NELMA is pleased to announce that the 2012 edition of the Association’s Standard Grading Rules for Northeastern Lumber has been approved by the ALSC Board of Review and is now available online under the Reference tab of the NELMA website.  These revised rules become effective June 1, 2012 and replace the 2006 version.

The revised grade rules primarily incorporate previously adopted changes, such as NELMA’s 2008 Supplement No. 1 for Eastern White Pine and WWPA’s 2011 Western Lumber Grading Rules Supplement No. 1 pertaining to Beams & Stringers, and Posts & Timbers.  The following information details the changes by Section:

Section 1: Species Groups, Grademarks, Tally & Sizes, Glued Products

• Revised text concerning use of NELMA/ALSC nomenclature.
• Added language regarding the available use of the“NELMA” text logo as an option to the “sawblade” logo, in addition to sample grade stamp facsimiles showing the text logo use.
• Paragraph 3.6 – added Timber Sizing table per WWPA 2011 Supplement No. 1.

Section 3: Eastern White Pine Board Grades

• Incorporated NELMA Supplement No. 1, effective June 15, 2008.
• Inserted glossary paragraph references, where applicable.

Section 4: Other Northeastern Species & Special Board Grades

• Added paragraph 8.6 (WWPA 92.00) Moulding Stock
• Added paragraph 8.6.1 (WWPA 92.10) Mouldings

Section 6: Beams & Stringers, Posts & Timbers

• Inserted Supplement WWPA 2011 Supplement No. 1, Grading Rule Changes for: Beams and Stringers, Posts and Timbers, Measurement of Characteristics

Section 9: Measurement of Characteristics

• Replaced text in paragraph 41.0 Knots (WWPA 210.00), per WWPA 2011 Supplement No. 1.
• Replaced title of paragraph 41.1 Wide Face Knots (WWPA 211.00) 2” TO 4” Thick Lumber to 41.1 Wide Face Knots (WWPA 211.00) 2” and Thicker Lumber, per WWPA 2011 Supplement No. 1.
• Removed paragraph 41.2 (WWPA 212.00) and paragraph 41.3 (WWPA 213.00), per WWPA 2011 Supplement No. 1.

Section 11:  Eastern Pattern Charts

• Added three additional Eastern Patterns, previously approved by ALSC Board of Review.
• Removed “Interpretations of Eastern White Pine Board Grades”.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

At the recently held 2012 Annual Convention of NELMA, the Pine Subcommittee requested a formal review process of the current Eastern White Pine Grading Interpretations. This process will begin in June and will include the comparison of the official rules for Eastern White Pine (Section 3) with the interpretations that exist for the rules.  It was noted during the Subcommittee meeting that the review could result in a request to officially change some aspects of the rule to match the existing interpretations or eliminate certain interpretations altogether.

Given the high potential for a rule change request, NELMA will not be publishing, in print, the 2012 grading rules for distribution.  Instead, as noted above, the 2012 book will be available in its entirety online within NELMA’s website, Reference Tab, beginning May 10, 2012.  These full-size pages for each section of the book may be viewed, downloaded, and/or printed.

We believe this to be the most prudent and economical interim approach to ensure that the recently ALSC-approved 2012 edition is made widely available now, without printing 2 separate editions within a few months.   It’s anticipated that the work will be completed by NELMA’s Pine Subcommittee and any rule changes will have gone through the approval process in time to print a new rule book in November 2012.