No. 149.] , 1?3 



portion of the machines exhibited, were either^new inventions, 

 or important improvements on old ones. 



WOOD PLANING MACHINES. 



There was six machines lor this purpose on exhibition, and the 

 competition unusually spirited. The machines of S. B. Schenck 

 and J. H. Lester, do the work of planing the surface, tongueing 

 and grooving complete, in one operation with revolving cutters. 

 That of Norcross performed the planing with revolving cut- 

 ters ; the plan for tongueing and grooving was shown in model. 

 The machines of Norcross, Lester and Schenck, cut upon the 

 principle of an adze, lengthwise of the board in curves upward 

 from the surface, and the cuts must be in rapid succession to 

 leave a flat surface ; the shavings are consequently fine and light. 

 Kittle's machine performs its cut flat across the surface of the 

 board in sweeps indicated by the curves o^ a circle, and having 

 cutters in the form of gouges, removes heavier shavings at a cut, 

 and of course more expeditious. These are followed by a single 

 stationary cutter for smoothing, with reciprocating cutters to 

 tongue and groove the edge. 



The machines of J. P. Woodbury and E. G. Allen have sta- 

 tionary cutters for planing the surface. Woodbury's has rota- 

 ting cutters attached for tongueing and grooving. Allen exhibi- 

 ted a separate machine for tongueing and grooving. The revolv- 

 ing cutters pass a board at the rate of 35 to 40 feet per minute. 

 The stationary cutters, lor surface planing, pass from 80 to 120 

 feet per minute. It was conceded that Allen's did the most work 

 at surface planing in a given time. 



All these machines are intended for planing pine or other soft 

 wood, which is mostly used for flooring, ceiling, &c. The sta- 

 tionary cutters are most expeditious, and do good work. But it 

 remains to be determined whether by the increased velocity too 

 much heat may not be generated, the tendency of which would 

 be to soften the knives, gumming, and other interruptions that 

 may prove to be more than equivalent to the gain. Another 

 year \^'ill practically settle the question of superiority ; as sever- 

 al of the stationary cutters are put or being put in operation in 

 the city of New-York and elsewhere. 



