36 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



throughout the framework aud heavier parts, the iron wheels were 

 built with wooden rims, or i]on wlieels with copper covering, as up to 

 this time it was thought impossible to run a steel band saw on steel 

 wheels, and all band sawmill makers built their mills either with iron 

 centers and wooden rims, or built a east iron wheel with rim of soft 

 metal such as copper. 



About this time the Sinker-Davis Company shipped several Gold 

 Dust band mills to Pennsylvania in the Williamsport section. These 

 mills were equipped with iron wheels with a copper covering riv- 

 eted to the rims. It so happened that on starting up one of 

 these mills at Williamsport the millwright who had charge of 

 erection was unable to keep the copper covering on the wheel on 

 account of the tremendous speed with which it revolved. The 

 copper sheeting was simply lifted by the centrifugal force. He 

 wired to the head office for instructions, and those in charge were 

 in a quandary for a while as the successful operation of several 

 equipments was in question, and the success or failure meant a 

 very material sum of money. Finally the millwright was wired to 

 run his saws directly on the steel rims of the wheels, and in a 

 short time the reply came back, also by wire, that he had made 



tlie experiment suggested and the saws were working splendidly. 



This was the first time on record that a steel saw was run 

 directly on the steel or iron face wheel, and it was the beginning 

 of the manufacture of complete iron or steel wheels for band saws. 

 The idea was not patented at the time, and was immediately taken 

 up by other sawmill manufacturers, and has been the standard 

 type of band saw construction ever since. In spite of the com- 

 parative crudity of the second type of mUl, there are a great many 

 of them still operating throughout the country. There is one of 

 the old Gold Dust patterns still in operation at Memphis, Tenn., 

 which is sawing 50,000 feet of first-class lumber every day. 



The first style of mill shown is the last word in sawmill construc- 

 tion and represents the modern standard of band saw equipment now 

 employed by the leading lumber manufacturers in the country. This 

 is the Hoosier mill made by the Sinker-Davis Company. 



Thus the process of evolution originating with the wooden con- 

 struction and wooden wheels has changed so as to embody steel 

 and cast iron construction throughout with quick action, unbreak- 

 able parts, various devices for quick adjustment, and the quick 

 handling of lumber from the saw as it comes from the log. 



Wood Finish for Automohiles 



There is an unmistakable tendency on the part of manufacturers of 

 automobiles in the higher grade l^ncs of domestic and foreign manu- 

 facture to use natural wood finish for car interiors. According to a 

 writer in the Carriage Monthly many of the foreign cars show rich 

 inlaid designs with mahogany prevailing. 



All natural wood finishing must be based primarily for the highest 

 degree of excellence upon a very expert and discriminating selection 

 of wood. There is a sharp contrast between the various varieties of 

 mahogany so that while it apparently is an easy matter to make 

 the proper choice of the variety that would look best in the auto- 

 mobile, it is in reality rather difficult. The various species of 

 mahogany sold on the general market vary in color from a deep 

 cherry red tone to a pale yellowish tone. Some of the latter in 

 automobile works would prove disappointing when finished if arti- 

 ficial coloring were not used. Although the grain of mahogany as 

 a rule is only moderately coarse, a stain filler will be necessary to 

 develop and bring out the finest quality of the wood unless a very 

 light mahogany is desired. In automobile panel work, what carriage 

 makers call feathered mahogany seems to be popular. In the absence 

 of this physical characteristic in the wood itself, an imitation may be 

 resorted to. This imitation is accompbshed with stains applied with 

 a camel's hair brush, going over the surface to bring out the 

 ' ' feather ' ' of the real wood. 



Mahogany is a wood that requires a very thorough filling, and the 

 filler, of course, should be stained to meet the requirements of the 

 individual. The wood finishes up in a splendid fashion, is susceptible 

 of a high polish, and in the refinement of automobile interiors, it 

 imparts an unusual elegance. 



American oak is finding a very important place in automobile 

 interior work. Quartered oak particularly enjoys a mde popularity 

 in this class of manufacture. Oak is used in automobile work a great 

 deal in comparison with plainer woods, the result being highly satis- 

 factory. On account of its grain, it should be filled with a paste 

 filler, after which it may be brought up and finished in a number of 

 ways by polishing, or with a duU finish. There are various styles of 

 finishes, such as autique, weathered, golden oak, English finish, etc. 



The use of black walnut in some of the cars exhibited at foreign 

 shows this year calls attention to the aristocratic and luxurious char- 

 acter of this excellent wood. Burl walnut and plain lumber and 

 veneer are used and both are proving very attractive for the highest 

 type of automobile interior work. 



Hard maple and bird's-eye maple occupy a prominent position 

 among the American woods in interior decoration for automobiles. As 



a general thing white shellac and pale varnishes should be used iu 

 bringing out the best color in this work. 



Eosewood, while rather obsolete, offers an attractive looking wood 

 with an alluring color and, while imitations are plentiful through 

 over-graining stains applied to cheaper woods, the genuine cannot 

 ije mistaken. 



Black birch is a comparatively recently popularized wood used by 

 automobile manufacturers on account of its ornamental possibilities. 

 It is fine grained and takes an excellent polish and easily adapts 

 itself to aU kinds of stain. In its natural color it compares to 

 cherry and it can also be effectively stained in imitation of black 

 walnut or mahogany. By a manipulation of stains, a close imitation 

 of feathered mahoganj- is obtained, and for this purpose the wood 

 is prized. Cherry and qu'arter-sawed beech are also commanding 

 attention for modern automobile construction. 



It is plain that the inlay work of interiors must have some sure 

 protection during the staining and filling process unless, as in the 

 case of Pullman car construction, satinwood is used exclusively for 

 the inlay and marquetry. Satinwood, as is well known, has no grain 

 for the stain and filler to take effect in .and after these mediums 

 have been applied the work of cleaning the inlay consists simply of 

 using p. very fine sandpaper and a little benzine. When woods other 

 than satinwood are employed for inlay or marquetry, the ornamental 

 parts are protected with a glue coating applied with a striping pencil. 

 When this process is used, inlaid surfaces may be stained and finished 

 quite up to Hie standard of the best finished productions. 



Tlie most pleasing echo from that Japanese incident comes in the 

 form of a government r<'port showing that last year was a record 

 breaker in our trade witli Japan, the total commerce going above 

 the half billion mark, witli the balance decidedly iu favor of Japan. 

 Now lets stop talking war. 



Puzzle question — did the railroads really expect to get that increase 

 in freight rates, or was it a farsighted policy of preventing successful 

 pleas for further reductions? 



And the government tried to bust a lumber trust but struck a knot. 



Students of transportation believe that if our railroads would 

 work in harmony with instead of against waterway transportation, 

 the results would be much better for the public. That 's good logic, 

 but it IS a whole lot easier to believe in it than it is to bring it about. 



Dry lumber costs less for freight and is better liked by the con- 

 sumer than green stock, but when the market is good there is a temp- 

 tation to hustle stock to the market instead of waiting for it to air- 

 dry. Why not more drv-kilns for hardwood? 



