HARDWOOD RECORD 



51 



Aside from the regular line of inch, five- 

 quarter and six-quarter boards, of various 

 widths and lengths, there is a large amount 

 of three-ply wood used in the construction 

 of pyrographic articles, where solid lumber 

 would not answer. For instance, panels, trays, 

 picture frames, and numerous similar articles, 

 which will not be supported at the edges and 

 firmly held in the original flat position, are 

 made of three-ply wood to prevent warping 

 and to insure stability; the middle layer being 

 cross-banded as in other veneer construction. 



DESIGX FOn ORXAMEXTAL SCREEN. 



This wood is manufactured from the same 

 stock as solid lumber, being usually rotary 

 cut, and is shipped directly from the mills in 

 the North. Owing to the many purposes for 

 which waste can be utilized, strict dimensions 

 are not insisted upon, though the manufac- 

 turers usually turn out a large number of 

 one tjrpe of article at a running, and thus 

 can give an approximate idea of lengths and 

 widths, or corresponding units of the same. 

 Three-ply stock is generally used for parts 

 % inch and under, % inch stuff being used 

 more extensively than the other thicknesses 

 While solid lumber is much less expensive than 

 the other type, still it is only utilized to 

 about one-third the extent in pyrography. 



So numerous are the objects turned out to 

 be ornamentally burned, and of such a variety 

 of shapes and sizes are they, that it would 

 be useless to attempt to describe them in de- 

 tail. As in wholesale manufacture in most 

 other lines, the filling of special orders for 

 the manufacture of specially designed pieces 

 would not be at all profitable or even possible 

 at a figure fa,r above the usual retail price. 

 Consequently the Thayer & Chandler Com- 

 pany has limited the output absolutely to 

 articles described in its catalogue. Each de- 



sign shown is represented in the factory by 

 a pattern, which is used in each run. 



The articles produced range from large, 

 comfortable seats, cabinets, tabourettes and 

 picture frames, down to turned receptacles 

 of all sorts and the smallest wooden orna- 

 ments. There are features in the manufac- 

 ture of each which do not apply to the 

 other, and hence a business of this sort pre- 

 sents many complications. Of special interest 

 is the manufacture of round receptacles, such 

 as nut-dishes and similar articles. It is'.for 

 purposes of this kind that thick lumber is 

 utilized. In making a nut-dish, for instance, 

 two blocks are cut to dimensions correspond- 

 ing to the ultimate diameter and are glued 

 face to face. After setting, they are handed 

 on to the next shop-unit, and here the required 

 shape is secured by turning in the usual man- 

 ner inside and out. Sand-papering, in fill 

 cases, is 'done automatically, various types' of 

 Sanders being used. 



Round objects, such as fern-dishes, having 

 straight sides, are made in an ingenious, 

 somewhat different way. As has probably 

 been noticed, jjicture frames intended for 

 pyrographic purposes are always made of one 

 piece, the reason being obvious, and are 

 always of three-ply wood. The first opera- 

 tion consists, naturally, of cutting to the re- 

 quired size; the pieces are then nailed together 

 in the middle, in bundles of a half dozen, the 

 edges corresponding accurately', and the top 

 piece is marked according to the shape of 

 the opening. The next step is taken care of 

 by another man, who bores the center and 

 then, with a jig-saw, removes it according to 

 the marking. Following this a rabbetting 



machine cuts the necessary rabbets in the 

 back, and then the frame goes to the molder, 

 who runs it through a machine designed to 

 cut a plain rabbet-moulding around the edge. 

 It is now complete as to cutting, automatic 

 sand-papering being the last step on this 

 floor. Another section takes care of stamp- 

 ing or printing of the pattern to be burned, 

 and of putting on glass and ring or standard. 

 Numerous other articles could be followed 

 through the process of manufacture in a 

 similar manner, but as the operations are 

 essentially the same, and performed on the 

 same machine, this will not be attempted. 



FRAME FOR HALL MIRROR. 



The Thayer & Chandler factory is interesting 

 from a mechanical point of view, in that all 

 apparatus is electrically driven. Various ma- 

 chines are used for the work; namely, band- 

 saws of various sizes and types, jig-saws, 

 trimmer-saws, plan- 

 ers (the first opera- 

 tion of handling solid 

 lumber is planing), 

 lathes of all types, 

 Sanders, glue-joint- 

 ers, spinners, rabbet- 

 ting machines and 

 various brass-work- 

 ing appliances, all of 

 the most up-to-date 

 pattern. 



The design to be 

 burned is put on 

 later by stamping or 

 printing, according 

 to the nature of the 

 article to be marked. 

 Where possible this 

 operation is per- 

 formed before as- 

 sembling the parts. 

 A few designs for 

 pyrography work of 

 various styles are 

 shown in the illus- 

 trations in connec- 

 tion with this article. 



TABLE BENCH WITU BOX SEAT FOE BURNING. 



He is a wise weath- 

 er prophet who knows 

 when to borrow an 

 umbrella. 



