103 



price, and get full value for the bulk of the out-turn. Out of, 

 approximately, 200,000 lbs. of sheet sold in 1916 we had 672 lbs. or 

 four cases, of faulty sheets which fetched $3 per pikul less than the 

 best, so that the net loss from this cause was about $15, whereas, if 

 they had been mixed with the good sheets there might readily have 

 been a loss of §1 per pikul over the whole total sold, or approximately 

 $1,500. 



Without the aid of a press, 168 lbs. of sheet go into one case. It 

 is a convenient quantity as it is 1| cwts. and 40 cases give three tons. 

 If sheets are made or cut into lengths to fit the cases a larger 

 quantity, up to 200 lbs., can be squeezed in. It always seems to 

 me that the expense of packing smoked sheet is so unnecessary, as 

 properly cured smoked sheet is impervious to damp for a considerable 

 time and it is reasonable to suppose that before long we shall 

 be baling our smoked sheet like wool, and avoiding the expense of 

 Momi and Venesta cases. 



PREPARATION OF PALE CRfiPE. 

 The mam points required in the grade are colour and texture, 

 and the attainment of either presents no great difficulties if uniform 

 treatment is accorded every day. 



Coagulation. 

 The latex is usually coagulated in bulk and the addition of extra 

 water is of no moment as air bubbles are impossible in crepe. The 

 strength of acid is the same for this grade as for smoked sheet, but 

 double the quantity of sodium bisulphite is wanted unless the rubber 

 is to be rolled the same day. If the sodium bisulphite solution is 

 too weak, oxidation will set in to a certain extent during the 

 night, and the colour of the out-turn will suffer. I use 1 lb. of 

 sodium bisulphite to a gallon of water for 80 gallons of latex with 

 the usual 12 oz. of acid for .latex to be treated next morning. 



Rolling. 

 Strip coagulation in tanks is more economical than mass 

 coagulation as the strip will go easily through a macerator 

 without being cut up, rollers can be set fairly close for the 

 first roll, and once through the macerator brings the rubber to a 

 stage where the creper and smooth finisher can deal with it. The 

 macerator and creper should be hard chilled rollers with uneven 

 speeds, the number of teeth in the cogs being 21 for the front roller 

 and 18 for the back one. The smooth finisher should be of softer 

 metal and speeds of 20 and 18. It will be found in practice that a 

 smooth roller will not do such good work when new, as it will 

 when it has been working some months. 



After the rubber has been through the macerater once and 

 twice through the creper it is a question of what style of crepe is 

 to be tui'ned out, as to how many rolls are necessary in the finisher. 



