The role played by the exponent n is not described in the literature. Various values of n are found between 1 and 3 (16). Keylwerth, in a Hankinson-type equation, proposed use of an n exponent to provide an adjustment for the diagonal shear strength (10). In this study, straight-grain Douglas-fir 2-ply test strips tested in tension required an n of 1.5, angled veneers required an n of 1.2, birch veneers required an n of 1.05, and thick high-strength oriented strandboard and strand lumber composites tested for MOR (Figs. 14 and 15) required an n of 0.96 for the product made of 0.125-- inch-thick veneer strands and an n of 0.9 for the product made with 0.02-inch face and 0.04-inch core waferized aspen strands (Table 5). These required n values are directly associated with the rate of increasing strength with increasing glueline length (Fig. 7) and hence the ratio of strand length to strand thickness (ld ratio) required to attain the maximum strength (Fig. 4). It is postulated that this Ild ratio is dependent upon the resistance to deformation of the glue-- joint under stress and that deformation of the test samples under stress will resuit in a lower stress transfer angle and a higher failure stress than predicted for the glueline length. In this study, the 0.100-inch Douglas-fir 2-ply lap joint test samples, which required an n of 1.5 and a l/d ratio of 110 to attain 90 percent of the maximum strength (Fig. 10), would have the least resistance to deformation, and the multilayer product made with 0.020-inch and 0.040-inch-- thick aspen strands, which required an n of 0.9 and an lid ratio of 560 to attain 90 percent of the maximum strength (Fig. 14), would have the greatest resistance to deformation. Significant parameters will probably include strand stiffness, the number of strand layers, the grain angle in the strand, the angular deviation of the strands, and the rigidity of the adhesive. Further work is required to clarify these relationships.