14 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



July 10. 1922 



Teached. The total amount of rough lumber included in the various 

 lots was 294,000 feet b.m. consisting of oak, walnut, beech, birch, 

 maple, gum and chestnut. 



The grades of lumber were established by a competent inspector 

 who was a member of the study crew. Material of many kinds from 

 round edge mill run to square edge Firsts and Seconds was in- 

 cluded. At some plants the lumber was very carefully kiln dried 

 and at others scarcely air dried. Labor ranged from the cheapest 

 to the highest priced and most efficient. Machinery in some plants 

 was old and out of date and in others the very latest and most 

 efficient. The finished products of the factories varied greatly from 

 low and medium to high grade. All in all, the studies included a 

 wide diversity of conditions and should, as a whole, be representa- 

 tive of average conditions throughout the chair industry. 



Time records were also kept on all operations and labor costs 

 figured. Finally, costs for individual lots were compiled which 

 included material, freight, labor and overhead, with proper allow- 

 ance for fuel value of waste. 



Results of Chair Factory Studies 

 In brief, the results of these studies have borne out the conten- 

 tion of the Forest Service that it was not economical for wood 

 fabricators to cut all of their small wood stock from lumber at the 

 factory regardless of the grade of lumber; that in so doing they 

 were using a high-grade mill product of a shape and size not par- 

 ticularly suited to their needs and reducing it to high-grade small 

 products which could, in general, have been produced from a low- 

 grade mill by-product; that needless expense was incurred for 

 freight on waste and for the extra material required to produce 

 1,000 feet of small clear stock; and that storage space, overhead 

 costs, etc., could be saved by the purchase of small ready-cut stock. 

 With respect to actual figures these studies showed the following: 



(a) The total waste at the cut-off and rip saws, based on the 

 scale of the original lumber, varied from 19 per cent to 55 per cent. 



(b) The amount of rough lumber required to produce 1,000 feet 

 b.m. of dimension stock varied from 1,222 feet to 2,214 feet. 



(c) The fuel value of the waste from each 1,000 feet of rough 

 lumber varied from but 91 cents to $5.54 while the freight on the 

 factory waste from the mill to the factory cost from $1.87 per 

 thousand feet to $8.74, or considerably in excess of the fuel value 

 of the waste. 



(d) Finally, the grand total cost of net cuttings over and above 

 the market value of the rough lumber varied from 40 per cent to 

 174 per cent. 



A majority of wood consumers are very progressive; they were 

 not following this practice of cutting lumber into small stock at 

 the factory but certain factors indicated to them that it was the 

 best practice possible under present conditions. A single factor 

 forma 95 per cent of the reasons for this; that is, the failure of the 

 dimension producer to furnish reasonably well manufactured and 

 properly sized material of the species ordered. A single example 

 which cannot be said to be particularly exceptional will illustrate 

 this point: Out of a car of 13,523 40%-inch clear oak back posts, 

 7,744 pieces, or 57 per cent, were so defective or so far under sized 

 that they had to be rejected. The consumer, in this case, was one 

 of the most reputable in the wood working industry. 



Each of you can bring up innumerable examples where the con- 

 sumer has not treated the manufacturer fairly in his inspection, 

 in prices and in other ways. It is granted that the consumer must 

 change his ways. The results of these studies will show him how 

 he can change his practices of manufacture and buj'ing providing 

 the produce will meet him on even terms. It is one or the 

 other's first move and the one which acts first will, as in other 

 things, be the one who will profit most in the future. 



Determination of Requirements of Chair Industry 



The second phase of the work has consisted of the collection of 

 accurate data on the sizes of all wood stock of the various species 

 required by manufacturers in the fabrication of chairs of all styles 

 and types. These results are now being worked up. Here it is 

 found that the contention so frequently offered by both producers 



and consumers, that a large number of sizes are used in such small 

 quantities annually that it would be impossible to consider them 

 as stable demands of the chair industry and, therefore, it is im- 

 practical to produce them in advance of orders or keep them in 

 stock is not true. When these same statistics are compiled for 

 each of the other secondary wood-using industries there is going 

 to be a great overlapping of species required by all industries. 

 Thus, a large majority of the so-called special sizes required for 

 chairs will fit in with the more standard sizes of the species re- 

 quired by one or more of the other industries. Though the chair 

 people might require only limited quantities of one size of oak 

 stock, the case goods manufacturer, the automobile producer or the 

 implement factory or one or more of the numerous other indus- 

 tries might want, in the aggregate, large quantities of this size and 

 species. 



The final result of this will work to the advantage of the pro- 

 ducer, that is, he will not be burdened with the complexity or mul- 

 tiplicity of sizes too great to enable him to include them in his 

 regular milling operations. Hairbreadth sizes are not going to be 

 necessary. Accurate manufacture must be practiced and clear stuff 

 produced but the sizes need not go to the smallest fraction of an 

 inch as some consumers advocate. Considering all factors the di- 

 mension stock business is going to be a mighty profitable one in the 

 future for the hardwood mill man. 



Future Work 



The Laboratory intends to continue this work until every indus- 

 try is covered and until all work necessary in the manufacturing 

 end of the industry is fully analyzed. Its present plans are to 

 study the wood turning industrj', beginning in July, as thoroughly 

 and carefully as it has the chair industry. The second activity, 

 beginning in early winter, will be detailed mill scale studies at 

 hardwood sawmills. Naturally, the Laboratory wishes to obtain 

 permission for such studies at those mills which are most typical 

 of conditions existing in the several lumber producing regions. A 

 survey to determine what mills will offer such co-operation and, 

 in addition, are truly representative, will be undertaken in the 

 fall. Besides furnishing the Laboratory with results of value in 

 its study of the dimension stock problem the data obtained in 

 these mill scale studies will be of immeasurable benefit to the saw- 

 mill operator. 



Record of Dimension Mills 



A third activity which we wish to carry on in conjunction with 

 the other two is the compilation of a record of mills properly 

 equipped to produce small dimension stock of good manufacture 

 and quality. A record will also be made of the species which can 

 be furnished ajid the condition of the stock — green, air-dried or 

 kiln dried. The Laboratory intends to include in this record only 

 those firms which can and will furnish dimension stock of the best 

 quality. Mills of that character will be greatly benefited by fur- 

 nishing the Laboratory with information of the character men- 

 tioned since it will be used in advocating more extended use of 

 ready-cut stock in the industries. 



Conclusions 



This whole problem of ready-cut stock manufacture, distribution 

 and use, is one which will require the co-ordinated efforts of manu- 

 facturer, distributor and consumer. Nevertheless, the results to 

 be attained fully warrant the closest co-operation of all interested, 

 since, undoubtedly, there is no better means of solving the ques- 

 tion of disposition of low-grade logs, low-grade lumber, and saw- 

 mill by-products at a profit than through a small dimension stock 

 business. 



Official of Thompson Hardwood Company Succumbs to Illness 



Cincinnati has lost anotlier of its prominent lumbermen througU the 

 death of Charles Edward Spielman. secretary and treasurer of the Thomp- 

 son Hardwood Lumber Company. Mr. Spielman's death occurred on June 

 23, two days previous to the passing of Max Kosse, president of the Kosse, 

 Shoo *c Schleyer Company. Mr. Spielman's death was the result of an 

 illness which had confined him to his home tor the past throe years. The 

 end had been expected for some time, and when it came his immediate 

 family were at his bedside. 



