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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
51
THE PIANO FINISHER TALKS ON FACTORY METHODS
Some of the Troubles Encountered in the Finishing Room Discussed by a Practical Superintendent
of a Large Piano Factory—How Various Difficulties May Be Overcome
On account of the many difficulties encoun- asking what kind of a core stock we used or
tered in the finishing room, it is the duty of what system we had for putting it through,
And when you're satisfied
those who too can take advantage of the oppor- some things that I thought should be important
that we've the best punch-
tunity the trade journals have given us to ex- facts for him to consider before figuring out his
press our opinions about our findings and dif- table of heat and humidity that I was to use in
ings on the market, cut
ferent methods of finishing, for the benefit of the varnish room, which he had already pre-
clean
and accurately from
those who do not get the chance to experiment pared.
the best of material in cellu-
It is my opinion that in order for a varnish
with these troubles, says G. Peterson, writing in
concern to supply you with a varnish that you
Veneers.
loid, cloth, felt, fibre,
Every superintendent of finishing thinks his can coat twice a day or even every twenty
leather, paper, rubber or
system is right for the purpose of turning out hours, and give you good drying results, it must
whatever you want, give
the best finish, and still they nearly all differ, tear down what it spent years to build up—a
either in one department or another, so if dif- grade of varnish that would stand up under
us credit and send your
ferent methods were placed before the public, ordinary conditions. I believe that the time will
orders to
when one comes in contact with trouble he come when you, who are finishing on wood, will
could weigh them out and try what some other agree with me when I say that in order to get
finisher has had success with. The days when better results by the hot-box system, and no
methods of finishing should be kept a secret trouble, that more attention will have to be paid
are past, and in this way it would not be long the drying of your lumber, for this is some-
until finish would be placed back where it be- thing that will cause you more unknown trouble
throughout your plant than any other neglected
longs, where it was years ago.
Most troubles of the finishing are the fault department.
T
A hot box should be built near or in your
of the manufacturer on account of rush work
and not enough stock; for instance, an order veneer room. After your core stock is glued up
NEW YORK
is received for some article on which the stock and ready to veneer, this stock should be put in
has been allowed to run low, and each man this box and let stand for forty-eight hours.
receives his orders to rush it through. When This is what I would call a tell-tale kiln; it if you who are coating quickly scrape down the
it goes through the filling room, the proper time insures that your core and glue joints are per- varnish, you will find that the wood is tacky.
No varnish was ever made that you could fool
for drying is cast aside, and it is put in the fectly dried out before the veneer is laid on.
Some say that cross-banding and veneering enough to hold up on a poor foundation, and
varnish room a day or two sooner than usual.
No preparations are made for this being a rush in one operation can be done as well as singly, unless you treat it as it should be treated and
job. The stain and filler used are the same as but I have never been able to figure out how the lay it on material that is first put in perfect
the regular stock, and you expect the material glue could dry out as fast between the core condition, you will never have good results.
to get itself in condition so you can get it stock and cross-banding as it can between the
WORKERS WANTED IN DUBUQUE
through quickly, just as if it knew you were cross-banding and the outer veneer, when laid
at the same time. Some of you may ask, "What Shortage of Men in Woodworking Lines Re-
in a hurry for it.
ported From That City
Next you put it in the varnish room, and in- has this to do with finishing?" If you trace
stead of giving it three coats of varnish, you back and find the real cause of the shrinkage
DUBUQUE, IA., October 9.—This city is fast be-
use two, only you use it a little heavier, and of varnish, you will plainly see that varnish
coming a leader in the woodworking industry
nine times out of ten it takes you longer and shrinkage is nothing else but the drying down
of the country, over five thousand men being
costs more than the regular way, and you of your core stock and the cross-banding, and
employed at present in the woodworking fac-
haven't as good a result. If you had added a no varnish will ever be made that will not shrink
tories here.
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender
little japan to your filler to hurry the drying or give way, placed upon a neglected piece of
Co.'s new talking machine factory has created
and cut your first and second coats of varnish core stock or veneering job.
a demand for expert workmen, and in addition
real thin and coated every other day instead of
After your veneering is done and this stock to this plant, there are three large sash and door
longer, and then added a heavy third coat, you has laid about ten days, it should be placed in mills, two coffin factories, two church furni-
would have had a much quicker and better job the hot box again, using your own judgment as ture and two household furniture factories, be-
and no trouble, for the main thing in finishing to the temperature, according to the strength of sides several planing mills and some large rail-
is to keep in mind: always get your foundations glue used, and left there long enough to satisfy road shops. There is at the present time a
in as good condition as possible, for without you that it is thoroughly dried down before be- decided shortage of labor in this sectio'n, and
that you will have nothing but trouble in the ing scraped or sanded, and if proper care is mill machine men, cabinet makers, finishers,
end.
taken of the temperature in your cabinet depart- stair builders and bench men can find ready em-
Some time ago the manufacturers thought the ment, it will stay in good condition until it ployment here. The problem of securing suf-
rush job was over and that at last they had reaches the filling room. A hot box should be ficient help has been taken up by the Iowa Em-
found the way to solve the problem of carrying placed in your filling room and your stain and ployment Agency, and workmen who are de-
a small stock by using the hot box. As for filler should be dried in it, but it should not be sirous of learning more concerning the favor-
getting it out quickly, they have, but for the coated under twenty-four hours after taking it able conditions existing here for steady em-
betterment of work it is a question, for I don't out of the box, as some of you do an hour after ployment at good wages are invited to com-
believe quickness and better can be classed to- you take it out. Then put on your first coat of municate with the agency, addressing it at Box
gether in finishing. The hot box as it stands varnish and put this in your hot box over night. 369, this city. No commission is charged by
to-day is to me a misrepresented proposition, After taking it out it should set at least seventy- the agency, the aim being to secure competent
and I believe that its use is as far away from two hours before coating again. After your workers to fill the vacancies at present exist-
its real intention as anything I know of, where box has dried the first coat of varnish it has ing in nearly all of the plants here.
finishing is done on wood. Now I should not done its work, built for you a perfect founda-
be misunderstood in this article, for I am not tion.
condemning the hot box, but I have my doubts
The next two coats, or whatever you use,
about its present use.
should be dried in a well-ventilated room with
I first started to figure out the hot box when an even temperature. The question in many of
BRANCH OFFICES:
a salesman called and told me I could coat your minds is, "Why dry the first coat and not
The Superior
every twenty-four hours and quicker if I wanted the other coats?" That is easily explained.
Points of
Chieag*
to, without asking me what grade of varnish we Coat a number of pieces; let them stand for
160 No. Fifth Are.
were using, whether a slow or a fast drier, never about four or six hours outside the hot box, and
you will find that your varnish has entirely set;
San Francitc*
then put those pieces in the hot box and watch
164 Hansiord Bldg.
Invisible
the drying, and you will find that most hot
Hinges
Lot AngeUt
boxes do not start drying where the air left off,
are Apparent
224 Cmtral BMf.
CINCINNATI, O.
( but soften up the coat and then start drying.
Some of the sizes shown Indi cite th<
variety of "SOSS" Hinges whiili *r
Importers and Manufacturers of Figured = After taking the work out of the box you find
Minneapolis
manufacture for use on pianos, pliver
pianos, talking machines and IIIUML
Mahogany and Foreign Woods for high- j j it is still a little tacky until it is cooled off.
3416 Second A T C . S O .
cabinets.
There
Is
a
particular
"SOSS"
Hinge
Now,
if
its
softens
up
the
varnish
after
it
is
set,
grade piano cases and cabinets.
p}
best suited for your requirements
what prevents the box softening up the first
Our illustrated catalog " S " «Hes
m
DttroH
Nmu> York Office and Sample Room H
complete and interesting Information
922 Dirid WUtMf
Write for a copy and for quotations on
coat when drying the second? Some will say,
/our particular requirements.
Building
"Isn't there a chemical change taking place
Grand Central Palace Bldg.
Son Manufacturing Company,
after the varnish is once dry?" There is to a
Lexington Ave. and 46th St.
435-443 Atlantic A r c , Brooklyn, N.Y.
G. H. VAUGHAN. Eastern Representative
certain extent, but not in the short time that
most of you are allowing between coats, and
C.F. G0EPEL*C0
137 E A S T I3 -£ ST.
The Ohio Veneer Co. j
rar,