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HARDWOOD RECORD 



Reducing Speed of SaWs. 



There is a very simple nu'tliod of ovori'oni- 

 ing many troubles with circular saws which, 

 although sometimes resorted to in frosty 

 weather, is not used as generally as its sini- 

 plicity and value would warrant. It is 

 merely the reduction of speed in ruuuiufj 

 saws, a very simple scheme but one most ef- 

 fective in many "instances, and the lack of 

 its more extensive use can be explained 

 only on the ground that its very 

 simplicity has caused an impression of 

 insignificance. Many of the little annoy- 

 ances with saws could be rectified by a 

 slackening of speed, but this is often over- 

 looked entirely and reference is had to saw 

 experts or to eom.plicated technical treatises 

 on the care and maintenance of saws. 



The purpose of this article is not to dis- 

 parage in any way the higher technical 

 works on the care of saws, nor to detract 

 from the credit due those who have at- 

 tained great skill in hammering and ten- 

 sioning them, but to enter a plea for this 

 neglected simple plan ■which by a thorough 

 trial will prove itself of great value to man- 

 ufacturers of hardwood lumber. In the 

 manufacture of hardwoods there are more 

 portable and small stationary mills than in 

 any other branch of the sawmill industry, 

 and these mills cannot afford to hire the 

 skilled labor or give the frequent attention 

 to their equipment which is possible in larger 

 plants. Operators of such mills may read 

 discussions of ways and means for hammer- 

 ing saws in the various trade papers and in 

 hand books prepared by saw manufacturers, 

 but they arc frequently more confused than 

 enlightened because, while the matter may 

 be discussed in simple language and the 

 writer may not entirely overlook in his own 

 mind the matter of speed and its effect on 

 saws, he is so accustomed to hammering 

 saws up to whatever speeds are given, in- 

 stead of reducing speed to fit the saw, that 

 the latter side of the question is given 

 practically no attention. This is all right 

 for an expert in the business, but for the 

 man who runs the little mill back in the 

 woods, the simple plan is just as important 

 as what are termed "home remedies" in 

 the family where it is not possible to get 

 the services of a doctor promptly, and, as in 

 the case of the "home remedy," many 

 times the simple one is the best. 



Undoubtedly the first question that will 

 come to the inquiring mind in connection 

 with this subject is, how is one to know 

 when the operating speed of saws can be 

 reduced to advantage. It is somewhat dif- 

 ficult to give a concise answer to this query, 

 because it is possible to have two saws run- 

 ning at the same, speed, giving trouble 

 which might be remedied in one instance by 

 reducing speed and in the other by increas- 

 ing. While this is possible, it is not likely, 

 especially with saws that have never been 

 hammered, for it so generally the case as to 

 Ijccoiiie practically a rule that the saws 



must be hammered up to higher speed, or 

 the speed reduced as a temporary remedy 

 for the trouble. Right here there is room 

 for some pretty strong arguments against 

 reducing speed, from the standpoint that 

 when a saw gives down a little in its ten- 

 sion the mill should not be slowed down and 

 its capacity reduced to accommodate the 

 saw in its weakened condition. The sen- 

 sible thing to do is to send the saw away or 

 call in an expert to hammer it up to its 

 work. On the other hand, we should take 

 cognizance of the fact that under the in- 

 fluence of keen competition we have run 

 mill saws on the average to a higher speed 

 than is advisable, and we should now ease 

 down a little and remember that this is a 

 period when in the working of our forest 

 jirndncts quality counts for more than 

 ijuantity. 



What is recognized as about the standard 

 speed for circular saws to-day is 10,000 feet 

 per minute on the rim. On this basis a 

 fifty-six inch saw, for example, is given a 

 .speed of 700 revolutions per minute, which 

 may frequently he reduced to 500 revolu- 



tions aud give better results. While oper- 

 ating at too low a speed has its objections, it 

 is not attended with anything like the bad 

 effects that follow too high a speed. When 

 a saw is run at too high a rate of speed it 

 soon becomes "dodgy" and limber, and 

 while it may stand up to its work while the 

 teeth are sharp and in excellent condition, 

 it is very sensitive and will soon dodge and 

 run at every tough butt end, knot, and even 

 tlie corners that are a little slick. 



It is obviously impossible to outline just 

 when, where and to what extent reducing 

 the speed of a saw is needed, for so much 

 depends, not only on the speed at which it is 

 running and the speed to which it is ham- 

 mered, but also on the kind of material 

 being worked and other local conditions, 

 that each ease must be considered sepa- 

 rately. Nevertheless, if sawmill operators 

 who do not feel competent to wrestle with 

 tlie higher technicalities of saw hammering 

 will keep in mind this simple plan of lessen- 

 ing speed, by a little experimenting they will 

 soon see that it will overcome more of the 

 difficulties they experience in saws, es- 

 pecially in the winter when timber is frozen, 

 than any other one remedy that might be 

 offered to the trade. 



Anecdote and Incident. 



Counted Red Painted Ends a Brand. youthful treble called, "Miss Ethel, oh. 



The London correspondent of the Hardwood *Iiss Ethel, I 've got my stockings on. ' ' 



Recoed forwards a story of a London broker A low contralto answered, "Yes, Robbie, 



who was at the docks and met a customer ex- ^" have I." 



amining a parcel of oak planks just dis- After a short pause the irrepressible 



charged from a ship. again called, "Miss Ethel, I've got my 



The customer observed, "That's a good shoes on." 



parcel of second quality planks. " Again came the answer, "Yes, dear, so 



"I bought them as first quality," said the have 1. 



broker Again a pause — then a tri\nMpli:nit voice 



"Well, that shipper always marks his see- shrilly proclaimed, "Miss Ethel, I've got 



oud quality with red ends. ' ' '".^ 1'=^"*^ ""• ' ' 



So the buyer kicked and got an alh.wancc, ^'^^ answering silence was oppressive.— 



and- in due course gave the broker an order Lm'lM'OTT .s. 



to bring along a car of first quality oak ^o Whom Does It Belong? 



planks, which was placed with the same ship- _, „ „ . 



' , , , , , . , , , , Ihe following pocket expense account was 



per. Ihe planks duly arrived and bore the .,, o -, ,. ,. ..,, 



, -11, m. 1 • , 1 picked up a tew davs ago on the lloor of the 



same red painted ends. The buyer winked , „ , ',. „ , 



1 , . , , . . ., , ,, , . , , sanctum of the editor of the Hahdwood 

 and kicked again, and nailed the shipment of 



, , , 7 , ,.. Record: 

 red end planks as second qualitv. 



PeAaps eventually American shippers will ^'"<'" ■* '^l';,"^!?^"!". !''!''.'.!".*'.■(; l.ao 



recognize the value of not only trade mark- March 9 Violets for typewriter... .riO 



, . , ,. ,, , '..,.„. March i:i Week's salary typewriter. 10,00 



ing but branding the grades ot their foreign March 1(5 Koses for typewriter 2.00 



Kliinmcntx March 20 Miss lieniluKlon's snlniy. 15.1)0 

 i ''■ .March 20 Candy for wife and chil- 

 dren over Sunday GO 



Nothinc: to Be Said. March 22 Box bonlmns for Miss 



" KcmlnBton 4.00 



Young ladies with a fondness for infau- Manh 2(S I.nnch with Miss Remiiig- 



tile admirers should be warned by an epi- March 27 liiilsy's ' Biiinry ".!'.!!]!! ! 2b!oo 



sode at a seaside resort. An engaging ^""''^'' -"•' '^"',';',;V,,7 ""'' "^ufPe'' «'"' ^j, ^^ 



masculine of seven years became on exceed- March HO Sealskin for wife 22."). 00 



, , . -i, iu 1. 11 ji ii • .Manh .•«) Dre.sa for wife's inolhei-.. 50.00 



ingly good terms with the belle of their m,,,.,.,, ;i„ AdvertlsliiR for ynini; man 



particular hotel, a girl about twenty years '" ''o lypcwrlllnK ]..-i0 



his senior. One day the charmer asked the This document probably was lost by some 



swain to go bathing, and after the bath, as one of the numerous luiubcriuiii who jiay their 



they returned to their bath houses, the respects to the editor from time to time, and 



small man suggested a race to see who if it constitutes an official record and belongs 



could dress first. They entered the bath on the owner's books, he can have it by send- 



house, which adjoined, and in a short time a ing his address to this olllcc. 



