Abstract: The present invention is a drilling jig for drilling a plurality of holes into a utility pole above and below the pole's ground level line to facilitate the penetration of a preservative, thereby preventing rotting of the pole at ground level. The drill jig consists of a plate having a topside, an underside, an upper edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. The plate includes a set of through-bores for guiding a drill bit into the utility pole. At least one elongated guide arm is secured proximal one of the plate side edges and extends downwardly transverse the plate. At least one lashing member for lashing the plate to the utility pole has a first end securable to at least one attachment point proximal the plate first side edge and a second end that is releasibly attachable to at least one attachment point proximal the plate second side edge.

Abstract: The ends of a plurality of stacked lumber pieces are embossed with an apparatus that includes an embossing plate having a vertical, planar embossing surface with three-dimensional indicia thereon; a press plate spaced from the embossing plate, the press plate including a plurality of adjacent press plate segments, each having a lumber contact surface facing the embossing surface, each of the contact surfaces being movable between a retracted position and an extended position toward the embossing plate; a lumber support for supporting a plurality of stacked, parallel lumber pieces with first and second opposed ends between the plates with the first end of the lumber pieces being toward the embossing plate and the second end of the lumber pieces being toward the press plate; drive means attached to the press plate segments to independently move the plate segments between retracted and extended positions; and a controller operatively associated with the drive means to actuate the drive means in a predetermined s