DETERMINATION OF WOOD MACHINE OPERATION AND WASTE UTILIZATION AT BAUCHI FURNITURE FACTORY LIMITED BAUCHI

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the net volumetric wood waste generated and net volumetric lumber recovery using machine operations. The study also identified the various stages of machine points where wood waste were generated. Three wood species namely: dry savannah Mohogany (Khaya ivorensis), Abura (Mitragyna celiata) and Afara (Terminalia superba) were surveyed in the study. The study measured the individual lumber comprising 75 drawn from the three (3) species of wood to obtain their average dimensions as 0.015m x 0.25m x 1.405m giving a gross volume input as 0.314m^3; 0.017m x 0.25m x 2.23m giving a gross volume input as 1.12m³ and 0.03m x 0.25m x 1.450m giving a gross volume input of 0.34m³ respectively.  It was found that 53% to 90.3% of the lumber processed was recovered while 2.5 percent to 24% accounted for waste generated at various stages of machine operation. Factory sources revealed that wood wastes generated were used for agricultural practices. Results show a gross volume input of lumber as 7.203315m³ while the net lumber recovery volume shows 6.531223m³ and a net waste generated volume of 0.340312m³ respectively. It is concluded that more wood wastes were generated at some points than others due to verities in wood thickness.