HARDWOOD RECORD 



Jin Electricalli; Driven Woodworking Plant. 



A\U I.OLNDINO MVCHINE 



AI INDDCTIOX 

 TED TO H B 



ER CUT ort 



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FIG. 2—20 H. r.. 90n R. r. M. INDUCTION 

 MOTOR DIRECT CONNECTED TO COUN- 

 TERSHAFT OF H. B. SJIITH NO. 108 



FIG ■5—20 II P ] 200 R P AI. INDUCTION 

 MOlOU m LILD lO MLRRIir TABLE LEG 

 M\CIIINL 



The new plnnt of the Virginia Table Works 

 it JMarion, Va., affords many opportunities 

 for a study of modern woodworking methods. 

 This factory is completely equipped with elec- 

 trically-driven woodworking machines, and il- 

 lustiates thoroughly the advantages of the 

 electric drive for this class of machinery. 



The Virginia Table Works manufactures 

 both medium and high-grade hardwood tables 

 exclusively, and has a well-founded and grow- 

 ing business in this class of furniture. Marion 

 IS in the center of the Virginia hardwood sec- 

 tion, and being located on the main line of 

 the NorfolK & Western Railway has excellent 

 shipping facilities. This, together with an 

 abundance of labor and raw material, was the 

 detei mining factor in the location of the 

 plant 



The main building is a two-story structure. 

 On account of the fact that all the machinery 

 IS on the first floor it was thought advisable 

 to make this part of the factory greproof. 

 Consequently reinforced concrete and brick 

 were used exclusively in the construction of 

 this part of the building. Should future con- 

 ditions warrant the extension of the plant, 

 the design will allow the fireproof construc- 

 tion to be extended to the other stories. The 

 second floor, which is of ordinary frame con- 

 struction, contains the carpenter and cabinet 

 shops in which the tables are assembled be- 

 fore shipment. 



Besides the main building there are two 

 wings: one, a single-story structure, contain- 

 ing the boiler room and dry kilns; the other, 

 a two-story building, containing on the second 

 floor the varnishing and finishing rooms, and 

 on the first floor the offices and shipping de- 

 partments. The boiler room contains a sixty 



horsepower boiler, which furnishes low pres- 

 sure steam for the heating system and dry 

 kilns. The fuel, consisting of waste material 

 from the shops, is conveyed to the boiler room 

 by an exhaust system, further details of 

 which are mentioned in another part of this 

 article. The Jas. D. Lalor Engineering Com- 

 pany, Washington, D. C, were the engineers 

 in charge of the design and general layout. 



In deciding upon the adoption of the elec- 

 tric drive for this plant many factors were 

 taken into consideration. The company de- 

 sired to obtain a maximum output from a 

 minimum operating space. It was found that 

 with the electric drive more space could be 

 utilized and the machines located to better ad- 

 vantage as regards lighting and the proper 

 sequence of manufacturing operations. The 

 elimination of all heavy line shafting with 

 high friction losses and attendant annoyances 

 from broken belts and obstructed light, and 

 the reduced fire risk were all taken into con- 

 sideration. 



The initial cost of both the electric drive 

 and the mechanical drive was found to be 

 approximately the same, but when the com- 

 pany learned that power could be purchased 

 from the local lighting company at two cents 

 per kilowatt-hour they figured that with the 

 adoption of the electric drive there would 

 result a large saving in the power cost. This 

 point has been borne out, now that the plant 

 has been in operation for several months. 



In this connection it might be well to men- 

 tion the fact that the president and general 

 manager of the Virginia Table Works is also 

 a large manufacturer of heavy wagons. In 

 the wagon plant, where the mechanical drive 

 is used, the co.st of power, not including re- 



DOUBLE SPINDLE SHAPEK. 



FIG. 5—25 11. P.. 720 K. P. M. INDUCTION 

 MOTOR DIRECT CONNECTED TO COUN- 

 TERSHAFT OF FAY & EGAN TRIPLE 

 DRUM SANDER. 



