September 10, 1919 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



23 



Letters from a Panel User 



Some of the Lessons That May Be Learned in the School of Experience 



IF ALL veneer and panel manufacturers were scientific 

 men and could handle all the diflScult and perplexing 

 questions that come to the glue room, there is no doubt 

 that their troubles would be lessened some, and possibly 

 their profits would be increased. We realize the need of 

 general knowledge to be able to determine glue quality, 

 buy at the right price, and improve the quality of the goods 

 manufactured. 



The majority of panel makers have very little time to 

 devote to glue room problems and it is hardly expected 

 that the manager spend his time there to observe the 

 handling of the glue; nevertheless, he should take an 

 interest in this work and engage men w^ho know. Of 

 course the more knowledge the manager has of glues the 

 more readily can he discover faults; and the men in the 

 glue rooms who are holding their jobs simply upon being 

 able to bluff their superiors would be compelled to either 

 do the work correctly or seek positions elsewhere. 



In the large panel manufacturing plants where a con- 

 siderable quantity of glue is used, and where the use of 

 the article is seriously considered, one man should be 

 placed in absolute control of the glue room. Experience 

 has taught me that young men will usually prove the 

 better men for such positions, for the reason that older 

 men are usually "set" in their w^ays and will not change. 

 Every communication relating to glue itself or to glue 

 appliances of any kind should be referred to him, and his 

 opinion on these matters should at all times be requested 

 and respected. From the moment glue is received it 

 should be placed in his care, and remain under his con- 

 trol and supervision until delivered to the glue spreaders, 

 pots etc. 



As to judging glues, it is to be regretted that so many 

 glue users rely on the color, smell, and shrinkage. These 

 qualities alone are not a safe guide in forming an opinion, 

 for a glue may have good color, be free from smell, and 

 well shrunken in the drying, yet, owing to the deficiency 

 in glutin, the binding power may be low. The higher the 

 percentage of glutin in a glue, the higher is the melting- 

 point of the jelly, and as this is to some extent a measure 

 of its strength it follows that a bone glue in which chon- 

 drim is predominant is inferior to a hide glue as an adhe- 

 sive. If we expect results we must learn to test glues. 

 The writer has considered very seriously the preparation 

 of a book that will give the glue user all the information 

 necessary to test and handle glues. It is true that there 

 is much material along this line, nevertheless, there is 

 much information that has been withheld and is being 

 used only by so called glue experts who may or may not 

 be charging fancy prices for the testing of glues. The 

 point is, get all the information you can. Every glue 

 presents certain characteristics and requires more or less 

 study. When the salesman says to you that he is in a 



position to sell you hide glues for less money than any 

 glue manufacturers in the country, and can save you 

 from one to three cents per pound and that for the reason 

 that he has a stock of raw material which was bought at 

 a low price, do not take the salesman's word for this, but 

 have him send you samples, test them, and the first test 

 to apply is to see w^hether it is hide or bone glue. Then 

 determine the strength. Finding the sample satisfactory, 

 place your order conditioned that the lot or lots to be 

 shipped must conform in every respect with the sample. 

 It is well to specify in your order the viscosity, jelly, joint, 

 grease, and other important tests which should be stated 

 from your records obtained from the testing of his sample. 



Until a short time ago, it was an established and ac- 

 cepted principle among glue manufacturers and jobbers 

 that the market price of glue is any price that can be 

 obtained. Many sellers have taken advantage of the 

 credulity of the purchaser, and we must state that the 

 seller of the glue has had far greater latitude in this 

 respect, inasmuch as the commodity in which he deals 

 was but little understood and has not been subject to 

 sale under specifications. 



Do you buy your glues under specifications? If not, 

 why not? 1 do not believe that prior to our entry in the 

 war a half dozen panel manufacturers in the United States, 

 including Canada, bought their glues upon specifications. 

 1 hope 1 am wrong, but I visited and inspected many 

 plants and found but one or two, and they thought so 

 well of the plan that they did not care to impart the 

 information to their brothers in the same line of business. 

 You would not think of buying lumber because it is lum- 

 ber. For instance, when buying oak you know that it is 

 graded, having I sts and 2nds, No. 1 , 2 or 3 Common. 

 When the lumberman mentions No. 1 Common you form 

 a mental picture of just what he is offering you. This, as 

 well as other grades, are covered by specifications, and 

 unless the lumber grades to the specification you will 

 likely refuse it. Why cannot we buy our glues the same 

 way? Did you ever investigate your glue room costs? 

 They may surprise you, and in turning on the searchlights 

 you may find many leaks that you did not know existed. 



A few years ago I visited the factory of a client, this, 

 by the w^ay, being one of the largest plants of its kind in 

 this country, employing several thousand men. The man- 

 ager boasted of its efficiency and that no one would be 

 able to detect leaks in the plants. The concern had been 

 in business for a great number of years and the manager 

 had been at the helm for possibly twenty years. His 

 whole heart was in his work, and I was pleased to meet 

 him, also to visit this ideal establishment. I expressed a 

 desire to visit the glue room. He said they did not waste 

 much lumber and practically no glue. 



The glue room was well equipped, but I observed that 



