44 



Canadian Forestry Journal, March 1913. 



of 3.6 tons. The power required for 

 the driers and this press amounts to 

 about sixteen horse-power. Another 

 press has a capacity of nine tons a 

 day, requiring 45 horse-power for the 

 machine. 



Use for Dry Distillation. 



*A very attractive process is the 

 charring of sawdust and subjecting 

 it to a process of dry distillation. The 

 remaining charred material (char- 

 coal) is then briquetted and yields a 

 briquette of very high heat value, 

 equivalent to the best anthracite coal. 

 The process is practically the same as 

 that used in the distillation of wood. 

 The resulting by-products are an il- 

 luminating gas, which can be used to 

 light up the mill, wood vinegar or 

 pyroligneous acid, wood spirits or 

 methyl alcohol and wood tar. The 

 wood tar can be subjected to further 

 treatment and yields creosote, benzol, 

 naphthalin, paraffine, etc. 



' Sawdust has been used for the op- 

 eration of gas producers for power 

 purposes, in which cases it can be 

 handled either in the loose form or 

 in the form of briquettes. 



'Related to the briquetting of saw- 

 dust is the manufacture of artificial 

 wood. This material is of great tenac- 

 ity and strength, does not decay and 

 is less susceptible to the action of the 

 atmosphere than is natural wood. All 

 this artificial wood can be sawed, 

 planed and cut, but not split. The 

 manufacture of it has become quite 

 an industry abroad. Decorations for 

 walls, ceilings and furniture are 

 manufactured from mixtures the es- 

 sential part of which is sawdust. 

 These ornaments rival carved work 

 and are a great deal cheaper, replac- 

 ing those made of zinc, papier- 

 mache and artificial stone or ce- 

 ment. 



'Sawdust is the essential part of a 

 stone-like material used for building 

 purposes and also for paving blocks. 

 These paving blocks are said to out- 

 last the regular creosoted wood 

 blocks. 



*S?iwdust is pulverized and used 



instead of sand. In this state it can 

 be colored, perfumed and used for 

 many purposes, such as for sachet 

 bags and the like. 



Miscellaneous uses. 



'The writer remembers the time 

 when this fine sawdust was used in 

 offices instead of sand and blotters. 

 Its polishing qualities in the pulver- 

 ized state for gold and silverware are 

 well known. Further, from fine dust 

 of colored wood, such as mahogany, 

 etc., stains can be made to be used 

 in imitating other woods. With lin- 

 seed oils one can make a filler. The 

 material for this filler is best ob- 

 tained from the kind of wood on 

 which it is to be used. 



' Sawdust and shavings are used for 

 packing glassware, porcelain and 

 other ceramic articles. In this state 

 it must be dry, so as not to have a 

 detrimental effect, especially on cera- 

 mic goods. 



, 'The use of sawdust for cleaning 

 floors is too well known to need men- 

 tion; not so generally knowTi is its 

 property of preserving eggs. 



'Any person handling oily and 

 painty tinware should know that it is 

 an excellent means for cleaning fresh 

 paint from such tinware, rendering 

 the vessels perfectly dry and clean. 



'Sawdust is used in the manufac- 

 ture of insulating material for steam 

 boilers and steam piping, and as in- 

 sulating filler in fireless cookers, ice 

 boxes, walls, etc. 



'It can be laid in cement floors in- 

 stead of sand, rendering these floors 

 warmer and more porous. It is used 

 for roofiing material instead of sand, 

 making roofing paper lighter for 

 transportation and so reducing cost. 



'Charred sawdust is an excellent 

 means for filtration of liquids and 

 has disinfecting qualities, making it 

 more suitable for this purpose than 

 ordinary charcoal. Added to brick 

 it makes a more porous brick. Mixed 

 with clay it can be used for the manu- 

 facture of filtering articles; this has 

 proved to be an attractive process. 



'Sawdust is uspd to absorb mois- 



