Notes on the Manufacture of Veneer 131 



to cut the pieces in smaller lengths with the grain, they are fed 

 between two rollers, one of which has small spur-like knife 

 blades on it and cuts the veneer as it revolves. Rollers are 

 kept on hand with different numbers of knife blades on them 

 for cutting different sized pieces. Suppose for instance pieces 

 of veneer 25 inches square are desired. A strip from the 100 

 inch machine is selected, placed under the clipping blade and 

 a piece is clipped off 25 inches wide. It is still 100 inches 

 long, so it is fed between rollers which have a knife blade 

 at each 25 inch mark. Thus four pieces are obtained each 25 

 inches square. 



As the veneer is clipped while it is still moist, a certain 

 shrinkage factor must be allowed in order to have the pieces 

 the desired size when dry. Shrinkage varies with the species. 

 Basswood shrinks about 10 per cent across the grain, Birch and 

 Oak about 8% per cent. In order to accomplish this easily, 

 a series of holes are made in the table at certain distances from 

 the knife blade. The distances are figured for certain widths 

 of veneer with the shrinkage allowed. Pegs are placed in the 

 holes so that the veneer may be pulled just to the pegs and 

 clipped off. A different series of holes must be used for 

 species with different shrinkage percents. Shrinkage is thus 

 mechanically allowed for. In clipping the veneer defective 

 parts are cut out. Yellow Birch seemed to have most defects. 

 Oak stood next while Ash and Basswood proved least defective. 

 The defective material was ground up and used for fuel in the 

 furnace. 



After being clipped, the pieces of veneer are ready for 

 the dryer. Two methods are used in drying it ; one method, 

 the roller dryer, for stock % inch and less in thickness and 

 the other method, the dry kiln, for stock over % inch thick. 

 The roller dryer consists of a frame work about 10 feet high, 

 12 feet wide and 100 feet long, covered with sheet iron. Inside 

 are a series of 900 rollers about 5 inches in diameter arranged 

 in horizontal layers. These layers of rollers are placed very 

 dose together and so arranged that they revolve just as the 

 rollers do in a clothes ringer. There are several pairs of rollers 

 which carry the veneer from one end to the other as it is fed 

 between them. When it comes out at the other end it is then 

 fed between other sets of rollers which carry the veneer back 



