WERC7

Wood Education and Resource Center-Seven Workshops Grant Project

This grant supports seven workshops that promote the hardwood forest and wood products industry east of the Great Plains.  These states have large hardwood forest resources and these educational workshops support businesses involved in forest and wood products manufacturing and distribution.

The seven workshops include:

1-National Upholstery Furniture Frame Workshop-held November 2019 in Conover, North Carolina at the Conover Station facility in downtown Conover. This free one day workshop offered educational and networking for professionals involved in the areas of designing and producing upholstery furniture frames.

2-National Firewood Workshop-held June 2019 in Epson, NH at the Epson Public Park just east of Concord, New Hampshire.  This two day workshop was led by industry professionals that covered the areas of procuring logs from urban and rural forests, issues of transportation for logs and lumber, firewood processors and packaging equipment, processors, dry kilns, business management and marketing.

3-Live Edge Thick Lumber Slab Workshop-held October 2020 in Statesville, North Carolina at the Iredell County Agricultural Center.  This workshop focused on the live edge slab business and offered discussions on business topics by the leading live edge slab producers.  Attendees included business owners and managers from as far away as MI.  The workshop include outdoor demos on sawing logs into live edge slabs, log scaling and sawmill opertions.

3-Small Firewood and Sawmill Businesses-to be held in the Fall of 2021 at the Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, West Virginia.  This workshop focuses on the business management aspects of operating successful small firewood and small sawmill businesses.  In addition to classroom discussions led by sawmill operators and equipment vendors, outdoor demos on log sawing, log and lumber grading and log scaling will be held.

This workshop was sponsored by the Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, WV and is part of their outreach educational effort for the US hardwood industry east of the Great Plains.  Sawmill Magazine is our media sponsor and this workshop was hosted by the NCSU Wood Products Extension with the assistance of the Iredell County Cooperative Extension Office, Nancy Keith, Director.

Scott Smith Sample Showing Slab Shrinkage

Scott Smith Slab Sample Showing Shrinkage

Speakers-Bucky Black, Dean Curfman, Scott Smith

Slab Sawing Demo Boxelder Fork, Sawn by Ricky Curtis

1-North Carolina Statewide Marketing for Forest and Wood Products Project

The US Forest Service has awarded NCSU Wood Products Extension a grant to work with the NC primary and secondary in North Carolina from now into 2022. Working with NCSU WPE is the NCFS and West65thInc on this project that has its goal to grow sales, profitabity and employment. In 2020 we are planning a series of thirteen regional meetings based on the thirteen NC Forest Service Districts that divide the one hundred counties into thirteen districts.  We will be announcing these meeting dates and locations soon that will run from March to November.  Additionally we will have an interest online survey asking for input for each meeting on topics to cover specific to each district. Harry Watt at NCSU WPE is the contact person for this meeting. Contact at harry_watt@ncsu.edu and cell at 704-880-3067.

Download pdf handout for project meetings for 2020.

The NCFS breaks down the 100 NC counties into 13 districts that we are using to host regional meetings in 2020 for our project to support the forest and wood products industry.

The online Zoom meetings start at 10 am for the primary industry that uses roundwood.

At 11 am the meeting switches to the secondary industry that takes lumber and panels to make value added products.  The meeting ends at noon.

The second have of each part of the meeting will be open to chat questions that we will discuss the problems and opportunities found in the NC forest and wood products industry.

Covid 19 Virus has affected our planned on site meetings in 2020 in each of the NCFS Thirteen Districts in that we are moving towards Zoom online meetings and not on site.  We have scheduled four online Zoom meetings for June and July for Districts 3,5, 2 and 13.  Below are the details:

Zoom meetings are found at this link = https://ncsu.zoom.us/s/98430918629.  The meeting opens up at 9:55 am using the link above.  From 10 am to 11 am the meeting is focused on primary (roundwood) businesses while at 11 am the meeting switches to the secondary industry (value added).  There are two call in phone numbers (code number)-phone 470-381-2552 (code 98430918629#) or phone 646-518-9805, (code 98430918629#) for those who wish to listen to the meeting by phone.

Meeting 1-NCFS District 3-Tuesday, June 9-Counties of Anson, Moore, Chatham, Richmond, Lee, Scotland, Montgomery, Stanly

Meeting 2-NCFS District 5-Tuesday, June 23-Counties of Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, Franklin, Northampton, Greene, Warren, Halifax, Wayne

Meeting 3-District 2-Tuesday, July 14-Counties of Alexander, Burke, Alleghany, Caldwell, Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Wilkes

Meeting 4-District 13-Tuesday, July 28-Counties of Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington

Meeting 5-District 11-Tuesday, August 4-Counties of Alamance, Orange, Caswell, Person, Durham, Vance, Granville, Wake

Meeting 6-District 4-Tuesday, August 18-Counties of Beaufort, Lenoir, Carteret, Onslow, Craven, Pamlico, Jones, Pitt

Meeting 7-District 9-Tuesday, September 15-Counties of Cherokee, Jackson, Clay, Macon, Graham, Swain, Haywood

Meeting 8-District 6-Tuesday, September 29-Counties of Cumberland, Robeson, Harnett, Sampson, Hoke, Johnston

Meeting 9-District 10-Tuesday, October 13-Counties of Davidson, Randolph, Surry, Davie, Rockingham, Yadkin, Forsyth, Rowan, Guilford, Stokes

Meeting 10-District 7-Tuesday, October 27-Counties of Bertie, Gates, Perquimans, Camden, Hertford, Chowan, Martin, Currituck, Pasquotank

Meeting 11-District 1-Tuesday, November 3-Counties of Buncombe, Mitchell, Henderson, Polk, Madison, Transylvania, McDowell, Yancey

Meeting 12-District 8-Tuesday, November 10-Counties of Dare, Hyde, Terrell, Washington

Meeting 13-District 12-Tuesday, November 17-Counties of Cabarrus, Iredell, Union, Catawba, Lincoln, Cleveland, Mecklenburg, Gaston, Rutherford

In the Fall of 2019 we conducted a survey of opinions of the forest and wood products industry. Take this link to review about 300 comments on the survey.

Starting August 2019 the NCSU Wood Products Extension is leading the effort in North Carolina to grow sales, profitability and employment for the primary and secondary forest and wood products industries.  This grant project is funded by the US Forest Service Wood Innovations Program for marketing.  We were picked out of about 150 applications, only about 30 were funded.  Our efforts will be undertaken in all 100 NC counties and will last into 2022.

Staff members of the project include:

NCSU-Harry Watt-harry_watt@ncsu.edu, Phil Mitchell-phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu, Frederik Laleicke-frederik.laleicke@ncsu.edu-all Wood Products Extension

NC Forest Sevice-Utilization Forester-Robert Ross-robert.ross@ncagr.gov

West 65th Inc.-Carla Harper-carla@west65inc.com, marketing services company

We will be hosting thirteen regional educational/networking events were we invite professionals from all phases of North Carolina’s forest and wood products industry.  These meetings will cover topics of interest and we will seek out opinions about the problems and opportunities for our industry.  Stay tuned and we will be hosting these meetings from March through November.

Project staff county assignments by NCFS Districts:

Harry Watt-NCSU Wood Products Extension

-District 1- Buncombe, Mitchell, Henderson, Polk, Madison, Transylvania, McDowell, Yancey

-District 2-Alexander, Burke, Alleghany, Caldwell, Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Wilkes

-District 3-Anson, Moore, Chatham, Richmond, Lee, Scotland, Montgomery, Stanly

-District 9-Cherokee, Jackson, Clay, Macon, Graham, Swain, Haywood

-District 12-Cabarrus, Iredell, Union, Catawba, Lincoln, Cleveland, Mecklenburg, Gaston, Rutherford

Phil Mitchell-NCSU Wood Products Extension

-District 4-Beaufort, Lenoir, Carteret, Onslow, Craven, Pamlico, Jones, Pitt

-District 13-Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington

Frederik Laleike-NCSU Wood Products Extension

-District 5-Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, Franklin, Northampton, Greene, Warren, Halifax, Wayne

Carla Harper-West65Inc-a marketing company

-District 10-Davidson, Randolph, Surry, Davie, Rockingham, Yadkin, Forsyth, Rowan, Guilford, Stokes

-District 11-Alamance, Orange, Caswell, Person, Durham, Vance, Granville, Wake

Robert Ross-NCFS-Utilization Forester

-District 4-Beaufort, Lenoir, Carteret, Onslow, Craven, Pamlico, Jones, Pitt

-District 8-Bladen, New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Columbus, Duplin

Information downloads helpful to forestry and wood products businesses in North Carolina:

District 3 County Summaries of Forest Impacts

District 5 County Summaries of Forest Impacts

2-Completed-Training for CNC Router Programmers and Operators, and Furniture Designers-Hickory, NC-Past Event

WERC 7x Workshops

Thursday, Feb. 6, and Friday, Feb. 7, 2020

We are hosting a free two-day training event at the NC Center for Engineering Technologies at 1990 Main Ave SE, Hickory, NC 28602 from 9 am to 4 pm that will be covering these two topics:

1-Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020-Training for CNC Router Programmers and Operators-registration link at https://wintertrainingthursday2020.eventbrite.com

Six hours devoted to training for developing employees of the upholstery furniture industry to learn how to create parts and models of upholstery furniture frames and go from blank screen to making parts to making models to using CAD CAM and nesting software to cutting parts on plywood panels.  Will include some hands-on time using SolidWorks software for modeling.

2-Friday, February 7, 2020-Training for Upholstered Furniture Frame Design-registration link at https://wintertrainingfriday2020.eventbrite.com

9 am to noon:  3 PowerPoint sessions, about an hour each.

Session 1: Upholstered Furniture Design; how upholstery works and how we arrived at the choices we have today.

Session 2: Best Practices for Plywood Frames; types of joints and other considerations with multiple examples to illustrate concepts.  Session 3: SolidWorks Modeling; step-by-step process for designing plywood frames efficiently.

Noon to 1 pm: Lunch

1 pm to 4 pm: Computer Lab: Three SolidWorks modeling sessions, about an hour each; progressing through steps of development using hands-on exercises.

The registration link at www.eventbrite.com will be uploaded soon!

3-WERC Seven Workshops Grant-2018-2022

This is a seven workshop series that began in 2018 with the National Upholstery Frame Workshop held in Conover, NC in November 2018.  The workshop series focuses on the business side of forest and wood products promoting growth of sales, profitability and employment.  In 2019 our National Firewood Workshop 2020 TN scheduled for June in Lebanon TN with the cooperation of the TN Division of Forestry was cancelled due to the Covid virus and rescheduled for June 2021. On October 30 2020 we hosted the Live Edge Slab Business Workshop in Statesville, NC that focused on the business side of the live edge sawmill operations.  We cancelled our planned Upholstery Furniture Frame Workshop in Conover, NC due to the meeting restrictions related to the Covid 19 virus.  In 2021 and 2022 we are planning additional workshops in this business focused seven grant series.  The WERC is the sponsor of this grant series with additional sponsorship by NCSU Wood Products Extension and Sawmill Magazine as our media sponsor.

4-WERC Seven Workshops Grant-National Firewood Workshop-CANCELLED-Will Postpone to June 9-10, 2021

June 10 and 11, 2020-Lebanon, TN

Take this link for the June 10th and 11th, 2020 National Firewood Workshop at the Wilson County Agricultural Expo in Lebanon, TN.

Take this link for a pdf copy of our NFW 2020 TN brochure with registration information online and by mail

Highlights National Workshop-National Firewood Workshop New England-June 2019

National Firewood Workshop 2019-Wednesday and Thursday, June 19 and 20, 2019, Epsom, New Hampshire.  This is the national eduational and networking event for the split firewood industry.  This is the nationally focused workshop that has been held in WV, NY, MD, NC and MI.  The website for registration is https://nationalfirewoodworkshop2019.eventbrite.com.  The cost is $45 per attendee and includes two lunches.  The NFW 2019 will consist of a combination of classroom discussions on the firewood industry and outdoor demonstrations on firewood equipment.  Take this link for the pdf NFW 2019 brochure.

Take this link to download the pdf brochure.

Take this link to see photos of NFW 2019 New England.

Completed-Workshops for 2019-On Campus at NCSU

Additionally we at NCSU Wood Products are hosting several educational events.

Workshop Schedule:

1-Dry Kiln Short Course, May 14 to 17, 2019.  The location is on the campus at North Carolina State University.  An educational training event for training the basics of how to kiln dry hardwood lumber.  The class will dry in a conventional steam dry kiln a charge of hardwood lumber.  This is the website for more information.  This workshop is sponsored by the Southeastern Dry Kiln Club.

2-NHLA Hardwood Lumber Grading Workshop, June 4-6, 2019, NCSU Campus, Raleigh, NC. This workshop offers an introduction to the NHLA hardwood lumber grading rules and teaches the basics of hardwood lumber grading.  The instructor is a NHLA certified grader and the workshop offers both classroom and hands on lumber grading instruction.  Phil Mitchell is the contact person, email at phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu.  The website is https:research.cnr.ndsu.edu/blogs/wpe.

Completed-National Upholery Furniture Frame Workshop

Conover, North Carolina, Thursday, November 9th, 2017

The Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, WV sponsored the National Upholstery Furniture Frame Workshop that was held at the Conover Station Building in downtown Conover, NC on Thursday, November 9th, 2017.  We had 102 persons who registered for the workshop that was a one day event that discussed the cutting edge of knowledge of how to successfull make wooden frames for upholstered furniture.

This year we followed a new format where the day was divided into twelve sessions with a single speaker who focused on one topic in depth.  Our speakers included-Matt Upton of Associated covered lumber markets, Bill Blackmon of Quis Machinery covered the use of CNC chopsaws to process ripped lumber strips, Eddy Sipe of GLH Plywood covered plywood markets, Donahue Bottoms of BlueLinx covered plywood and OSB panel pricing systems, Cindy Fulbright covered the latest news from the CVCC Furniture Academy training program in Hickory, Roy Bearden of Craftmaster Furniture covered the latest news from the Alexander County CVCC Furniture Academy training program in Taylorsville, Roy also covered the difference between rail and bench layouts for upholstery production, Daniel Hayes of Craftmaster Furniture covered the topic of how engineered labor rates are made for upholstery furniture, Ryan Zeck of TriMech covered the topic of 3-D Modeling software, Scott Feimster covered the topic of CNC router tooling, Ross Gobble of Diversified Equipment & Supply covered the topic of collet selection and maintenance, Tom Flowers of Anderson America covered the topic of spindle options for CNC routers, Jim Petrin of KOMO covered the topic of machinery controlers, TR Herzog covered the topic of the use of roller holddowns for panel routers, Lewis Mabon of Leggett & Platt covered the topic using spring assemblies for eight way tie downs, and Thomas Tuck covered the topic of CNC material handling systems for CNC panel routers.

Four of the speakers used PowerPoint presentations that are listed below for download in pdf form:

1-Tooling-Selecting Router Bits-Scott Feimster, LMT Onsrud

2-Collet Selection and Maintenance-Ross Gobble, Diversified Equipment & Supply

3-Options for CNC Router Controllers-Jim Petrin, KOMO

4-Steel Frame Suspension Assemblies-Lewis Mabon, Leggett & Platt

5-Time studies and rates, Daniel Hayes, Craftmaster

Completed- National Firewood Workshop-Thursday, April 27th, 2017

Statesville, North Carolina-Location-Iredell County Cooperative Extension Office

The Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, West Virginia hosted together with the NCSU Wood Products Extension the National Firewood Workshop at the Cooperative Extension Office in Statesville, North Carolina on April 27th, 2017.  This one day event was the gathering of split firewood professionals that discuss all the aspects involved in operating a profitable firewood manufacturing business.

Take this link for our webpage for the 2017 National Firewood Workshop.

Take this link for the one year follow up survey from the 2016 NFW in Keedysville, MD.

Completed-Spring 2017-Landowner Workshops for Seeing the Value of Forest Products in Forest Stands

Four Locations for This Outdoor Workshop in North Carolina

This important workshop is for landowners that provided an opportunity to walk with industry professionals in the forest at four locations in North Carolina.  These workshops provided information on how forest stands are valued by the industry and how to see in the forest what will be come future forest products, like veneer, plywood, lumber, OSB panels, paper chips and firewood.  We at each of the four locations provided demos of a portable sawmill and firewood processor for converting logs into value added products. We did offer educational credits for foresterst.

The workshops were are at no charge and we offered lunch options for the attendees.

Locations and times:

1-Thursday, March 30th, 2017, Wayne Community College, Wayne County, Goldsboro, take this link for a pdf information sheet.

2-Tuesday, April 4th, 2017, Jordan Lake Educational NCFS Training Center, Chapel Hill, Chatham County, take this link for a pdf information sheet.

3-Thursday, April 6th, 2017, Jones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown,Bladen County, take this link for a pdf information sheet.

4-Thursday, April 13th, 2017, Haywood Community College, Clyde, Haywood County, take this link for a pdf information sheet.

Completed-2017 Winter Upholstery Frame Training Day

We held our annual Winter Upholstery Frame Training Day on Thursday, February 7th, 2017 at the North Carolina Engineering Center in downtown Hickory.  We attracted fifty attendees that participated in three two hour focused sessions on New Frame Design Methods by Lewis Mabon of Leggett and Platt, Using 3-D Design Software for Upholstery Frames by Ryan Zeck of TriMech, and Cutting Edge CNC Router Utilization by Jason Dingess of Quis Machinery.

Completed-Spring/Summer 2016 WERC Workshops

1-National Firewood Workshop-Western Maryland Research and Education Center, Keedysville, MD, Thursday, April 21st, 2016, 9 am to 4 pm.

This event is sponsored by the Wood Education and Research Center of Princeton, WV and focuses on how a business makes money in the firewood business.  We invite top firewood industry professionals to discuss these topics-firewood associations that support the firewood industry, sourcing logs in rural and urban areas, processing equipment, dry kilns for firewood, insect problems and quarantines, connecting to bundle buyers, split firewood markets, arborists in the firewood business, new ideas in firewood marketing, kindling equipment and markets, selling firewood to restaurants and stories from firewood business owners.  We will have outdoor demos of several firewood processors sawing and splitting firewood.

Registration by mail is $30 before April 11th and $40 after April 11th when paying by check made out to WMREC.  Registration by credit card is possible using Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com/e/national-firewood-workshop-tickets-21429848253.  Mail registration to Jonathan Kays, Western Maryland Research and Education Center, 18330 Keedysville, MD 21756, phone 301-432-2767, x323, jkays@umd.edu.  Make checks out to the WMR&EC.

The National Firewood Workshop provides a buffet lunch in the registration fee.  Harry Watt at NCSU Wood Products is the contact person, email at harry_watt@ncsu.edu and phone at 704-880-5034.

Take this link for Highlights of the 2016 National Firewood Workshop in Keedysville, Maryland

2-Small Sawmill Workshop-Wood Education and Resource Center, Princeton, WV, Thursday, June 2nd, 2016, 9 am to 4 pm.

This event is sponsored by the Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, WV and focuses on how a small sawmill business makes money.  We invite top professionals to discuss these topics-latest information on small sawmill equipment-sawmills, edgers, resaws, etc., traditional dry kilns, solar dry kilns, sourcing logs, etc.  We also have demos outdoors where we will saw several logs.  Outside we also will discuss log and lumber grading.

Online Registration at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/profitable-small-sawmill-workshop-2016-tickets-22429225417.  There is a small charge at Evenbrite to register online.

Registration by mail is $30 before May 23rd and $40 after May 23rd by check made out to SEDKC.  Mail registrations to Harry Watt, 120 Beckham Road, Statesville, NC 28625.

Download the pdf brochure for the Small Sawmill Workshop.

Take this link to review the highlights-photos and slide shows-from the 2016 Small Sawmill Workshop.

SAF Forestry Education Credits = 5.00 Total (Category 1 CF = 3.5, Category 2 = 1.50).

Take this link for highlights and slideshows from the WERC Small Sawmill Workshop 2016.

3-Southeastern Dry Kiln Club Meeting-April 21st and 22nd, Hickory, NC-this is the professional organization of dry kiln operators in the Southeast US, contact Phil Mitchell at NCSU Wood Products Extension, email at phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu, phone at 919-515-5581.

4-Hardwood Lumber Drying Workshop-Raleigh, NC-June 14th to 16th, a short course that teaches the basics of grading hardwood lumber according to the National Hardwood Lumber Association grading rules, contact Phil Mitchell at phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu and phone at 919-515-5581.

Projects in Progress or Just Past

1-North Carolina Forest Service/US Forest Service Wood Products Directory Project-past

-this project is collecting basic business information about the value added wood products manufacturers in North Carolina that produce value added wood products like cabinets, furniture, millwork, pulp, firewood and treated products.  This project’s information will later be placed on a USFS website that buyers and sellers of wood products can use online to assist the production and sales of North Carolina made wood products.

Businesses can complete a short data collection form at this link.

Additional information about this project at this link.

 

2-Golden LEAF Foundation Sponsored Western North Carolina Promoting Wood Shops Into the Wholesale Market for Retail Furniture and Home Furnishings Market-“Make More Furniture in North Carolina”-past

-this project involves assisting wood shops and factories in the western fifty counties in North Carolina to produce wooden items for the wholesale furniture market.  Our goal is to focus on small shops and factories that are not now producing for the wholesale furniture market and work with them to develop new products and connect them to the retail store buyers.  Take this link for more information.

3-US Forest Service and NC Forest Service Promoting Local Public Furniture Project in North Carolina-past

-this is a project that is networking wood shops and factories in the western two thirds of North Carolina to the buyers in local governments and school districts in an effort to promote the local economies in rural and urban counties of North Carolina.  The goal is to develop the connections and knowledge needed for the state’s wood shops and factories to compete with other materials, national and international manufacturers of the cabinets and furnishings that are purchased for public buildings.

Take this link that is supporting furniture and wood products buyers in local governments and schools as well as wood shops and factories, and vendors that are involved in the production of public furniture.

4-Wood Education and Resource Center’s Four Workshops for Small Sawmills and Firewood Operations-past but coming again in 2020

-this project conducted two workshops in the Spring of 2015 and 2016 for the owners and operators of small sawmills and firewood operations in the thirty-five states served by the Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, West Virginia.  These workshops took take place in the month of May and June 2015.  The Small Sawmill Workshops was hosted at the WERC facility in Princeton, WV while the 2015 Firewood Workshop took place in the Albany, NY area.  In 2016 we will be hosting the National Firewood Workshop in Western Maryland near Hagerstown, MD and the Profitable Sawmill Workshop at the WERC in Princeton, WV.

Take this link for reviewing highlights about the June 11th, 2015 Profitable Small Sawmill Workshop in Princeton, West Virginia

Completed-3-D Training for the Upholstery Furniture Industry-Thursday, February 26th, 2016

We hosted a one day training session for upholstery frame designers, manufacturers and vendors at the Appalachain State Engineering Center in Hickory, NC.  This event was sponsored by TriMech that is the reseller of SolidWorks solid modeling software.  Ryan Zeck of TriMech located in Charlotte lead the classroom discussions where he offered new users an introduction to 3-D solid modeling for furniture frames.  He also lead the discussion on advanced drawing techniques for SolidWorks users.  The attendees also were treated to a hands on session using SolidWorks in the computer lab.  Clay Bolick and Eric Hill of Plataine covered the topic of how to use their nesting software to gain material yield improvement by nesting curved parts cut out of plywood and OSB panels.

Randy Burns of the Appalachian State University Engineering Center discussed on how one downloads design information to a CNC router to cut upholstery frame parts.  He also discussed how to manage tool paths and vacuum systems for reducing cycle times on cutting upholstery furniture frames.  Randy provided the site of the workshop and operated a CNC router machining a plywood panel into a upholstery furniture frame.

Attendees were treated to a great buffet lunch provided by TriMech. The training day was free for attendees and forty industry professionals enjoyed a day of education and networking. Kristina Hering of TriMech managed the workshop and provided the buffet lunch.  Trey, inside sales, and Shelly Crump of the Charlotte office, and Chris of the Charleston, SC office, also assisted.

Ryan Zeck of TriMech Discussing How to Use

3-D Solid Modeling Software to

Design Upholstery Furniture Frames

Ryan Zeck of TriMech Overseeing a Hands On Session

on workstations using SolidWorks Solid Modeling Software to Design Upholstery Furniture Frames

Ryan Zeck Assisting Attendees on How to Draw Upholstery Furniture Frames Using 3-D Solid Modeling Software

Completed-National Firewood Workshop-Thursday, May 7th, 2015

We enjoyed a successful National Firewood Workshop in the town of Voorheesville, NY near Albany at the Albany County Cooperative Extension Facility.  We attracted approximately 120 attendees that include current and prospective firewood business owners and managers, equipment vendors, broker buyers, The workshop was both an educational and networking event that focused on how a business makes money in the firewood industry.  Our speakers included Eric Carson of the Empire State Forest Products Association, Walter A. of Sawmill Magazine, Paul Chaloux of the USDA APHIS, Geoff Friedman of Lost Coast Forest Products, Patrick Davis of CRD Metalworks, Marcus Steigerwaldt of MultiTek, Bill Smith of SUNY, and Niels Jorgesen of Kiln-Direct.  We enjoyed a great buffet lunch with ribs and fried chicken.

Outdoor demos were provided by Howard Boyden of OESCO, Tamara Zalar of Tajfun USA, Brandon O’Hara of Wood Beaver, and Ben Deschaine of Dyna.

Sponsors for the 2015 National Firewood Workshop included the Wood Education and Resource Center of Princeton, WV, the Wood Products Extension Department at North Carolina State University and Sawmill Magazine.

Great Buffet Lunch

Firewood Processor Demos Outdoors

Classroom Discussions on Firewood Businesses Issues on Making $ in the Firewood Industry

Completed-Upholstery Frame Workshop-Conover, NC-November 12th, 2015

The 2015 edition of the Upholstery Frame Workshop was held in Conover, NC at the Conover Station building in downtown Conover.  We spent the day discussing the cutting edge of how to design and manufacture upholstery frames of lumber, plywood and OSB.  The discussions were led by industry professionals that updated the attendees on material markets, equipment, tooling, design software, concepts in frame design and what to expect in the coming year.

Take this link for the PDF 2015 Upholstery Frame Workshop Brochure.

A Large Crowd is the Usual at This Workshop

Lunch Provided by Vendors

Jason Dingas Discussing CNC Routers

Our lunch was provided by these vendors-Quis Machinery, Thermwood, Accu-Router, Boise Cascade and SigmaNest.

Our industry professionals included-TR Herzog of Accu-Router, Keith Blackburn of Adams Wood Turning, Donahue Bottoms, Jr. of Blue Linx, AJ Webb of Boise Cascade, Matt Jenkins of CR Onsrud, Todd Norris of FrameCo, Eddy Sipe of GLH Plywood, Barry Simmons of HS Solutions, Allen Sigmon of Leggett, Chris Deal of MultiCam, Scott Taylor of SigmaNest, and Don Jones of Thermwood.

Stay tuned for our 2016 Upholstery Frame Workshop to be scheduled for November 2016 in Conover, NC.

Completed-Upholstery Frame Workshop-Conover, NC-November 13th, 2014

We held the Upholstery Furniture Workshop at the Conover Station Building in downtown Conover on Thursday, November 13th, 2014.  We had in attendance uphostery industry participants from North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Oregon and Canada.  A total of eighty attendees spent the day discussing these topics:  status of the lumber industry, status of the plywood industry, equipment for processing lumber, CNC panel equipment for making frames, CNC five-axis equipment for making frame parts, using OSB for frames, basics of 3-D modeling software, advanced 3-D modeling software and intregrating the design of frames, cushions, foam and fabric into one 3-D model.

Take this link for additional information about the 2014 Upholstery Frame Workshop.  Assisting in this workshop was Catawba Valley Community College and CVCC’s Manufacturing Solutions Center.  Take this link for additional information about the 2014 Upholstery Frame Workshop.

Eddy Sipe of GLH Discussing the Status of the Plywood Markets for Frames

Evertte Edwards with Louisiana-Pacific talking about using OSB in frames

Eddy Sipe speaking on the topic of the status of the plywood market for frames.  Jack Skinner of Associated Hardwoods also spoke on this topic.

Everette Edwards discussing the use of OSB for making furniture frames.

Andrew Rudistill discussing the intregration into one design operation the tasks of designing the frame, foam, cushions and fabric.

Completed-Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop-April 17th, 2014-check out the highlights!

We held the Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop at the US Forest Service Wood Education and Resource Center on Thursday, April 17th, 2014 with forty-five in attendance from eleven states.  For highlights of this important workshop for the firewood industry, take this link for highlights.

Steve Milauskas Greeting the Attendees of the Profitable Firewood Workshop

Brian Madden of Madden Brothers discussing the marketing of firewood

Bill Mollard of Dyna giving a demo on a firewood processor

Steve Milauskas of WERC greeting attendees

Brian Madden discussing how his company is now averaging $700 a cord on split firewood

Bill Mollard giving demos on a Dyna firewood processor

Co-sponsors of this workshop include the Wood Education and Resource Center, North Carolina State University Wood Products Extension, Independent Woodlot and Small Sawmill Magazine and WoodShop News.

WPE Priorities:

* Assist NC wood products businesses to grow sales and profitability

* Assist NC wood products businesses to develop new products and and new markets

Assist NC wood products businesses to improve competitiveness

* Assist employees of NC wood products businesses in wood knowledge and wood business skills

New!

Business Listing of North Carolina Veneer and Plywood Businesses

NCSU Links North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension LogoCollege of Natural Resources LogoLink for NCSU Wood Products and Wood Science Alumni

Link for New GoldenLEAF Foundation Grant for Small Woodworking Shops

GoldenLEAF Logo Image

New Wood Education and Resource Center/NCSU WPE Workshops 2016

1-Firewood Workshop-Thursday, April 21st, near Hagerstown, MD, link to register-https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-firewood-workshop-tickets-21429848253

3-Profitable Small Sawmill Workshop, Thursday, June 2nd, WERC, Princeton, WV, link for workshop brochure with registration form

Best Business Practices Program (BBP) for Wood Products

New NC Forest Service/US Forest Service Secondary Wood Products Industry Online Directory Project

Upholstery Frame Workshop, Conover Library, Conover, NC

Thursday, November 7th, 2013

See Workshop Highlights-Frames

New Publication-

Business Strategies for Craft Wildlife Wood Products Businesses

Newspaper Article About

New EPA Rules Affecting

Woodstove Emissions

Contact: Harry W. Watt, Wood Products Specialist, cell 704-880-5034, email harry_watt@ncsu.edu

Wood Products Extension Department supports the wide variety of wood products businesses in North Carolina and assisting the Cooperative Extension network of county offices that serve the people of North Carolina.

Primary Wood Products

Sawmills, Pallets, Plywood and Veneer, Lumber Drying and Distribution

Log Pile Photo

Secondary Wood Products

Cabinets, Casegoods Furniture, Upholstery Furniture, Institutional Furniture, Flooring, Millwork, Woodcrafts

Case furniture chest

Supporting Suppliers

and Equipment Vendors

Lumber, Plywood, Glues, Finishes, Hardware, Packaging, Equipment

Five Axis CNC Router

NC Cooperative Extension Offices and Homeowners

Locate Your Local NC Cooperative Extension County Office

Seminar audience

Best Business Practices Program for the Primary Wood Products Industry

Best Business Practices Program for the Secondary Wood Products Industry

NC List of Small Sawmill and Wood Drying Operations PDF-list from www.woodweb.com

Collection of Helpful Wood Products Publications for Homeowners