October 25. 1918 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



31 



Making Bobbins of Veneer 



So far as information shows, bobbins have never been made 

 of veneer, but the question has been asked, why it is not done. 



The bobbin is a little wooden implement used in textile mills, 

 on which to wind yarn and thread. It is like a spool without the 

 flanges or ends, just a center piece or barrel bored longitudinally 

 for slipping on a spindle in the shuttle or in the frames which 

 weavers use. It is turned from a solid piece of wood, and the hole 

 is bored through it lengthwise. 



The size of the bobbin varies, depending upon the kind of 

 work it is expected to do. Perhaps a common size is between 

 four and six inches long and from three-quarters of an inch to an 

 inch in diameter; that is, the bobbin is about the size of a clothes 

 pin, or a little larger, and looks much like an unfinished clothes 

 pin. 



Bobbins are of different woods, maple, birch, beech, gum, and 

 yellow poplar. The conditions are not so exacting as in the case 

 of spools for thread, and more kinds of w^ood may be used. Some 

 small and finely-finished bobbins are made of boxwood. Such are 

 in demand by sJlk weavers. They are quite expensive, considering 

 their small size. Such are often called "quills." 



When handlooms w^ere in general use, the old-fashioned bob- 

 bins were generally know^n as quills, the name bearing witness to 

 the historical fact that it had formerly been the practice to use 

 the hollow shafts of goose quills for bobbins. The quill with the 

 thread wound on, was inserted in the hollow of the shuttle, and 

 it was thus employed in weaving. 



The weaver's quills of former days were made of elder. The 

 stems were cut in lengths three or four inches long, the pith was 

 punched out with a stick, the bark was scraped off, and after the 

 quills had become thoroughly dry they were nearly as light as 

 goose quills. They were not very uniform in size, but that did not 

 matter with the handlooms that used them. 



It w^ould seem that quills or bobbins could be made of veneer. It 

 could be cut in small sheets, say four by two inches, and when 

 these had been softened by steaming they might be rolled around 

 rods to assure the proper shape and size, then glued and polished. 

 If found practicable, such bobbins would be much lighter and 

 thinner than those turned from solid squares, and ought to be 

 much cheaper. 



It cannot be authoritatively stated how many bobbins are made 

 yearly in the United States, for figures have not been published, 

 but the number runs pretty high in the millions. 



American Veneer Company Organized 



According to reports fiom Hayward, Wis., local interests have 

 organized the American Veneer Company and intend to erect 

 and equip a large new veneer mill on a tract of twenty acres ac- 

 quired from the Willow^ River Lumber Company. It is planned to 

 begin work at once so that the production of the new mill may be 

 placed at the disposal of the government w^ithout delay. Machin- 

 ery and equipment is now being purchased. The mill will be elec- 

 trically-operated throughout, taking power from the big hydro- 

 electric plant on the Namakagon river at Hay^vard. The American 

 Veneer Company is capitalized at $100,000 and its officers include 

 George C. Glover, head of the Willow River Lumber Company, as 

 president, and Clarence E. Wise, cashier of the Farmers* State 

 Bank of Hayward, treasurer. 



The Medford Veneer Company, Medford, Wis., recently an- 

 nounced that it has discontinued custom sawing and planing. The 

 equipment used for this purpose has been offered for sale. 



The acorns of red oaks han^ two seasons, those of white oaks 

 fall tlie first season. Most red oak aeorus are very bitter, those of 

 milder. 



wliite oaks ar 

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