These are the codes we use on our wood blanks to help
us, our retailers and customers.
Wood species (common domestic)
|
Apple |
APL |
|
Black Locust |
BL |
|
Cherry |
C |
|
Honey or Yellow Locust |
HL |
|
Walnut |
W |
|
Post Oak |
PO |
|
Red Oak |
RO |
|
Butternut |
BN |
|
White Oak |
WO |
|
Pine |
PN |
|
Ash |
A |
|
Mesquite |
MQ |
|
Kentucky Coffeewood |
KC |
|
|
|
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Pecan |
PC |
|
|
|
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Pear |
P |
|
|
|
|
Hard Maple |
HM |
|
|
|
|
Soft Maple |
SM |
|
|
|
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Sycamore |
S |
|
|
|
|
Blackjack Oak |
BJO |
|
|
|
|
Osage Orange |
OO |
|
|
|
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Catalpa |
CT |
|
|
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Hickory |
H |
|
|
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Box Elder |
BE |
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Wood Characteristics
Figure: “F” – plus an A,B scale. Example: F-3B
Spalting: “S” – plus an A,B scale. Example: S-2A
Crotch: “C”
Bark Inclusion: “BI”
The A,B Scale
“A” means that a characteristic is more than
localized or just on the surface of the wood blank. An “A” is certainly no
guarantee that the characteristic extends throughout the wood blank but it
is more likely than with a “B” rating. So, an “A” rating is better than a
“B”. For each rating level “A” or “B”, a number is given from 1 to 4 to
further define the level. The higher the number for a given level, the
better. So, a 4A is better than a 3A. Similarly, a 1A is better than a 4B.
|
Rating |
Characteristic |
|
4A |
Exceptional and widespread |
|
3A |
|
|
2A |
|
|
1A |
Small amount but widespread |
|
4B |
Exceptional but localized |
|
3B |
|
|
2B |
|
|
1B |
Small amount and localized |