Softwood grading

rooster 58 · March 30, 2019, 04:20:25 PM

Hey folks,
I'm looking for a softwood grading course. Does anyone have any information on where to go or who to ask? I'm in central Colorado about 30 miles west of Colorado Springs. Thanks guys

Don P · March 30, 2019, 07:07:01 PM

1st off, that doesn't make you a card carrying grader. I've taken the course but cannot grade without being a client of one of the agencies, which isn't cheap. It is good to know how to do it and there have been job openings for graders here that I could have applied for so there is that.

I took the course at TPInspections near Atlanta, I think they offer it in Portland, OR as well. I imagine you are going to have to go to one of the agencies main offices which is probably going to be on one coast or the other. ALSC has a list of all the agencies and contact info on their website, here we go;
http://alsc.org/contacts_untreatedlist_mod.htm

rooster 58 · March 30, 2019, 08:33:27 PM

Thanks Don. I mainly want to stamp my own lumber and for people that I saw for.
Back east, I was a hardwood inspector, and trained several guys to grade in mills that I worked at

hacknchop · March 30, 2019, 08:43:30 PM

Rooster there are atleast 2 different courses one is for appearance grading the other more specifically for stress grading and there are several agencies through which accreditation maybe obtained you don't work for them rather they are responsible for your permit or licence and can call you back for recertification

hacknchop · March 30, 2019, 08:59:51 PM

I'm in Canada so it might be different in Colorado I'm sure that one of the other members in your state or even country will know more , getting myself and my wife both certified in 1998 made a world of difference in our business and made me a better Sawyer.

Don P · March 30, 2019, 09:01:08 PM

Unless you are a stationary operation and become a member mill under their auditing you cannot stamp your own lumber. That was a broad sweeping statement, some states and jurisdictions do have exceptions.

The language in the building code might help, this is from the floor chapter, the same basic clause appears in each structural framing chapter;
R502.1Identification.
Load-bearing dimension lumber for joists, beams and girders shall be identified by a grade mark of a lumber grading or inspection agency that has been approved by an accreditation body that complies with DOC PS 20. In lieu of a grade mark, a certificate of inspection issued by a lumber grading or inspection agency meeting the requirements of this section shall be accepted.

So basically you have to train AND become a member mill of one of the agencies to be able to stamp lumber.

Bruno of NH · March 31, 2019, 08:40:10 AM

In NH you can take a course from the State and become a softwood grader and sell your lumber for building anything in the state.
Peter Drouin is one I need to take the course.

Bruno of NH · March 31, 2019, 08:42:21 AM

You folks in other states should push to have a law like NH in your states.
We have high property taxes but it is the live free or die state .

Don P · March 31, 2019, 09:10:48 AM

NH had one of the first "Native Lumber" laws. I tried to have it adopted here, no go. Most of the northeastern states have one in some form or another. NC allows the use of timber from your land on your house. TN was working on one but I think it failed. Ag use in most states is exempt. My inspector does allow either a grader or an engineer to write a letter. There is a clause, around R3.1 in the building code, for alternative methods and materials, we call it the God clause, that allows the building official to waive or specify testing methods which is where mine allows the engineer, few will use it though for county liability reasons. Although we call it softwood grading the same rule and methods apply to any structural lumber, hardwood or softwood.