Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-09-02
For the oxford Democrat
HoC To Make ShOreE Handles.

HoW To Make ShOrel Handles.
The business of manufacturing Shovel
Handles is carried ON so quietly in oul
State, that few are aware OF The vast pro
portions it has assumed.
Our State takes the first rank in the
Union rs a manufacturer Of shovel ham
dies. The principal manufacturing firms
and their products Tor The past year are as
follows First, Holman Johnston, oil
Waynt, who manufactured about 100. .000
dozen handles. Second, II. X. Butter
field, OF Nassalboro, about 10. 900 doz.
Third, Andrews e Waldron, about $4,000
dozen. These. together with various
quantities manufactured by smaller con-
cornS ESTIMATED at about %, 900 dozcn)
will make Il total production for tho year
oil lSI, 900 dozen. The demand for these
handles is steady, and the price is conse-
quently not subject 10 fluctuations. re.
naming almost stationary from year TO
year.
There are three grades OF handles
First. those which are perfectly free from
knots, of the best quality Of timber, and
properly finished. The two other grades
include all those which are imperfect from
any cause, and they are sold at heavy
discount. Averaging these grades, the
price paid the manufacturers is Sl.00 per
dozen. Thus the amount brought into
the State by this apparently Insignificant
business, during the past year was over
$4,000.
The method OF manufacturing these
handles and the machinery used in the bus.
mess is substantially the same throughout
the State.
Messrs Andrews & Wallron. the third
firm in the State. having opened branch
Of their business in our village, we have
been able, through tn Kindness of Mr..
WaIdrou. to gather these facts in relation
to the business. This firm owns factories
in Buckiield, Bridgton and Paris Hill. one
OF which is kept constantly in operation
The business IN, just been commenced
in Paris, but We are assured by Mr.. w
that everything has been so satisfactory
it will continue as one of our permanent
/ industries.
Only the best oi second. growth white
ash timber is used Tor the handles. Paris
ha, received credit Tor producing the best
timber for this purpose. The logs are
hauled to the mill. there TO be measured
and sawed into thirty inch lengths, called
"bolts.' Sometimes. however. the bolts
and cut in the woods. These bolts are
placed upon the table Cf the "slabbing
saw" aud sawed into one and lhree-qu
ter inch plaukS. This SAW i an ordinary
! board saw, with table SO arranged that
By mo, mg simple gearing the bolt is
set over just sufficiently To have a plank
OF the required thickness sawed from it
each time the gear is set. One beautiful
/ bolt sawed while We were in the mill, cut
thirty. seven handles.
The planks are taken from the slabbing
saw. and the form OF a handle is roughly
marked upon their surfaces by drawing
pencil rapidly around the outer edge OF
pattern. They are then passed 10 Il
small circular saw and trimmed as closely
to the marked pattern rs straight saw
will admit. These trimmed pieces are
called "blocks."
The next operation is turning. An.
drews L Waldron use n lathe OF the Bart
lett patent, and they consider it the best
| in use. The lathe consists OF the usual
centres Tor holding The blocks. and set
OF curved knives SO arranged As to form
the outline OF shovel handle. This cut
ting apparatus is moved by hand lever,
aud rs soon rs the block is firmly placed
! between the centres the knives are
brought against it. Great care is required
| in turning. for if the knives are brought
too suddenly in contact with the square
edges of the rapidly revolving block, they
would be shivered, OF the block would be
split 10 pieces. Alter the corners are
rounded, the knives are born with some
force against tho the block, and in an
instant the handle is turned. Mr.. Wal
dron thinks he has one OF the best and
swiftest turner's in the State. An average
days work is $50 dozen. while his turner,
Mr.. Maxim has passed 22j dozen through
the lathe, without working ut his utmost
speed.
The block now becomes or consists OF
two parts, the "head" and the "shank. "
The head is in a rough, incomplete state,
though the shank requires only to be
sand. papered before it is ready tor use.
Smoothing with sand-paper is done by the
blade manufacturers, SO far rs our arti-
sans are concerned. therefore, the shanl;
is complete when it leaves the lathe.
Next the head is placed in the boreing
machine. where two inch auger turned
by steam, bores hole through its surface
quickly, aud then the handle is passed to
The planer.
The planer is 4 cylinder arranged with
knives on both its heads, the duty of the
first of which is simply to plane the sur.
face of the head, and that of the second
is to shape the back of the head to that
peculiar rounding form which gives the
handle strength, and at the same time
cansns il 10 lie so easily in the hand. No