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Ironing boards and stands are an important part of this industry and the 

 woods used are selected according to their fitness for the several parts. The 

 frames or the collapsible stand upon which the boards rest require a strong 

 wood and one that turns readily. Sugar maple and beech are reported in 

 Pennsylvania while in Michigan elm and yellow birch joined with these in 

 furnishing this material. Ironing boards are preferably of a wood that is 

 soft and easily smoothed and one that in the presence of high temperature 

 holds its shape well. It should be made of light weight wood so as to be 

 easily portable. Cottonwood answers well but buckeye, basswood, yellow 

 poplar, and white pine are probably the favorites. Besides regular-size iron- 

 ing boards, these woods were also reported for skirt and sleeve boards used for 

 specialty work. 



Beech, birch, and maple, because they are strong, tough, and not easily 

 split, were reported for making clothes racks, sometimes called horses, and 

 for clothes driers. Light weight wood like basswood or aspen were used for 

 the stringers. The racks are made of turned stock and fold together like a 

 screen. The driers are revolving reels through the arms of which wire is 

 strung for hanging clothes. These include the ones that are temporarily 

 attachable to back porches of apartment buildings and also the kinds that 

 are placed in back yards. Adjustable curtain stretchers used in laundering 

 lace and other thin fabric window curtains are included in this industry. 

 Basswood was the only wood used while a large amount of loblolly pine was 

 called on for clothes props. 



Mangles are ironing machines used for domestic purposes in ironing flat 

 work such as table and bed linen, towels, handkerchiefs, etc. In appear- 

 ance they resemble clothes wringers , having their rolls operating at a tangent. 

 Some of them are intended only for cold ironing or smoothing. In these the 

 rolls are of wood and the pressure of the rolls alone does the work giving 

 the clothes the same smooth appearance as if hot ironed. In Pennsylvania 

 they are made alone of sugar maple but the Michigan report also shows 

 beech and elm though in much smaller quantities. Machines are also made 

 for hot ironing and in these the upper roll is hollow metal heated while 

 the lower one is wood covered with padding and a top dress of muslin. Mangle 

 rollers vary in size from 3^ inches in diameter and 20 inches long to 6 inches 

 diameter and 24 inches long. 



Washing machines are of various designs and shapes, some in box form, 

 some conical shape similar to a wash tub, and others are cylindrical. The 

 last named is the design used in steam laundries. Cypress is more suitable 

 than any other wood for washing machine bodies because it is less liable to 

 warp and more durable in situations of alternating moisture and dryness. 

 Ash and to a small extent white pine were also reported. Of the Pacific coast 

 woods, redwood seems to give the best result. On account of the strength 

 of sugar maple it was called on for the legs of washing machines; and 

 beaters or agitators which work inside of the machine to turn the clothes 

 in washing are made of beech or maple. 



The reasons which commend cypress for washing machines make it the 

 principal wood for wash tubs In Michigan spruce was the favorite wood 

 while the Illinois manufacturers used cypress, cotton gum, and red gum in 

 the order named. The increasing use of these woods, especially cotton gum, 

 which is tupelo, is worthy of note. 



For washboards, the manufacturers require woods that are light in color, 

 especially for the print board, which is stenciled. Yellow poplar alone is 

 called on in this State but in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan, basswood, cot- 

 tonwood, and cotton gum were demanded. Washboard sides or posts are 



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