How the Timber Consumer May Be Deceived
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By
A Timberman WITH sound wisdom the timber trade is at the present time making strenuous efforts to purge itself of the cheap-jack trader who,
by his doubtful practices, is not only bringing into disrepute one of the most honourable and oldest trades in the world, but is undermining public confidence in wood itself.
Timber is a highly technical subject, requiring years of study, and even then is never really mastered, as " new " woods and new uses are continually being discovered. Genuine merchants take pride in their knowledge of the characteristics of the multitudinous woods which pass through their hands, and will always give helpful advice to a purchaser who is, in doubt, or to one who is obviously ordering the wrong kind of timber.
Not so the cheap-jack. His one Idea is to get rich quickly. Lacking technical knowledge, he is 'ready to take advantage of the excusable ignorance of the majority of the baying public on the subject of wood.
How the Cheap-jack Works.
He adopts the " smart " methods of the market-place, misrepresenting to the consumer the grade, kind, suitability and often the measurement. Unfortunately, a number of these pseudo timber merchants has sprung up in recent years, and their unscrupulous methods are causing real con°ern in the trade.
Never buy timber on paper unless you know the merchant. No other commodity lends itself so .easily to imaginative description as wood, nor_ is there another material so readily adaptable to the sliding scale of prices. Always, when possible, inspect timber before purchasing.
When inspecting timber that is standing on end, remember to look 'at the bottom ends, as well as the top. That may seem to be superfluous advice, but few do so. Do not forget to put your mark on the wood that you select, especially hardwoods, such. as oak, ash, teak, etc. Unless one is unusually expert, it is frequently difficult to identify the wood without a distinctive sign when it is delivered, perhaps, days later.
Remember, you are buying timber for a particular job. If it be firstclass work, you must, in order to safeguard the reputation of your workmanship, use first-class wood. That is where the cheap-jack, by misrepresenting the grade, may involve you in trouble.
Hardwoods are graded in a way that is somewhat confusing to the uninitiated, and the unscrupulous trader takes full advantage of it. (Many consumers, judging by the nonchalant way they buy timber, seem to be unaware that wood is graded at all.) Certain hardwoods are graded "Prime," "1st Quality," " Selects," "No. 1 Common" and "Common."
Those grades are applied particularly to ash, the wood most largely 'used in vehicle construction, and it is easy to understand how the unwary consumer can be misled.Do not, therefore, think that you are buying the best timber because it is described as "1St Quality" or -" Selects," and make sure that you are not being charged for " Prime "quality wood. If in doubt regarding the quality, demand that the grade be stated on the invoice.
Markings on Hardwoods.
All hardwood boards and planks are marked (or should be) with the foot super (face measure), that is to say, irrespective of thickness. For instance, if the plank be marked 12 ft. and it be 2 ins, thick, it would contain 24 ft. super, the amount for which you would be charged.
When taking delivery, the face measure should be carefully checked. The way to do this is to multiply' the length by the width and divide by 12. Let us assume that the plank is 10 ft. long and 6 ins. wide; 10 multi
plied by 6 equals 60, which figure divided by 12 equals 5, and that is the face measure. The point is that if you were quoted Is. per ft. super and the plank was 3 ins. thick, a difference of only 1 ft. in the face measure would mean a difference of 3s. in price.
It is a custom of the trade to mark the face measure in Roman figures, often distorted and quite unintelligible to the consumer; thus a "mistake" is eaSily passed if the planks be not measured. The unscrupulous merchant soon discovers whether the customer be capable, or in the habit of properly checking his deliveries. If he is not his account will gradually swell.
Noticing this, he will later inquire kir some cheaper wood and may be offered a timber which, in all probability, is totally unsuitable for the required purpose, but is boosted a4 an "excellent substitute," at a remarkably low price. Comparing his quotation with the prices of other merchants, the customer imagines that he has found a bargain. He does not realize that he may be tricked on the measurement.
Softwoods a Snare.
With softwoods the sharp merchant is inhis element, as buyers are not so particular about the wood being exactly to specification and seldom thoroughly check their deliveries. A common method adopted by the unscrupulous trader is lightly to plane a board and sell it as a higher thickness. For example, a board 1 in. thick will measure in. when planed. It is then legitimately sold as a 1-in, planed board. But the dishonest merchant will skim a i-in, board and sell it as 1-in. material.
The same short-weight trick is applied to unplaned wood. Boards 11 in. by 54, ins, are cut down the centre and the resultant pieces sold as 2 ins. by 3 ins.
Softwoods are graded in 1st, 2nd,: 3rd, 4th, 5th and Inferior 5th qualities. The mark on the ends is the. shipper's mark and denotes the grade or quality. If you think the timber you are receiving is falsely described, ascertain the mark and any real timber merchant will identify it.