20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Deccmbi-r l". 1!I17 



It is uot rlaiinod nor cxinH'teil, so far as the writer is aware, that 

 this kiln will liry at the normal speed of commercial kilns in everyday 

 use, nor is it reasonable to suppose that it is as simple in operation, or 

 can be operated at the ordinary cost of kiln drying. Green stock re- 

 quires longer time and more careful kiln manipulation than most 

 plants practice. 



As a matter of fact, most users of kilns are accustomed to operate 

 their kilns "by guess and by gosh" and, for that reason, the Tiemann 

 Kiln appears unduly complicated and elaborate. Its provisions for 

 control and operation, liowevcr, are very complete and any operator 

 of ordinary intelligence can master their operation in a short time. 



There is no question but what at the present time tliis Tiemann Kiln 

 offers one solution of the drying of thick (2" to 6") green oak and 

 hickory, for wagon, truck and car builders. In spite of this fact, 

 many concerns hesitate to incur the cost of building sufficient special 

 kiln capacity to handle the large quantity of green stock necessary 

 for immediate government deliveries. Few wagon manufacturers, for 

 instance, feel justified in embarking on a policy that commits them 

 to the use either of green lumber, or the use of a type of kiln that is 

 designed primarily for green lumber, and that is proving decidedly 

 slower and more expensive to operate on ordinary stocks than the best 

 of the approved types of kiln on the market today. 



It is rarely possible to modify or remodel existing kilns without 

 either unreasonable expense, or destroying the subsequent use of the 

 old kUns by any except the nevvh- incorporated process. 



The alternative, therefore, is to select and build a type of kiln that 

 can be operated on the Tiemann Process for green thick lumber during 



)iart or all of the present emergency and that can be operated efB- 

 ciently and speedily on normal kinds of lumber under usual demands. 



This results in a composite type — somewhat more expensive to build 

 than either type individually, but subject to operation under either 

 j)rocess, or a combination of processes. 



The illustrations show such a composite type, Fig. 3, and also the 

 original types of the Tiemann Kiln, Fig. 2, and the Grand Rapids 

 Vapor Kiln, Fig. 1. There is no reason why the same combination 

 cannot be made with other types of kUns, provided they are of the 

 vapor type with a downward circulation, with adequate damp air ac- 

 cumulation pits and outlets for damp air so situated as to combine 

 readily with the circulation and baffle plates of the Tiemann Process. 

 Large, wide or progressive kilns are not suitable for the combination. 



The advantages of this combination type are: 1st: The ability to 

 dry thick green hardwoods. 2nd : The facility with which, by the 

 proper setting of valves and dampers, the kiln may be converted to 

 one of the best of modern types of dry kiln, and 3rd: Complete com- 

 jdiance with government specifications, and co-operation with govern- 

 ment inspectors. 



The officials of the various war boards and engineers on government 

 work are naturally somewhat influenced in favor of equipment that 

 has been developed under government auspices. 



The use of this composite type provides every compliance with gov- 

 ernment requirements and gives the manufacturer the opportunity of 

 taking advantage, as well, of the best of the practical economies in 

 kiln design and operation as developed by modern factory experience. 



T. D. Perry 



' \t ;;B;;agM5ti;S^;im;)tTOaiii>iWiTO3t»t^^ 



^ Car Shortage in Memphis Territory ^- 



A slight increase in the number of flat cars for handling logs 

 to mills at Memphis is reported by officials of the Southern Hard- 

 wood Traffic Association following the joint conference of the 

 board of governors of that body and the Southern Logging Asso- 

 ciation at which it was determined that vigorous action should be 

 taken to secure relief, a full report on which appears elsewhere 

 in this issue of Hardwood Record. There were only two hardwood 

 mills closed down in Memphis December 5, the smallest number 

 for quite a while. None of the mills has enough timber on its 

 yards, however, to last nioTe than a few days, with the result that 

 full receipts each day are imperative if the mills are to continue 

 in steady operation. 



No change is reported in flat car situation at outside points in 

 the Memphis territory. This is only another way of saying that 

 the manufacturers of lumber who depend on public carriers for 

 cars for handlfng their logs to their mills are receiving only a small 

 percentage of their requirements and that they are under the neces- 

 sity of closing down every few days because of lack^ of log sup- 

 plies. Mr. Townshend said, before leaving for Washington, that 

 he did not see any improvement at all in the situation from the 

 standpoint of outside mills. 



There is likewise quite a pronounced shortage of cars for handling 

 outbound shipments of southern hardwoods. All manufacturers 

 report that there is an increasing demand for hardwood lumber 

 but that there is also rapidly increasing diflSculty in securing cars 

 for handling outbound shipments. Officials of the Southern Hard- 

 wood Traffic Association regard fifty per cent as a liberal estimate 

 of the proportion of the requirements of the lumber inanufacturers 

 for box cars and other equipment for effecting deliveries being 

 filled. Memphis lumbermen are perhaps faring rather better than 

 this but there are so many outside mills receiving only twenty to 

 twenty-five per cent of their needs that tlie foregoing is regarded 

 as rather exceeding, than falling short of, actual results. 



Weather conditions are still quite favorable and work in the 

 woods is making very satisfactory progress. There are so many 

 million feet of logs ready for transportation to the mills and there 

 is such a shortage of flat cars for the handling of this timber that 



much more interest just now centers in securing transportation 

 facilities for handling the logs already on the rights of way of the 

 railroads than in cutting more logs to be delivered to the railroads. 

 However, lumbermen are proceeding on the theory that perhaps 

 the railroads will in time be able to supply plenty of cars and they 

 are therefore not overlooking any opportunity' to prepare plenty of 

 timber against their later needs. 



Meantime, demand for hardwood lumber is reported quite good. 

 It is broadening somewhat and further progress in this direction 

 is anticipated with the distribution of government orders. Buying 

 is coming just now from private industries and from those that are 

 working with the government in its war program but there is a 

 marked distinction between the manner in which cars are furnished 

 for the former and the latter. Difficulties of transportation for 

 those seeking and accepting orders from private industries are mul- 

 tiplj'ing every day while the question of transportation, where gov- 

 ernment orders are involved, is a very simple matter. 



With all the feverish building of ships, there should be a pretty 

 lively demand for live oak, which is a traditional wood in ship 

 building. 



The scarcity of help this year makes a more urgent need for the 

 adoption of all the practical labor-saving devices available. Sawmill 

 men and woodworkers everywhere should look over the labor-saving 

 machinery offerings to see what will fit in with their needs and help 

 the cause along. 



One advantage of the sawed tie over the hewed tie is in the chance 

 to utilize the trimmings. Not only is there a good sale for the siding 

 boards from ties, but there is another chance for utilization in dimen- 

 sion stock that merits attention. 



A good saw blade with poor teeth is like a good hoe handle with 

 a bum hoc on the end of it, in that neither is of much use in that 

 condition. 



