8 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



To Felloe Manufacturers. 



To no class of harchvood dimension nianiifaoturers should the 

 call to a meeting to consider the organization of a hardwood dimen- 

 sion stock association appeal more strongly than to the manufac- 

 turers of sawed wagon felloes. Every man engaged in this branch 

 of the dimension business should not only be present, but should 

 seek out and become acquainted with every other manufacturer of 

 sawed wagon felloes. Then they should get together and make a 

 resolution to abolish the habit of selling fifty feet of good clear 

 oak lumber for a dollar. This may not be the exact figure in every 

 case, but it ' represents the average value of standard farm wagon 

 felloes as they are bought and sold to-day. 



It is quite generally conceded by manufacturers, familiar with 

 the sawing of wagon felloes, that this stock has been sold on a lower 

 basis than any other class of oak dimension stuff, either large or 

 small, when due consideration is given to the quality of the material 

 and the cost of manufacture. Convincing proof of the truth of this 

 statement may be had by just a little calculating. Figure out the 

 amount of lumber required to make a set 'of standard farm wagon 

 felloes; estimate carefully the cost of manufacturing after it has 

 passed the lumber stage and starts into the felloe department, and 

 then take the current market quotations on felloes and see what it 

 nets per thousand feet for lumber. Although business in the field 

 of bent ripi manufa«ture is deplorable, it is far better than the fel- 

 loe situation. A value is placed on lumber by bent rim men prac- 

 tically double that realized by felloe manufacturers. 



And why is this true, Mr. Felloe Man? In answering this ques- 

 tion, endeavor to give some other reason besides the old song of 

 waste utilization. A foot of good oak is a foot of good oak, always 

 of the same value, no matter whether it is waste material or not. 

 Present conditions exist only because they are permitted to exist. 

 Because one manufacturer sells his stock for half its value, others 

 are compelled to do likewise. It is indeed time to get together in an 

 endeavor to rectify this price scandal. 



There is not a-wagon factory on earth that could buy oak lumber 

 and manufacture it into felloes and stay anywhere within sight of 

 the present market value on this material. They know they cannot 

 do it — they do not intend to do it. The only thing they have to 

 bank on for a future supply at low prices is the large number of 

 men who have not learned by experience the futility of trying to 

 make a fortune by converting scrap oak into wagon felloes — and 

 the history of the past indicates that there is an almost inexhaustible 

 supply of these. Of course, this trouble would probably right itself 

 in time but if left alone the process of evolution would be so slow 

 that it would not be of much service to the present generation, while 

 by a little prompt action of the right kind conditions may be 

 materially changed within a short time. 



It is obvious that the first thing to do is to get together. Attend 

 the meeting yourself and endeavor to have your neighbor do like- . 

 wise. The first step toward improvement is for the trade to figure 

 out and come to a thorough understanding of the value of the oak 

 lumber that goes into wagon felloes, and then let every man get 

 that value out of his lumber or know the reason why. Further, the 

 manufacture of standard farm wagon felloes, wliich appears to be 

 on the lowest basis in the felloe list, might be abandoned for a 

 time. Manufacturers could turn their attention to the making of 

 heavier sizes both in standard and special stock, and realize even 

 under present conditions a better value for their lumber. Various 

 other lines of shaped work might be taken up to keep plants in 

 operation until standard felloes reach a better market value. A 

 general swinging to other lines on the part of the leading members 

 of the trade would soon make itself felt, even though a few new 

 people should enter this field of manufacture. 



Once the value of standard felloes is put on a higher plane it 

 will be comparatively easy to maintain it. It is the start that is 

 most diflieult, but there has never been a more opportune time to 

 make a beginning in any endeavor than will be presented to manu- 

 facturers of small oak dimension stock at this coming meeting. 



Salting Grades vs. Raising Prices. 



If all or even hall' the stories heard to tho effect that hardwood 

 dealers are playing a sort of hide and seek game witli grades and 

 prices are true, it is time to give some warning signal of danger 

 before the trade is demoralized by this apparently innocent game. 



According to the complaints made, the game is what is known 

 in lumber vernacular as salting or stuffing grades in lieu of price 

 raising. There is some variation in the details as given, but the 

 substance is practically the same; it "means that a car of any given 

 grade of lumber is stuffed with frbm ten to twenty per cent of 

 stock from the next lower grade, and, either by mutual consent or 

 through ignorance on the part of the customer, the entire stock 

 changes hands at a price which is generally below that asked by 

 dealers who make strictly clean shipments. A number of dealers 

 have made experiments along this line, in which a certain grade of 

 lumber was put in at the price they wanted for the stock, and 

 enough of the next lower grade added to make the price on the lot 

 average up to the lower price at which competitors were offering 

 stock. The shipments went through all right, demonstrating the 

 fact that the prices on the lumber were really the same, and that 

 grade stuffing had been resorted to instead of price raising. 



In looking into the practice the first question that arises is, what 

 does it avail a man to salt grades if he does not get any more for 

 his lumber in the end! Apparently nothing but the possible blind- 

 ing of competitors to actual market values while he disposes of his 

 stock. That is why, entirely aside from questionable methods of 

 doing business which will cause trouble sooner or later, it is time 

 to call a halt and point out the danger of such a practice. 



The first essential step in establishing a uniform or market value 

 on any product is to create a standard. We have our accepted stand- 

 ard of measurement in the lumbe* business and all will admit that 

 its strict following is essential; yet many who realize the impor- 

 tance of a standard measurement apparently have not become duly 

 impressed with the fact that it is almost equally as important to 

 have a standard of quality. It is impossible to fix a market value 

 on lumber unless the grade can be positively defined. It was this 

 necessity which originally led to the establishment of grading rules 

 and specifications. To salt grades, each man according to his judg- 

 ment or greed, means substantially the undoing of all the good 

 work that has been done in this line by associated effort. And more 

 than this it means confusion, uncertainty and trouble for every man 

 in the hardwood business. There is enough of the element of chance 

 in the lumber industry without adding the salting of grades which 

 is sure to end in trouble and a demoralized market if practiced to 

 any extent. 



Let us have clean grades; it will not only be much more satis- 

 factory to all concerned in the end, but it insures better business 

 and cleaner profit. 



The Second'Hand Machinery Habit. 



A good many owners of woodworking plants have a singular idio- 

 syncrasy which finds development in searching about the machinery 

 junk shops of various cities looking for second-hand tools. These 

 people buy old machines on the sole principle that they are cheap, and 

 many a man invests in them when he could not be persuaded to buy 

 a new and first-class piece of machinery. These very men would be 

 insulted if the suggestion were made that they buy secondhand 

 clothing, but as a matter of fact the average purchase of second-hand, 

 fast running, woodworking tools is a greater error of judgment. The 

 first use of this class of machinery is invariably the best, and with 

 competition aa close as it is, a woodworker cannot afford to run 

 second-hand tools of antique pattern, no matter how cheaply ho may 

 be able to secure them. 



There are certain types of sawmill and other slow running 

 machinery which can be rebuilt and afford very satisfactory results, 

 but when it comes to flooring machines, planers, molders and like 

 tools, the wise woodworker will buy new ones. The machine junk- 

 shop habit has contributed to the failure of many a woodworker who 

 otherwise did business on good lines. 



