STANDARD PARTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 14, 16 July 1937, Page 6

STANDARD PARTS

JOINERY TIMBER FOR HOUSES

ARCHITECTS CONSULTED

The Government Timber Committee, established many years ago, which is now working in conjunction with the Standards Institute, has made a recommendation that standard sections are desirable lor weatherboards, flooring, and portions of window irsmes in common use. Furthering this object, the New Zealand Institute of Architects has been requested to compile a list of profiles in common use. When this matter came up at a recent meeting of the executive committee of the institute it was decided to give the general body of members an opportunity to state opinions which could be helpful in making specific recommendations. "The object' behind the endeavour is the simplification of current practice," comments the institute's "Journal." "It must, be obvious that as many of the sections of portions of window frames commonly produced by joinery factories are often not of the best and are in many cases unduly wasteful of valuable timber such as heart lotara, architects usually provide details of sections more to their liking. It seems to have been the custom of the ioiner to follow past precedents without much consideration for the Variation of structural methods. The individual architect provides his own special details and the joiner has to set the knives of his machine and run a small quantity to suit; he cannot use from stock. "It would seem that a great deal of this extra work—which mean,s costis avoidable. A standard unit for mulHon, style, head, and sill would meet with approval for almost all types of ordinary work. The advantages would be that the architect would only have to specify that all portions ■of the frames should be of standard sections A, B, C, or, whatever classification were adopted. He would be reasonably sure that the right section would be used and could easily verify it. The client would have the advantage of sections being cut out of the minimum sizes of timber required. The builder would also be sure of getting in all cases the best and most efficient section. The joiner woiild gain most of all by not having to run special sections, by use of minimum sizes, and by the possibility of holding stocks of sections for frames ready for1' use to speed up rush orders. He would also be enabled to be more certain in his tender price. The economies so obtained should of course be passed on to the lessening of cost of the work. Such systemisation should tend materially to better' work and use of material.

"Similar remarks would apply to weatherboarding and flooring, though of course the bulk quantities would be greatly exceeded. The only difficulties would be to establish necessary tolerances to allow for variation of moisture content.

"The success of anyVsuch system depends very largely on the thought put into the preliminary work. That preliminary work can only be based on sound principles if those who have any material contribution to make to it will express their views upon it."