42 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



June 10, 1921 



Many Executives Overlook Equipment Needs 



part of the lower Hoor that was set aside for assembling backs was 

 as large as his entire machine room. 1 pointed out to him that if 

 his machine foreman was turning out stock for twenty-five hundred 

 pianos a year in that machine room with the limited space and old 

 machinery, he deserved a special vote of thanks from the directors. 



Discussing Machines 



Starting where the lumber entered the factory (see accompany- 

 ing plan), the first machine 1 discussed with him was No. 2, an 

 old band ripsaw which was probably used for cutting out the lum- 

 ber for Noah's Ark. This machine was supplemented by a hand- 

 feed ripsaw No. 3. This is the equipment they were ripping up 

 their stock with as it came from the swing saw. The ripsaw was 

 an iron frame machine with a wood top and had outlived its 

 usefulness. 



From here the material passed to the planes Nos. 6 and 7. As 

 I have said, one of these was a practically new Whitney 36" single 

 surfacer. The other was an old-timer that was eating its head off 

 in the amount of time that had to be spent on it making adjust- 

 ments and coaxing it to function. 



The glue jointer, No. 12, was of a similar vintage. No doubt 

 most readers are acquainted, either by actual experience or hear- 

 say, with that type of machine where one clamps the stock in 

 a traveling carriage which runs over the cutters and then returns. 

 That is the breed it belonged to. 



Another antiquated machine they had was a power-stroke 

 mortiser. A mortiser is a machine one does not often see in a 

 piano factory. But if it is necessary to have one, it should be a 

 modern one, either of the chain or hollow-chisel type. In this case 

 the machine they had could have been profitably replaced by a 

 chain mortiser. 



From the machine room we went to the case room on the sec- 

 ond floor. The first thing we saw on entering this department was 

 an old double cut-off saw that they were using for cutting their 

 tops, top doors, bottom doors, falls, etc., to length on. The operator 

 was fiddling around trying a square on a top door he had just cut. 

 It was about an eighth of an inch out of square. 1 pointed out to 

 the management that a double cut-off saw that would always cut 

 square, instead of requiring a lot of tinkering to adjust it properly, 

 should replace this machine, and that it would pay for itself in a 

 short time. 



Other Plants Just as Bad 



I have picked out and commented on the most outstanding mis- 

 fits in this plant, and in case any reader has gained the impression 

 from what I have written that none of the operations were con- 

 ducted on an efficient basis, I hasten to correct this impression. 

 Some of their methods were deserving of much credit. This plant 

 is not by any means alone in having equipment that requires re- 

 placing. 1 venture to say there are dozens of plants in various 

 parts of the country where machines the same as 1 have described, 

 or similar, are in use. 



The operations and machines deserving of favorable mention 

 having been duly commented upon, the manager and 1 returned 

 to the office. Naturally, he asked for a solution of his difficulties, 

 and this I gave him to the best of my ability. The accompanying 

 plan shows the changes suggested. The addition to his plant which 

 I recommended is shown in dotted lines, while the existing building 

 is indicated by the solid lines. 



The letters on the plan indicate: A, dry kiln; B, platform on 

 loading side of kiln; C, transfer tracks; D, platform for proposed 

 new wing; E, power plant; F. general offices; G 6c H. private 

 offices: 1, public entrance hallway; J, storeroom for finished pianos; 

 K, shipping room; L, door through which lumber is brought from 

 dry kilns to cut-off saw. 



The numbers indicate: I, swing cut-off saw; 2, band ripsaw; 3, 

 hand-feed ripsaw; 4, buzz planer; 5, band saw; 6, cabinet planer; 



( f'ultihuilfi jl Ifitl ftlKII -lit I 



7, cabinet planer; 8, sticker; 9, shaper; 10, stroke mortiser; II, 

 jigsaw; 12, return feed glue jointer; 13, three-drum sander; 14, 



wood-turning lathe; 15, back knife lathe. 



This is a very poor arrangement, as a glance at the plan will 

 show. For instance, all stock to be glued up must be trucked to 

 the basement via the elevator shown and then, of course, returned 

 to the machine room for planing, etc. 



Let us look now at that part of the plan drawn in dotted lines. 

 M is the transfer track for the cars of lumber to be switched into 

 the machine room convenient to the swing saws; N is the space set 

 aside for gluing joints. This department is not partitioned off but 

 is located as far away as possible from the door w^here the lumber 

 enters so the gluing operations will not be interfered with w^hen 

 the door is open. The equipment for this department would con- 

 sist of a Billstrom or some similar type of glue clamp carrier and 

 an edge gluing machine. 



Nos. 1 6 and I 7 are swing saws; I 8 and 1 9 are chain-feed ripsav^rs 

 of the latest and most approved design ; 20 is a buzz planer ; 2 I , 

 cabinet surfacer; 22, sticker; 23, continuous-feed glue jointer; 24, 

 cabinet surfacer; 25 and 26, band wood-turning lalhe and back- 

 knife lathe. 



Arrange for Trucking Space 



The balance of the machinery, such as band saw, shaper (1 sug- 

 gested adding another of each of these), mortiser, jigsaw, sander, 

 etc., would remain in the old part of the machine room, but would 

 be rearranged to give ample trucking space around each machine 

 and to avoid any doubling back of stock. 



The swing saws, 1 6 and 1 7, can both be used for cutting up stock 

 that is to be edge glued if necessary, and so can both ripsaws. If 

 only one unit is required on this work it would be preferable to use 

 the one nearest the gluing department, leaving the other one to cut 

 up stock for mouldings or turnings. 



The buzz planer is placed between the two ripsav^rs and beside 

 the sticker to be handy for facing off stock to be run through the 

 latter. The surfacer, 21, can be used for the rougher and odd 

 planing, while 24 will dress the stock that comes from the glue 

 presses. The continuous feed glue jointer (which, by the way, is 

 to supplant the old return feed machine mentioned earlier in our 

 article) is located between the power feed rip and the glue depart- 

 ment. This is a convenient place for it. 



It will be seen that the hand-feed ripsaw is consigned to the scrap 

 heap and modern pow^er-feed saws recommended in its place. The 

 glue jointer, too, is scheduled to go. 



With this addition to the plant and the suggested changes in 

 equipment, this plant would be in a fair way to be classed as up-to- 

 date. I would have recommended replacing the three-drum sander 

 with an endless bed machine, but I did not want to get myself dis- 

 liked too much. 



The manager has these proposed changes under serious consid- 

 eration, and 1 learn from his foreman that he will undoubtedly put 

 some of them into effect. 1 think he will from now on give a good 

 deal of attention to his machine equipment. Let us hope so. 



Mr. Carnegie, w^ho became many times a millionaire in the busi- 

 ness he built up. surely knew what he was talking about. With his 

 statement before them and a description of this piano factory \vhich 

 1 chose as an example, some plant executives who have concen- 

 trated all of their attention on the office end of their business may 

 learn something herefrom that will put them on the road to earn 

 dividends. 



New Office Furniture Company 



The Cincinnati Office Furniture Manufacturing Company, a new 

 corporation which is about to apply for its charter, will locate at 

 1515 and 1517 West Sixth street, Cincinnati, O. The company 

 has taken a ten-year lease on the building at this location. 



