First of all, the guild is an educational organization. It can assist you in learning. But I think it will have problems trying to qualify graders and have them "on staff".
I have often said I can cut a 2x4 with a 3" knot in it. And we all know that that 2x4 is going to fail.
The same could be said for an 8x8 with a 6" knot in it.
You have to know the grade limits and know how to apply them.
I have been to two grading seminars held by NeLMA. And one or two held at guild events. I did this to learn more about the grading process.
I have had the traveling grader(s) come to my sawmill yard and grade timbers for my customer before. However those timbers were salvage timbers and NeLMA has told us that they won't grade salvage timbers ever again (conference at Durham, NH some years ago).
In a room full of portable sawmill owners, some 60 of us there, the NeLMA grader/inspector told us that NeLMA would never give out a grade stamp to a portable sawmill. They (NeLMA) wants to know where the grade stamp is at all times, thus a permanent location. It costs $2500 a month dues to get into NeLMA and you have to be voted in by the members. The "A" in NeLMA is association and you have to belong in order to get a grade stamp.
Basically, because NeLMA likes to make unannounced drop in inspections to make sure you are doing the job correctly. If they find violations then they would/could shut you down. And or stop you from shipping out incorrectly graded lumber.
Ken:
If you need grade stamped lumber to fulfill the requirements of the building department then hire a traveling grader to come and grade your timbers. Pay the fee whatever it is and get the paperwork from them showing that they graded the timbers.
When the grader came here, he stamped the timbers that were here.
This was done by striking the timber with a hammer type tool that has the stamp carved into the head of the hammer so that the stamp could be read on the end of the timber. I was a little surprised by this method of stamping, as all these timbers that went into the timber frame barn being built by the customer had their ends modified with tenons and other joints. All the grade stamped ends were cut off, and can't be seen in the standing barn even today.
If you do have the traveling grader come, make sure you have enough timbers as extras encase he rejects one or two from your pile.
Expect him to want to look at every timber, all four sides and both ends. So you may need to have a fork lift available to move the timbers around and set them out in the yard for him to see.
Good luck with your project.
Jim Rogers
