August 25, 1917 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



31 



way has remarkable resistance to splitting, for the grains 

 of two pieces of wood never run exactly the same and 

 there is enough crossing to be a fairly effective safeguard 

 against splitting, a safeguard that is sufficient for ordinary 

 door panels and for many of the panels and backs used in 

 the furniture trade. 



Recently I had another impressive object lesson on this 

 point in a plant where table rims w^ere made in multiple 

 widths. These are made three and four-ply and invari- 

 ably all the stock runs straight-way. There is no cross- 

 banding whatever, yet 1 never heard of one of these rims 

 splitting, and the broad panel forms from which they are 

 sawed have substantially the same strength as built-up 

 work with crossbanding. 



A line of research and experiment work that will be 

 very useful to the veneer and panel trade would be a 

 series of tests w^ith straight-way work as compared to 

 the usual ply work with the center piece having the grain 

 running at right angles or crosswise. So far as I know 

 the Forest Service has never made any tests of this kind 

 though it has made various tests of lumber and built-up 

 work in packages. If the Forest Service could be in- 

 duced to conduct a series of experiments there should 

 be obtained some information that would be of great 

 value to the veneer and panel trade as a whole. 



It would be interesting, for example, to know the exact 

 difference in strength and the resistance to warp and split 

 of a three-ply %-inch panel with all the plies running 

 straight-way, and a similar three-ply panel with the center 

 or filler running crosswise. There is not much question 

 in my mind but that for certain purposes the crossband 

 will always justify itself, and that in tests it will show up 

 with| a decided advantage as compared to straight-way 

 work. On the other hand, there is not the least doubt 

 that a lot of work is being done with three-ply with the 

 center as a crossband, which would be just as effective 

 and serviceable with all plies running straightwise. More- 

 over, there are many instances where three-ply is used 

 of the regulation character with the center going crosswise 

 where two-ply straight-way work would answer just as 

 well for all practical purposes, and effect an economy in 

 glue and saving in cost generally. The door panels men- 

 tioned above are an example of this class. 



One may well ask just what is the advantage of 

 straight-way panel work and why argue for it? What is 

 there in the way of saving that can be effected by it? 



One answer to this question is given above in the 

 matter of reducing three-ply work to two-ply and 

 eliminating one glue joint. This is perhaps the most in- 

 teresting phase of the proposition and one through which 

 the best returns will be obtainable from the adoption of 

 the straight-way idea for all such uses as it will fit into. 



The other point of saving is that often crossbanding 

 or the putting of the center piece crosswise of the other 

 veneer in making the built-up panel is more tedious and 

 expensive. Take the door panels as an instance again, 

 and even if they were made up of three-ply it is more 

 satisfactory generally to make all three plies with the 

 grain running the same way. 



All Three of Us Will Be Benefited if You 



MAHOGANY 

 LUMBER 



About ten carloads 1" No. 1 Com., 

 also other thicknesses and grades of 



MEXICAN & HONDURAS 



MAHOGANY 



dry enough to put in a kiln 

 with safety. 



If at any time we can 

 serve you better by 

 telegraphing kindly 

 wire at our expen.se. 



We are carrying a nice stock of 

 SAWED VENEER, 1/8", 3/16" 

 and 1/4" Mexican; also several 

 MILLION feet of SLICED 

 1/24" and 1/28" Mahogany, and 

 AMERICAN WALNUT veneer 

 ranging from plain to highly 

 figured. May we send samples 

 to you? 



Huddleston-Marsh 

 Mahogany Company 



2254 Lumber Street 

 CHICAGO 



33 West 42nd Street 

 NEW YORK CITY 



Mention HARDWOOD RECORD 



