34 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



April 25, 191 



and its purposes, and offers of assistance have been made to the 

 Signal Corps many times. Members of this committee warned 

 them that there would be a shortage in many specified woods if 

 they would not issue information in advance that would permit 

 the mills to prepare for the great demand. Our warnings were 

 more or less derided on the grounds that we were overestimating 

 the demand. 



BENJAMIN W. LORD, 

 Chairman War Service Committee, Veneer and Panel Industry. 



Answering our reply to his original letter, Mr. Graf re- 

 plied as follows: 



My article was not written for an argument. 1 only wanted 

 your co-operation to help speed up the production from the 

 veneer end, and I agree with you that they are doing their utmost, 

 but their hands are tied. This committee should be given power 

 on specifications. Enclosed is a letter from the veneer committee, 

 which is self-explanatory. 



My article was based on actual facts. Mr. Hunt of the Forest 

 Products Laboratory, who is authority on strength of different 

 woods in aeroplane construction, stated to me that gum would 

 answer the same purpose as birch, but must be approved by the 

 men higher up. 



If you know of any birch manufacturers that are in position to 

 make immediate shipments, please mail them to me at once, for 

 1 am in touch with several plants doing aeroplane work where 

 their production was almost at a standstill, due to their not being 

 able to get veneer. 



You will have to admit that if we could use gum, we would soon 

 speed up production. 



Hoping that you will take this in the right spirit and publish 

 my article or give us at least something to help the veneer end now 

 that you have our views. Your assistance will be very much 

 appreciated, for by the tone of your letter you are a real lighter, 

 and that is what it takes. 



J. A. GRAF. 



The following is the letter Mr. Graf refers to in the 

 first paragraph above: 



Isn't there some way that the veneer people can get at the 

 maker of specifications for the aeroplane work and have the speci- 

 fications made to suit the trees that are in the woods 



There isn't time to grow special trees to make stock. Germany 

 has gotten the cream of the poplar out of the south for ten years 

 before the war started. They paid about $ 1 5 to $20 per M above 

 the market price for large clear logs. So our timber in the South 

 has been robbed of logs that will make the kind of veneer that 

 those aeroplane specifications are calling for. 



Now, if they were making a special piece of furniture that they 

 expected to put in the king's parlor, it is all right to call for the 

 quality they are calling for, but if they want stock in a hurry, 

 they will have to make their specifications to suit the material 

 that is obtainable. A defect where the strength of the piece is 

 not impaired should be accepted because America's men are los- 

 ing their lives every day just because somebody is seeing how 

 strenuous a specification he can write. 



Knowing the conditions of the timber as I do and seeing the 

 specifications for veneer that are being sent out, I am constrained 

 to believe that the "specifier" is utterly ignorant in regard to the 

 way trees grow or he is working for the Kaiser. 



Now, I know that it is a duty of all practical men to get these 

 conditions before somebody who has power to change them, and 

 if you can tell me to whom 1 can write, 1 shall be only too glad 

 to go into detail and explain why we can't get the veneer they 

 are calling for in any dependable quantity. 



This letter was received under the date of April 10 from the 

 secretary of the Southeastern Veneer Association. 



(Signed) War Service Committee. Veneer & Panel Industry. 



To Make Gunstocks of Lumber 



A gunstock of built-up veneer or thin lumber is one of the 

 latest suggestions. It was not long ago that such a thing would 

 not have been thought of, much less considered seriously, but inno- 

 vations are coming in very rapidly, and a laminated gunstock 

 will probably be in use in a short time. The success of the built-up 

 airplane propeller gave the suggestion. The propeller must meet 



stock has to stand. The propeller has proved a success. The 

 built-up blade is better than that made of solid wood. It was at 

 first feared that the glue joint that held the different pieces of 

 wood together would not prove strong enough, but that fear was 

 baseless. 



The advantage of a laminated gunstock over one of solid wood 

 lies in economy. Smaller pieces of wood can be used and the 

 supply will last longer. Black walnut is preferred, and this wood 

 is limited in supply. Thus far, enough has been forthcoming to 

 meet demand; and enough can still be found for some time; but 

 why use only a portion of it, in cutting solid blanks, and reject 

 the rest, when it is possible to use nearly all and to cut down the 

 waste accordingly? The ordnance department of the army is 

 reported to be giving the laminated gunstock serious consideration. 

 Appaarently the article can be used. If so, it will open a market 

 for lumber too thin for one-piece stock. The thin pieces can 

 be glued into squares and from these squares the gunstock can 

 be turned on the lathe. No particular limit seems to exist in the 

 thinness of the lumber that can be used. It might be thin lumber 

 or it might be sheets of veneer. 



The government is now receiving 11,000 rifles a day. The 

 solid blanks from which the stocks are turned are IVi inches thick 

 and six inches wide. The laminated blank will probably be the 

 same in size, whether consisting of thin lumber or sheets of veneer. 



It is scarcely probable that stuff of suitable size and quality 

 for one-piece blanks would be cut up and made into laminated 

 stocks; but rather that too small for a complete stock would be 

 glued up into blanks. 



Veneer Cutting Regulated by Law 



The government request, which under circumstances has the 

 force of law, that no more mahogany and walnut suitable for 



for airplanes, is bound to have an effect upon production. The 

 manufacturers of furniture and finish will be the first to miss 

 these choice woods to which they have been accustomed. Al- 

 though some inconvenience will result from a compliance with the 

 order, no calamity will attend the withdrawal of these two woods 

 from furniture and finish factories. There are plenty of other 

 woods that may be used in place of walnut and mahogany. It 

 will simply mean that the buyer who has a predilection for these 

 woods must make up his mind to take something else. That will 

 be no hardship. Oak, gum, maple, birch, cherry, teak, rosewood, 

 ebony, and a score of other domestic and foreign woods can 

 still be had at prices within reach of former buyers of walnut and 

 mahogany. The withdrawal of these woods for awhile will give 

 them an extra value when they again come into use. They will 

 be somewhat scarcer then, but there is no danger that they will 



The 



Will Not Restrict Canadian Imports 



■e is a strong semi-official prediction of recent date that 

 imports into Canada will not be restricted. American furniture 

 and cabinet makers have considered with alarm announcements 

 of restrictions to be imposed. They can now consider the matter 

 disposed of satisfactorily. 



Many a mau has periiaps been peeved because he had to do cross 

 banding under the face veneer to make a good job, but that is not 

 how the term cross banding got its name. 



