Abstract: A process for treating various species of wood or other similar combustible material by vacuum/pressure penetration and impregnation of the combustible material with a flammable substance in order to produce a fire starting or combustion catalyst material with bum characteristics substantially similar to naturally occurring resin enriched woods. The wood or other combustible to be treated is placed within the cylinder of a modified vacuum/pressure autoclave whereupon the air within the cylinder is substantially removed and the cylinder is then filled with a hot flammable liquid such as a liquid paraffin. The autoclave is then caused to be pressurized and the appropriate pressure is maintained within the autoclave cylinder for a sufficient time to insure the desired penetration and impregnation of the wood or other combustible with the flammable liquid.

Abstract: A stack separator and restacker comprises a conveyor, a splitting bar, a multiplicity of lifting bars and hydraulic controls to operate them. The stack separator and restacker splits a stack or package of rigid elongated members, such as lumber, into smaller stacks or packages by first using the splitting bar to raise one end of the top portion of the stack. The lifting bars then raise the entire top portion of the stack. Once the top portion is completely raised, the bottom portion, now of standardized dimensions, is moved along the conveyor. The top portion is then lowered and is either resplit, restacked onto another stack or package, or is moved along the conveyor for further processing.