Abstract: Embodiments may include, at a vendor's materials handling facility that includes a first process management component controlled by the vendor for preparing shipments and a second process management component controlled by a merchant that receives inventory items from the vendor at the vendor's materials handling facility, utilizing the second process management component to receive order information specifying one or more items that a customer ordered from the merchant. The reserved portion of the vendor's materials handling facility may be reserved for shipment preparation operations controlled by the merchant. Embodiments may include, subsequent to the merchant receiving the item(s) from the vendor into a reserved portion of the facility reserved for merchant operations, utilizing the second process management component to control the preparation of a shipment including the one or more items specified by the order information.

Abstract: Freshly sawn green timber is branded with identification or grading symbols sing an aqueous acid solution of ferric ions to produce blue-black markings. A suspension of iron oxides in a solution of ferric chloride and ferric nitrate produced by dissolving iron in a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids gives particularly good results.

Abstract: A bandsaw blade for use in milling timber having in-line swaged teeth, wherein the cutting tip of each tooth, in front profile, is triangular in shape with a central apical point (30) and two side points (32, 34). Preferably, the apical angle (.theta.) is from 60.degree. to 140.degree., with the base angles (.gamma.) of the tip being equal to one another and lying from 20.degree. to 60.degree., thus providing an elongate pentagon shape in front profile. Also, a dark blue temper band (50) may be curved so that its top is spaced below the apical point (30) by a distance of 0.5 to 1.3 times, preferably 0.6 to 1.2 times, the blade thickness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for hydraulically debarking logs is disclosed, in which water at a substantially constant, ultra high pressure of, say, at least 25,000 KPa, is caused to impinge upon, generally radially with respect to, the surface of a log to be debarked. The apparatus of a preferred embodiment has ultra high pressure nozzles mounted upon resilient members circumferentially surrounding the log to be debarked, the members being biassed radially inwardly of the leg to bear upon the undulating surface thereof, and to maintain the nozzles at a predetermined distance therefrom, thereby maintaining the impinging water at a constant ultra high pressure.