26 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



July 25, 1917 





Picture Story of a Modern Veneer Plant 



One does not naturally associate the noise and bustle, the 

 crowded streets and tall buildings of Chicago with the forests or 

 their products, w^ith the hum and roar of the saw nor the smell 

 of the freshly opened log. How^ever, while the causes for such 

 association do not appear to the laynien, there is an economically 

 sound reason why high-priced logs can be and are converted into 

 veneers and lumber right in the midst of the busiest of city life. 

 The reason is the location in and near Chicago of an enormous 

 woodworking industry — thus providing a ready market and 

 enabling the Chicago manufacturer to keep constantly in touch 

 with all the needs of his trade. 



Chicago, therefore, has several veneer and lumber manufac- 

 turing plants of a high order and the newest is that of The Dean- 

 Spicker Company, located at Twenty-second street and South 

 Craw^ford avenue. The plant was built a few years ago by the 

 Black Lumber and Veneer Company and successfully operated by 

 that firm until it was sold bodily a few months ago to the newly- 

 organized The Dean-Spicker Company. The plant is so thoroughly 

 modern and so efficiently arranged that it offers interesting pos- 

 sibilities for observation by those interested in the production of 

 high-grade veneers and cabinet lumber. As all Vk'ill not be able 

 to view^ the plant we herewith take it to them. 



Part of a direct shipment of splendidly figured African ma- 

 hogany logs at the up-to-the-minute plant of The Dean-Spicker 

 Company is illustrated in the first picture. The company has 

 been successful in its endeavor to keep a good supply of logs, 

 veneer and lumber ahead, and is fortunate now in having a future 

 supply assured. All except those logs with little figure are cut 

 into veneers. 



The warehouse interior in the second view speaks convincingly 

 in its own behalf. A more orderly, clean appearance cannot be 

 imagined. Every condition is favorable to preserving stock in 

 the best possible shape. 



The third view^ shows a Capital Machine Company slicer w^ith a 

 twelve-foot knife. While this machine has a capacity of 90,000 

 to 100,000 feet a day, The Dean-Spicker Company prefers to con- 

 centrate on quality and so the machine is not exerted beyond the 

 production of about 60,000 feet in a day's run. 



View^ No. 4 illustrates the fine conditions under w^hich the 

 machine hands work, enabling them to get the best results pos- 

 sible out of every log. This view represents some mahogany 

 flitches that are being turned out on th** band saw^ to be taken 



from there to the 



steam vats and 

 slicer. 



The walnut logs 

 in picture No. 5 are 

 all highly figured. 

 Thoroughness marks 

 the selection of the 

 Dean - Spicker 1 o g 

 supply. This batch 

 runs from 20 to 34 

 inches in diameter. 



Picture No. 6 

 shows the interior of 

 the veneer mill con- 

 taining in addition 

 to the slicer, two 

 saws and a 94-foot 

 veneer drier. An 



additional saw will 

 shortly be installed. 

 Note the absence of 

 refuse and the thor- 

 oughly efficient look 



J. T. SPICKIQK, rUESIDIONT, 

 DEAN-SPICKISIi rOMPANY. 



of this busv room. 



