Timber Museum, FRI, Dehradun

Post by- Ms. Unnati Chaudhary, MSc Student,FRI.

The Timber Museum has exhibits of the best-known and most common commercial woods. One hundred and twenty six commercially important species displayed along the walls of the museum provide the visitors an idea on the characteristics of these woods. The lower halves of the planks have been left in the natural state, while the upper half are oiled with the linseed oil to enhance the features of the timber. Hanging above the planks are photographs of the trees whose planks are displayed along with small maps indicating their distribution in India. The transparent photomicrographs in a separate case show the structure of common Indian Woods as seen under a microscope.

One cubic feet of green wood sample contains about 16 liters of water and it requires seasoning. After seasoning a significant amount of water (2.7 litres) still remains in the wood. If wood is not seasoned, defects like warping, cracking and twisting occur. A number of models representing different methods of air seasoning, steam seasoning and solar kiln seasoning are on display.

Timber engineering techniques using short dimensional timbers for large span of trusses are depicted. Cabinet designing is demonstrated using different timbers and various patterns. The center of attraction, however, is a transverse section of a 704-year-old Deodar (Cedrus deodara) tree, which was felled in 1919 from the hills of U.P. The natural and climatic events can be clearly traced by reading the annual rings. Depiction of Indian history starting from the date of construction of Qutub Minar to Jalianwala Bagh incident made on this exhibit makes it very interesting. Another section displayed is that of a 330-year-old teak (Tectona grandis). Walnut and Padauk burr(outgrowths on the stem) specimens are also items of interest.

Popular and inexpensive use of plywood, laminated wood, compregnated wood, bamboo boards and diaper are demonstrated and bamboo and wooden springs for furniture and other articles are displayed. Comparative mechanical properties of different timbers are depicted for various end uses. There is a gun carriage wheel made of rosewood, shisham, and Andaman Padauk.