story shows a band rig in Mill No. 3 at Longview, slicing a cant from a Noble Fir log, the cant to go to Mill No. 4 for Aircraft Lumber.

Needless to state this specialization has made it possible for Weyerhaeuser to tremendously increase their produc, tion of Aircraft Lumber, and thus do a very particular job of assisting in the war effort.

lumber is a Critical ITar Material

crrd Uncle Scmr comes first. It must continue to have the right-of-woy lor wor needs.

We cre supplying mcrteriols for mcmy wcr projects but wco:t to serve the retail trode too. If moteriols cne crvailoble, we will get them.

For 60 yeors we hove been serving the Southem Colilornic lumber trade.