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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
63
STAINING WOOD BEFORE USING.
Some Advantages of That Method in Securing
Uniformity ^of Coloring—Much Practiced in
Germany with Excellent Results.
The idea of staining wood before using it holds
on so persistently and comes bobbing up from so
many different points that it suggests a new era
in the finishing room, an era in which the staining
process, with all its attending troubles and wran-
gles, will be eliminated and the work of finishing
will be confined to that of smoothing off the w r ork
and applying fillers and protecting coatings and
polishes.
The latest theory to receive attention in this
connection is that of staining wood while it is yet
in the tree. This is not a brand new idea; it has
been experimented with for quite a number of
years, and from time to time there have been an-
nouncements of remarkable results by injecting
certain chemicals into timber while it is growing
or before it is cut down, says a writer in Veneers.
It has been claimed that one can develop almost
any color scheme desired in this way and the idea
has been advanced that at some time in the future
this will be the process of giving wood its color,
and, after being cut and worked, it will be finished
natural.
Another idea along the same line consists in in-
jecting stains or coloring matter into blocks and
logs of wood after they have been cut. Some won-
derful results have been obtained by this process.
For example, the color designs of the stars and
stripes and other national flags have been forced
into timber so that when cut up into blocks the
color design makes its appearance on the finished
surface of every block. This is a German process
that has been in use for some time, but what it has
attained in the way of commercial success in treat-
ing cabinet wood is not known. Tn this country
we have as the latest popular idea that of steam-
ing cabinet wood under pressure to harmonize the
color and deepen it a little, as well as to hasten
the process of seasoning. This is really classed
as a method of seasoning, but it does have some
bearing on the matter of coloring or staining wood
before using. There are some who use practically
the same process, and, by injecting certain chemi-
cals and acids into it, bring out certain stains or
colors in the wood. Some call this a vulcanizing
process, and it is finding favor for preparing oak,
mahogany, gum and cherry, and there is a possi-
The Ohio Veneer Co.
CINCINNATI, O.
Importers and Manufacturers of
Circassian Walnut and Figured
Mahogany Veneers for high grade
piano cases and cabinets.
New York Office and Sample Room
N. Y. FURNITURE EXCHANGE
Lexington Ave. and 46th S t .
G. H. VAUGHAN, Eastern Representative
Lumber and Veneers
ASTORIA VENEER MILLS & DOCK CO. BIRD'S-EYE VENEER CO.,
ASTORIA, L. I N. Y.
Custom mills for band and veneer
sawing; slice and rotary cutting of
Mahogany, Circassian and Fancy
Woods.
Mfrs. of Bird's-eye Maple and plain
wood for Piano Linings.
THE £. L. CHANDLER CO.,
HENRY S. HOLDEN,
ORLEANS, VT.,
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.
Cross-banding Veneers in Poplar,
Gum and Birck. Rock Maple for
Rest Plank. Piano Lining in Maple
and Mahogany.
Rotary-cut Rock Maple, for Piano
Pin Blocks. We also manufacture
Birch and Maple Panels.
ESCANABA, MICH.
bllity that its use may be extended quite largely in
preparing face veneer for use, as it should be prac-
tical to give them all a uniform color, and thus
not only complete the staining before using the
veneer, but make it through and through the wood,
so that there willbe no possibility of the stained
surface working off.
Other ideas and methods will likely be devel-
oped. The one thing strongly in evidence is that
the idea of staining wood before using is persistent
and is likely to prevail. It will do a lot to rid the
finishing room of one of the points of contention.
Using water and acid stains for veneered work is
the cause of trouble with the glue at times and of
trouble in the finishing itself, and no one ques-
tions that if these can be eliminated it will make
the process of finishing easier and more certain
as to satisfactory results.
This elimination of trouble in the finishing room
is one of the strong arguments in favor of staining
veneer and other wood work before using, and
there are many others that may be found, such as
getting the color uniform through and through.
To do this satisfactorily, however, to avoid con-
trast in color and insure harmony among the dif-
ferent parts of pianos or furniture assembled, it
will be necessary to establish certain uniform shades
of stains or color for different woods and adhere
to them closely. It will not be so easy to ring in
all manner of unique variations in stains. This,
however, is no real drawback or handicap, for
there has been too much of this in the past. The
trade can get more artistic results from staining
wood before it is used, with better finish.
THE TREMENDOUS RESOURCES
Of Comstock, Cheney & Co. Apparent in Size
of Plant and Equipment.
Visitors to the Comstock-Cheney plant at Ivory-
ton, Conn., have always been impressed with the
tremendous resources of this great supply organi-
zation. The huge factories cover many acres of
ground, and the hills surrounding the plant are
dotted with the snug homes of men who are em-
ployed in these factories producing piano actions,
keys and hammers.
It was many years ago when this business was
founded in a modest way, and it has grown stead-
ily year by year. Reliability of product has been
the cornerstone upon which this trade edifice has
been erected.
HOFFMAN BROTHERS CO.,
Established 1867.
Incorporated 1904.
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.
Specialties, Hardwood, Veneers, and
Lumber for Musical Instruments.
J. J. NARTZIK
Plain Sawed and Rotary Cut Veneers
1966 Maud Ave.,
CHICAGO, ILL.
Soft Poplar and Gum Cross-band-
ing. Hard Maple Pin Block Stock.
Bird's-eye or Plain Linings.
MAKES PIANO ACTION HARDWARE.
Something of the Standard Co., Whose Plant,
Is Located at Torrington, Conn.
One of the biggest manufacturing industries in
the State of Connecticut is the Standard Co., Tor-
rington, which, in addition to making bicycle parts,
marine engines and a number of other specialties,
is one of the largest makers of piano-action hard-
ware.
Action hardware means the making of countless
numbers of small pieces of hardware, practically
all of which being made automatically by methods
that give a production that is hardly credible to
one who is not familiar with the tremendous in-
crease in efficiency in the automatic manufacturing
field.
Naturally, with the equipment necessary for
turning out the goods outlined in the opening
paragraph of this article, it is evident that the
Standard Co. is duly qualified to make and mar-
ket in immense quantities the various parts that
comprise the classification of "piano-action hard-
ware," at the same time serving the interests of
the trade in an adherence of its quality policy.
These factors were instrumental in building the
business of the Standard Co., for it did not take
the trade very long to witness the progress of the
company; and, as an acknowledgment of the qual-
ity of goods, was reinforced by the signing of
yearly contracts for whatever supplies that its cus-
tomers required during certain periods.
THINKING MACHINE NEEDED.
Adding machines come cheap. Political phono-
graphs are not expensive. Neither is of much use
on a Federal reserve board. What is most needed
is a broad-gauge thinking machine, as nearly fool-
proof as possible. The Senate hasn't taken the
trouble to understand the situation.—Brooklyn
Eagle.
find that
Piano Manufacturers will
our supply of
toft yellow poplar for cross band-
ing Is unapproached in this country.
A large supply always on hand.
The Central Veneer Co., Huntington, W. Va.
SOSS INVISIBLE HINGES
"OUT OF, SIGHT
EVER IN MIND"
When you fail
i to see an un-
i sightly hinge
protruding you
know SOSS is
the answer.
Write to-day.
QflQQ
OUOO
George H. Harper Go,
Orange, N. J .
VENEERS
435 ATLANTIC AVE.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
Circassian Walnut, Oak, Walnut,
and Specializing; on Mahogany.
Capacity—5 Million Feet