Presto

PRESTO
22
DRYING PIANO LUMBER
Experts' Report Tells About the Proper
Processes in the Preparation of the
Woods Used in Industry.
KILN-DRIER FUNCTIONS
The Importance of Circulation Told in Laboratory
Report from Muskegon, Wis.
The proper drying of the wood used in piano mak-
ing has an important effect on the results in the con-
struction of the instruments. The kiln-drying proc-
esses, for that reason, are of the keenest interest to
piano factory heads. The air circulation in dry kilns
is the subject of a technical note in the reports of the
Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis. In this
the following is said:
Circulation of the air in a dry kiln is a very impor-
tant factor in the artificial seasoning of wood. With-
out a controlled movement of the air it is impossible
to maintain the proper temperature and humidity uni-
form throughout a kiln. Evaporation of moisture
from the wood cools and humidifies the atmosphere
next to the wood. In order that drying may progress
it is continually necessary to replace this cooled,
moistened air with a fresh supply of warmer, dryer
air. This can be accomplished only by a good cir-
culation which will remove the moist, cool air from
the kiln or will return it to the lumber after it has
been warmed and dried.
In any kiln a certain amount of circulation is nat-
ural. The heating coils are continually heating the
air, and the evaporation of moisture from the wood
and heat losses through the building walls are con-
tinually cooling the air. The heated air rises. Some
of it escapes through cracks at the top of the kiln,
and the rest of it enters the lumber where it is cooled
as it picks up moisture. The cooled air drops and is
MAGOSY & BUSCHER
First Class
OVAL AND ROUND METAL
SPINNERS
Makers of high-grade hammered Cym-,
bals in Brass and German Silver, from 2
to 18 inches; Brass Mutes for Cornets,
Trombones, French Horns.
Our Hammered Cymbals are as Good as Turk-
ish Cymbals in Sound, and they don't cost as
much.
Drum Major Batons in Wood and Metal.
Makers of the BESTONE Banjo Reso-
nators
We Can Manufacture Any Specialty in
Our Line to Order.
232 Canal St. and 118 Walker St., NEW YORK
DEALERS AND TUNERS!
Big Cut in Prices Piano Key Repairing
Celluloid, Complete Tops, Set Keys
$7.00
Irorine (grained), Complete Tops, Set Keys 8.00
Composition, Complete Tops, Set Keys... 10.00
Sole manufacturers and distributors of H. P.
& O. K. Co. famous Ivory White Glue. Needs
no Heating. Applied Cold. Sent anywhere in
U. S. P. P. $1.00 can.
HARLEM PIANO & ORGAN KEY CO.
121-123 E. 126th St.
New York Citj\ N. Y.
recirculated over the heating coils until it is warm
enough to rise again.
If flues or vents for the escape of hot air from the
kiln and intakes for the entrance of cold air are pro-
vided, the natural circulation can be considerably in-
creased. The kiln, being warmer than the surround-
ing atmosphere, will act as a chimney, and the draft
that is created will speed up the movement of the
air inside the kiln. Circulation may be further in-
creased by the use of inspirators, aspirators, or steam
spray lines. A steam jet in the intake duct is a good
inspirator. Aspirators may be in the form of a coil
of steam pipe in the uptake flue. If the air is not
allowed to escape at all it will soon become saturated,
and no further drying will take place. The steam
spray lines can be replaced by condensers which will
serve to cool the air and at the same time remove
some of the moisture from it. The cooled air will
then naturally fall and pass to the heating coils as
fast as the hot air rises from the coils. This natural
system of recirculation does not depend upon chang-
ing the air in the kiln to remove the moisture evapor-
ated from the wood. Water sprays of the proper
temperature may be substituted for the condensers.
Water sprays permit a better control of the humidity
and may be directed to produce a higher circulation.
The modern blower kiln produces circulation by
mechanical means, usually by a centrifugal blower
of the ordinary type, but sometimes by disk fans.
The blower draws the air from the kiln through suit-
able return ducts and then discharges it again into the
kiln through inlet ducts. The air is passed over heat-
ing coils on the way and its humidity is increased,
if necessary, by means of a steam jet. Leakage is
usually sufficient to keep the humidity as low as de-
sired, but intakes may be provided for drawing a cer-
tain amount of fresh air into the system. This fresh
air is comparatively dry, and mixing it with the kiln
air displaces some of the moist air and reduces the
humidity of the whole.
The internal fan kiln makes use of one or more
rows of disk fans within the kiln itself, and thus
obviates the necessity of drawing the air from the kiln
and blowing it back again. This arrangement has the
advantage that the direction of the air circulation
may be reversed simply by reversing the direction
of rotation of the fans. This reversal of the circula-
tion increases the uniformity of drying in the kiln.
It is difficult to specify the amount of circulation
proper for different kinds of drying. For material
which has previously been air dried only a small
amount of circulation is necessary. For green mate-
rial, however, or for any drying in which high hu-
midities must be used, a rather rapid circulation is
required. There is a limit beyond which the rate of
circulation cannot be increased and maintained uni-
form throughout the kiln. A circulation rate of at
least 25 feet per minute through the lumber is recom-
mended by the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory for
difficult drying. In certain unusual cases, as in the
drying of Douglas fir common lumber, circulation
rates as high as 75 feet per minute are found de-
sirable.
COINOLAS
FOR
RESTAURANTS, CAFES and
AMUSEMENT CENTERS
Style C-2
FROM THE BIGGEST
ORCHESTRION
OPENS IN SHEBOYGAN, WIS.
Ed. Mahnke is proprietor of the Record Service
Shop which formally opened its new headquarters at
827 North Eighth street, Sheboygan, Wis., recently,
moving from its former location at 728 North Eighth
street. The shop has been redecorated and equipped
with seven demonstration rooms and the stock of
records has been doubled and a complete line of
Sonora phonographs has been installed.
MAKES VIOLIN BRIDGES.
The "Our Make" brand of violin bridges is manu-
factured by the Musicians' Supply Co., Chicago,
which has installed special machinery for the purpose
at the factory, 175 W. Washington street. The com-
pany, which was recently incorporated, also makes
violins, 'cellos and basses. The president and gen-
eral manager is Peter L. Stapinski, many years with
the Wurlitzer Co., Chicago.
CHICAGO FIRM INCORPORATES.
Among incorporations recorded this week is that
of the South Side Music Store, 3121 South State
street, Chicago, which will deal in piano rolls, rec-
ords and sheet music. The incorporators are: Ed-
ward Williams, Walter Lee Jackson and Stanley
Wilson. The concern will have a capital stock of
$10,000.
C. G. CONN, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.
C. D. GREENLEAF, P m .
J- E. BOYER, Sec'y
World's largest manufaofcur—s a* High Grade Band and Orchestra Instruments. Employs l,0t«
expert workmen.
All of the most celebrated Artists use and endorse Conn Instruments.
Famous Bandmasters and Orchestra Directors highly endorse and recommend the U H of the
Conn Instruments in their organisations.
Conn Instruments are noted for their ease of playing, light and reliable valve or key aotfon;
quick response, rich tonal quality, perfect intonation, tone carrying quality, artieticness of dmiffn,
beautiful finish and reliable construction.
i n t .
Conn Instruments are sent to aay point in tk - U. S. subject to ten or agencies will be found in all kurf* cities. Writ e for catalogues, prices, etc.
C. G. CONN, Ltd.
September 8, 1923
DEPT. MS.
ELKHART, IND.
Tiny Coinola
THE SMALLEST
KEYLESS
Manufactured by
The Operators Piano Co.
16 to 22 South Peoria St.
CHICAGO
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/