Why Use Foreign Deal?
Page 48
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By A Timberrnan With Prices of Foreign Wood Soaring, Users are Turning a More Sympathetic Eye Towards British Timber
DURING the past three months the price of foreign timber has risen linorraously—especially that of yellow and white deal and it is still increasing. To-day, the wholesale, or importing, price of planed deal boards almost equals the retail price of six months ago, and, indeed, sonic sizes cannot be obtained at any figure.
Speculators Want Watching.
This alarming situation has been created primarily by the phenomenal demand for timber made by Governments throughout the world, including our own, for the building of munition factories and work in corinection with armaments. This, in turn, has afforded an excellent opportunity for the speculator. Stocks are being held back, cargoes are sold aver and over again, and all the jugglery of high finance is being practised.
The result is that consumers generally are looking more favourably towards British timbers—those muchmaligned woods which have, in the past, suffered so greatly from uniustifiable prejudice—and the demand is steadily growing. These woods also have increased in price, but not in the same ratio as foreign timber.
Unfortunately, some foreign tira v34 hers are not easily replaced by British woods. Although there is hardly a foreign wood which could not be satisfactorily superseded by one of British origin, the marketing of some British timbers has not yet reached a stage which ensures consumers a ready supply of standard qualities and sizes always true to specification.
There is, however, now no reason why consumers should pay inflated prices for foreign deal, especially in the motor-body industry. British Columbian pine can be used in any capacity in which deal is employed for motor-bodybuilding.
For instance, B.C. pine makes excellent bottom boards. Not only is this wood cheaper to buy than deal, but the fact that it can be obtained in widths more than twice as great as deal considerably reduces the working costs. It is also much more durable than deal under exposed conditions.
Yet many users continue to " pay through the nose" . for deal to be employed for the same purpose—a state of affairs which suggests that few are acquainted with the qualities of B.C. pine. A little information about this valuable wood may be helpful.
British Columbian pine is a lightcoloured timber, varying from pale yellow to reddish-yellow. It grows in Canada and the U.S.A. That which comes from America is called Oregon pine. Insist on having British Columbian pine.
Usually of uniform growth, it can be obtained in large dimensions, comparatively free from knots and resin. It is of great strength, tough, durable, relatively light in weight, and possesses a handsome grain.
Many manufacturers seem to think that any kind of " pine " must be a mild, soft timber, not suitable for rough usage. In reality, British Columbian pine will withstand more hard wear than will some hardwoods, and considerably more than either white or yellow deal.
Two Varieties Available.
There are two varieties of B.C. pine, yellow and red. The yellow kind is beautifully figured, the surface being lustrous and dull in alternate waves, making an attractive decorative wood when polished: It is also the milder of the two species and can be used for the highest-class work. The red wood is coarser and tough, but for bottom boards and interior fitments it is equal in every way to deal; and more economical.
B.C. pine requires rather more than ordinary care in staining, too lavish use of the liquid will make the grain rise. But this drawback is " more than outweighed by its many other merits.
It will not shrink or warp when properly seasoned and it varnishes well. As an all-round constructional' timber, it has no equal among softwoods, so why buy foreign deal at an exorbitant price?