FLUMES AND FLUMING. 27 
A metal clamp of the general form, shown in figure 7, is then slipped 
over the ends of the brail, and a dry wooden wedge, which can be 
quickly and cheaply constructed by the use of power saw in the mill, 
is driven into the end of the brail between the boards or planks, 
thereby forcing the lumber up against the teeth on the clamp and 
holding the whole body firmly in the position in which it was placed 
before being clamped. The twine is attached to the iron clamps on 
the front and rear ends of the respective brails to be shipped, and 
when a sufficient number have been prepared they are released in the 
flume, the weight and momentum of each one tending to keep its 
fellow, to which it is attached, following it in proper position, and 
preventing each one from running alongside the other and wedging 
or piling on the curve. The weight and momentum of the forward 
brail has a tendency to pull the following brail into line and thus 
maintain the average momentum of the whole body. This principle 
can be applied to sawed timbers, using staples and rope or wire to 
hold them in proper position. Several brails are usually accoutred 
together by the use of the tarred rope, shingle twine, wire, or other 
means of attachment. 
Upon arrival at the lower end of the flume the wedges are with- 
drawn, the lumber is released from the brail, and the " clamps" are 
hauled back to the head of the flume to be used again. This method 
of consolidating the shipments has been found particularly advisable 
for use on long, comparatively flat grade flumes, as it reduces very 
materially the amount of supervision or number of flume walkers 
necessary to keep the material running from what would be required 
if it were shipped separately, and prevents the timber from being 
split, broken, and battered on the ends or otherwise injured as much 
as when shipped in "loose" board form. Figure 7 shows the method 
most commonly used in brailing and accoutring material, and a form 
of clamp. 
PLANING MILLS SHOULD BE LOCATED AT LOWER END OF FLUME. 
As a general proposition the planing of sawed lumber which it is 
necessary to transport in a flume should be done only after the flum- 
ing process is completed, since fluming lumber after it is planed usually 
results in more or less discoloration of the surface, which is also liable 
to be marred in transit, thus injuring its sale value. 
SIZE AND CARRYING CAPACITY OF FLUMES FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES 
OF MATERIAL. 
The most advisable size of a flume for successfully transporting 
different classes of material depends on such factors as the grade, 
volume of water available, length of flume, etc. The class of mate- 
rial to be handled is always the principal factor to be considered, and 
