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45
The Music Trade Review
APRIL 24, 1926
The Technical Department—(Continued from page 44)
Wrest Plank Construction Discussed
by the Western Technicians' Meeting
Organization to Preserve and Publish Stenographic Reports of Meetings in the Form of Trans-
actions—Association to Be Represented at the Annual June Convention
/CHICAGO, 111., April 17.—Among other im-
^portant matters brought to the attention of
the members of the Western Executive Com-
mittee of the National Piano Technicians Asso-
cfetion at the regular monthly meeting held at
the City Club of Chicago on Friday, April 16,
was a lengthy discussion on "Wrest Plank Con-
struction" which brought up many interesting
points that will be discussed at the next meet-
ing on May 21.
Before the subject of "Wrest Plank Con-
struction" was brought up, Wm. Braid White,
chairman of the meeting, made several im-
portant announcements, among others the mat-
ter of lumber in connection with the music
industry. A letter was received from Frank P.
Cartwright, engineer of the National Lumber
Manufacturers Association, who was invited to
attend the meeting, but as he was unable to do
this he made some concrete suggestions on this
problem. He stated in his letter, which Mr.
White read to the members, that the National
Lumber Manufacturers Association has under
consideration a rather extensive trade exten-
sion program which includes as corollaries the
better utilization of wood, the improvement of
lumber and forest products generally from the
viewpoint of the consumer, and the develop-
ment of new and specialized markets.
He further pointed out that one of the essen-
tial steps in bringing about such improvements
is an intelligent appreciation of the needs of the
consumer, and as he understands the piano man-
ufacturers are experiencing some difficulty in
securing the amounts and kinds of special woods
necessary for their purposes, he asked that the
National Piano Technicians Association pre-
pare and submit to his Association a state-
ment of its needs along the lines mentioned.
The statement should include requirements as
to species, grade and preparation of wood for
piano construction, of needed substitute species
for those no longer readily available, and any
other points regarding which it seems the lum-
ber association might be able to furnish infor-
mation.
T. A. Johansen, superintendent of the Cable
Company, then moved that a committee be ap-
pointed consisting of members of the Tech-
nicians Association to co-operate with the Na-
tional Lumber Manufacturers Association along
the lines outlined in the letter from the Asso-
ciation. This motion was unanimously adopted
and the chairman will appoint a committee of
three or four men to carry on the work.
It was then announced by the chairman that
he was asked by the Western Society of
Mechanical Engineers to invite the members of
the Association to a meeting of the Society
which will be held on April 19 at the Monadnock
Block and which will take up wood-working
problems from an engineering standpoint. The
principal feature of the evening will be an illus-
trated lecture on piano construction as an en-
gineering problem and the cross section of a
Steinway grand will be used for demonstration
purposes.
Other important announcements included the
meetings of the National Lumber Manufacturers
Association, which were held in Chicago at the
Congress Hotel on April 22 and 23. It was also
announced by the chairman that next month
two important meetings will be held in Wash-
ington by the National Committee on Wood
Utilization and that, as he had been invited to
attend the meetings as representative of the
music industries, he would represent the Na-
tional Piano Technicians Association and asked
for expressions from the members as to what he
could do for the Association or any subject per-
taining to the industry.
It was also decided to have several members
represent the Western interests of the Associa-
tion at the annual convention of the music
industries next June. The meeting was then
given over to the discussion of "Wrest Plank
Construction," led by an interesting paper pre-
pared by L. C. Hoskins, superintendent of the
Miessner Piano Co., in which he brought up six
important points on this subject as follows: The
resistance of the wood to the tuning pin; how
may this resistance be best secured; what type
of maple is best suited for wrest planks; what
is the proper moisture content; shall the wrest
plank be exposed or covered; and what glue
shall be used.
Mr. Hoskins explained tests that he had made
over a period of a year on these subjects. At
the conclusion of his paper Walter F. Hauschild,
of the Hobart M. Cable Co., submitted written
comments on this subject, while T. A. Johansen,
of the Cable Company, and other members
spoke impromptu. Eugene Flint, of the Henry
Wilhelm Co., discussed the question from the
standpoint of a glue manufacturer.
It was then agreed that the papers be read,
and the suggestions and comments made at each
meeting should be taken down stenographically
and a transcript of the entire proceedings be
prepared and sent to members, prospective
members, trade papers and all interested in
these subjects.
At the next pre-Convention meeting to be held
May 21 the wrest plank discussion will be re-
sumed where it left off at the last meeting. The
transactions, it is hoped, may later be published
for the benefit of the industry in permanent
form.
The following members were present: F. J.
Weiser, Wickham Piano Plate Co.; Ben Strub,
Standard Pneumatic Action Co.; C. L. Hoskins,
Miessner Piano Co.; Wm. Braid White, Music
Trade Review; Eugene Flint, H. G. Wilhelm
Co.; Chas. Plate, Standard Felt Co.; R. J. Horn,
H. G. Wilhelm Co.; J. F. Marshall, American
Felt Co.; T. A. Johansen, Cable Company, and
Chas. Deutschman, National Association of
Piano Tuners.
Reforestation Program
Described by Jardine
Secretary of Organization Speaks Before the
National American Wholesale Lumber Asso-
ciation
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., April 16.—Forest deple-
tion is causing a tremendous annual loss and
presents a problem the solution of which is of
vital interest to the American people, according
to Secretary of Agriculture W. M. Jardine, who
addressed the annual convention of the National
American Wholesale Lumber Association at
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the Ambassador Hotel in this city this evening.
With regard to reforestation, Secretary Jar-
dine urged growing of timber as a crop on
cut-over lands throughout the country and ac-
quisition of such lands and reforestation by the
States.
"The Government," he said, "has so far bought
2,690,000 acres of forest land, and during the
next ten years, according to present plans, hopes
to buy 500,000 acres in the Northeast, 3,000,000
acres in the Appalachian, 2,500,000 acres in the
South, and 2,500,000 acres in the Lake States.
The McNary-Woodruff bill now pending in
Congress will, if passed, make some such pro-
gram possible."
Secretary Jardine declared that in addition to
public forestry large-scale industrial forestry is
a "feasible and worth-while undertaking which
will furnish an attractive investment for Ameri-
can capital."
H. B. Coho, of New York, secretary of the
New York Lumber Trade Association, asserted
that the " 'woodman spare that tree' sentiment is
'bunk,' and is doing untold harm to the lumber
industry."
"We must cut trees or they will crowd us out
of the country," he said. "We have plenty of
lumber for our needs and should use it."
Fight Lumber Substitutes
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., April 17.—A million-dollar
advertising campaign to combat inroads made
by lumber substitutes into the lumber business
ivas planned at the annual convention of the
National American Wholesale Lumber Associ-
ation, at the Hotel Ambassador April 15-17.
The announcement was made here to-day by
W. W. Schupner, of New York city, secretary-
manager of the association. The advertising
proposal will be presented by Wilson Compton,
of Chicago, secretary of the body, who will also
present a plan for raising the necessary funds
for the work.
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