HARDWOOD RECORD 



July 23, 191S. 



the most difiicult to dry, and is in nearly universal use. The cost of 

 steam is assumed at $100 per horse power year, including fuel, labor 

 and overhead at present prices. If the steam is first used for generat- 

 ing poivcr due credit may be given and the steam item reduced by 

 two thirds. The use of vpaste by-products for producing heat or the 

 use of exhaust steam should not render these items negligible, as all 

 by-products should carry their own burden and produce a profit. 



A salary of $1,500 may seem unreasonable, but a skillful operator 

 can save it many times over in a year. Cheap help is usually extrava- 

 gant. Some of his time with a small battery of kilns may be profitably 

 employed in other work. 



Table No. I 



Cost of operating a battery of three box kilns — Holding capacity, 1.5 kiln 

 ears, or 45,000 feet ; weelsly output, 45.000 feet ; dally output, weelily 

 charging, 7,500 feet; 4/4" oak, from 20% to 5% moisture content. Live 

 steam 24 hours daily. 



A. Overhead (plant charge-ofEs) : 



Interest, 6% on $12,500 $ 750.00 



Depreciation, 10% on $12.500 1,250.00 



Maintenance, 5% on $12,500 625.00 



Insurance, 1% on $12,500 125.00 



Taxes, 2% on $12,500 250.00 



„ T't ! , 21 ■ ..I, s12,r,:H, $3,000.00 $07.09 



B. Opcnili. .1,-1. ,i,,'i 



.Steam > ' , r,,ndensiDg % pound 



%\ a n I . ; I I i .| I : II 1(1 pounds water per 

 bom'. I MMMili i.i I- ::ii liml. i Imrsepower @ $100. .$3,000.00 



Stickers, nil, supplies, etc 500.00 



$3,500.00 07. yn 



C. Operation (labor — constant) : 



Operators' wages (days only) $1,500.00 



Indirect on above at 50% 750 



$2,250.00 43.27 



D. Operation (labor — variable) 



Loading kiln, 45M @ 75c perM $ 33 75 



Unloading kiln, 45M @ 75c per M 33.75 



Teaming, 45M @ $1 per M 45.00 



Indirect on above (50% on $112.50) 56.25 



Car service, 3 C. L. @ $5 15.00 



$ 183.75 1S3.75 

 E. Overhead (sales department) : 



15% on $352.01 52.S0 



Grand total per week, 3 kilns $404.81 



Averages : 



Per kiln per day (^21) $ 19.28 



Per M ft. lumber dried (-r- 45) 9.00 



Per 5% moisture content on 4/4" (^ 45, -^ 3) 3.00 



The averages on all cost figures are computed on a basis of seven 

 days to the week, as the kilns are run continuously, and are using 

 steam and all overhead burdens accordingly. However, in computing 

 output the usual practice has been followed of considering six days as 

 a working week. 



The moisture content is the percentage obtained by testing a small 

 sample and comparing its initial weight with the moisture removal 

 when said sample is reduced to bone dry on a small heater. The com- 

 putation is as follows: 



67.78 original weight 63.94)3.84 (6.00% moisture content 



G3.94 bone dry weight 3.8364 



3.S4 moisture removed 36 



Table Nn. II 

 Cost of operating a battery of three box kilns — Holding capacity, 15 kiln 

 cars, or 45M feet ; weekly output, 30M feet ; daily output', two charges every 

 three weeks. 5M feet. 4/4" oak from 30% to 5% moisture content, or 6/4" 

 oak from 20% to 5% moisture content. Live steam 24 hours daily. 



Weekly 



A. Overhead (plant charge-offs) (as in I) $ 57.69 



B. Operation (material) (as in I) 67.30 



C. Operation (labor — constant) (as in I) 43.27 



D. Operation (labor — variable) (two-thirds of I) 122.50 



E. Overhead (sales department, 15% on $290.76 43.61 



Grand total, per week, three kilns $33-1.37 



Averages : 



Per kiln per day (-^ 21) $ 15.92 



Per M ft. lumber dried (-> 30) 11.15 



Per 5% moisture content on 4/4" (^ 30, -^ 5) 2.23 



Per 5% moisture content on 6/4" (-f- 30, -4- 3) 3.72 



Table No. Ill 

 Cost of operating a battery of three box kilns — Holding capacity, 15 kiln 

 cars, or 45M feet ; weekly output, 22,500 feet ; daily output, bi-weekly 

 charging, 3,750 feet 4/4" oak, from 40% to 5% moisture content, or 6/4" 

 oak. from 30% to 5% moisture content, or 8/4" oak, from 20% to 5% 

 moisture content. Live steam, 24 hours daily. 



Weekly 



A. Overhead (plant charge-oflfs) (as in I) $ .57.69 



B. Operation (material) (as in I) 07.30 



C. Operation (liibor — constant) (as in I) 43.27 



D. Operation (labor— variable) (half of I) 91.87 



E. Overhead (sales department) (15% on $260.13) 39.01 



Grand total, per week, 3 kilns $299.14 



Averages ; 



Per kiln per day (-=- 21) $ 14 '^ j 



Per M feet lumber dried (-;- 221/2) i'.'. .'.'. l.'j'so 



Per 5% moisture content on 4/4" (-;-22V> ^7) ' 1 90 



Per 5% moisture content on 6/4" (-=- 22^5, s- .5) 2'66- 



Per 5% moisture content on 8/4" (-=-2214. -^3) 4.43 



Table No. IV 

 Cost of operating a battery of three box kilns — Holding capacity, 15 kiln 

 cars, or 45M feet ; weekly output, 15M feet ; daily output, 3 weeks' charging, 

 2,500 feet, 4/4" oak from 50% to 5% moisture content, or 6/4" oak from 

 40% to 5% moisture, content, or 8/4" oak from 30% to 5% moisture con- 

 tent, or 12/4" oak from 207,, to 5% moisture content. Live steam 24 hours 

 daily. 



A. Overhead (plant charge-offs) (as in I) $ 57.69 



B. Operation (material) (as in I) 67 30 



C. Operation (labor — constant) (as in I) 43 '>7 



D. Operation (labor — variable) (third of I) 6l!23 



E. Overhead (sales department), 15% on $220.51 34.43 



Grand total, per week, per kiln $263 94 



Averages : 



Per kiln per day (-4-21) $ 12 57 



Per M ft. lumber dried (-i- 15) 7 17.60 



Per 5% moisture content on 4/4" (-M5. h- 9) 1.96 



Per 5% moisture content on 6/4" (-4-15, .^ 7) 2 51 



Per 5% moisture content on 8/4" (^- 15. ^ 5 ) 3..52 



Per 5% moisture content on 12/4" (-=- 15, -^ :!) 5.87 



Table No. V 

 Cost of operating a battery of three box kilns. Holding capacity, 15 kiln 

 cars, or 45 M feet ; weekly output, 11,250 feet ; daily output, 4 weeks' 

 charging, 1,875 feet — 4/4" oak, from 60% to 5% moisture content, or 

 6/4" oak, from 50% to 5% moisture content, or 8/4" oak, from 40% to 3% 

 moisture content, or 12/4" oak, from 30% to 5% moisture content, or 

 ie/4" oak, from 20% to 5% moisture content. Live steam, 24 hours daily. 



A. Overhead (plant charge otfs) (as in I) $ 57.69 



B. Operation (material) (as in I) 67.30 



C. Operation (labor-constant) (as in I) 43.27 



D. Operation (labor-variable) (quarter of I) 45.94 



E. Overhead (sales dept.) , 15% on $214.20 32.13 



Grand total, per week, 3 kilns $246.33 



Averages : 



Per kiln per day (-f 21) $ 11.73 



Per M ft. lumber dried (+ IIH) 21.90 



Per 5% moisture content on 4/4" (-|- 11%, -t- 11) 1.99 



Per 5% moisture content on 6/4" (-|- 11%, -j- 9) 2.43 



Per 5% moisture content on 8/4" (-(- 11%, -|- 7) 3.13 



Per 5% moisture content on 12/4" (-f- 11%, -f 5) 4.3S 



Per 5% moisture content on 16/4" (-(- 11%, -)- 3) 7.30 



Table No. VI. Recapitcl.ition 

 Moisture 

 Thick content Table Days Per day PerM Per 5% 



4/4" 20%to5%! I. 7 $19.38 $9.00 $3.00 



4/4" 30% to 5% II. 10^0 13.92 11.13 2.23 



4/4" 40% to 5% III. 14 14.25 13.30 1.90 



4/4" 50%, to 5% IV. 21 12.57 17.60 1.96 



4/4" 60% to 5%, V. 28 11.73 21.60 1.99 



6/4" 20%, to 5% II. 1014 13.92 11.15 3.72 



6/4" 30% to 5% III. 14 14.25 13.30 2.66 



6/4" 40% to 5% IV. 21 12.57 17.60 2.51 



6/4" 50% to 5% V. 28 11.73 21.90 2.43 



8/4" 20% to 5% III. 14 14.25 13.30 4.43 



8/4" 30%, to 5% IV. 21 12.57 17.60 3.52 



8/4" 40% to 5% V. 28 11.73 21.90 3.13 



12/4" 20% to 5% IV. 21 12.57 17.60 5, ST 



12/4" 30% to 5% V. 28 11.73 21.90 4.::s 



16/4" 20% to 5% V. 28 11.73 21.90 7..:ii 



The tabulation of thicker and greener lumber is intentionally 

 avoided, because so much depends on the fibre quality of the lumber, 

 its location of growth, such as swamp or mountain, and its climate. 



The above tabulation should not be used blindly, as individual cor- 

 rections will be needed for every plant, according to local conditions. 



.\nother and perhaps simpler method to arrive at costs would be to 

 establish a daily constant for items in Table I as follows: 



A. Overhead (plant charge ofEs) $ 37,i'.ii 



B. Operation (materials) OT.I'.n 



C. Operation (labor-constant) 4:;:21 



15% on $168.26 2.-..L' 1 



Total 3 kiln, per week $194. .-.o 



1 kiln, per week 64. n:: 



1 kiln, per day 9.2il 



To this daily or weekly constant is to be added the labor and over- 

 head of loading, unloading, teaming, and car service, with such indi- 

 rects as may be established or agreed upon. 



While this article may be somewhat disconcerting to those who have 

 not taken the opportunity to figure the matter through to a logical 

 conclusion, yet it is always belter to lock the barn door before all 

 the horses are stolen. Thomas D. Perry. 



The first auger was a wooden peg and a cup of sand. The ]• 

 was revolved by means of a bow string, and sand was poured m 

 the point to serve as a cutting bit. Wood and stone were bored 

 with the same tool. Indians hollowed their stone picks by tliat 

 method. 



