Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-05-12
How Baskets are Made.

or similar productions from grass Shark,
and wood splints, antedated the prerarl
iion and weaving of iibres into cloths
Mats are used to this day in some of tht
South Sea Islands as articles of clOthing
Basket making appears to belong to tn,
| lower grade of minufact ures, and is fol
lowed by Indians. gipsys. and persons il
civilized communities who have never at
tanned to the employment of mechanical
aids of an advanced character. II is on,
of the industries which seem 10 belong tt
the ages when mechanical appliances wer,
of the simplest. But machinery. to eer,
tain extent, has supplemented the crude
hand-work of the past, and is now EN-
ployed TO advantage in the production o
baskets. Unless time was almost value.
less. it would otherwise be impossible to
produce fruit biskets, such as are used for
berries, at so low a cost as to add scarcely
more than fraction of one cent TO the
price of their contents rs retailcd.
Formerly, every process of producing
basket, from the separation of the splints
from the green log by beating with a
mallet. to the completion of the utensil
were done by hand. But now little is
left for the skill of the hand-worker exccp
the mere weaving of the splnts. Tho
limit of material has also been greatly en-
larged, the osier finding n rival in the
rattan of commerce., and several native
woods having been added 70 the o1k, elm,
and hickory rs materials. The core of
the rattan has been utilized, within a few
years to produce excellent work, resemb-
ling that of the o5ier or willow. The
outer or silicious portion of The rattan
forms the seats and backs of our cane "
chairs, and its natural lustre and surface
finish, with its extraordinary tenacity, have
not been equaled by any Artificial product,
But formerly the core was thrown aside
AS worthless, as it had lost its rigid and
springy quality, and was simply porous
stem, dull on the exterior and considered
weak and fragile in substance. Yet some
OF the most salable baskets in the market
are formed of the rattan core. 1t has II
decided advantage over the native or im
ported osier, in that it may be obtained in
greater length and more even diameters,
and is equally pliable in its entire length,
1t has no core, or pith, another advantage
OF considerable Importance. These rattan
cores are used in basket making either
whole ana round or spit.
For splInt baskets the whte,or gray oak
and the rock. or hickory elm, are most
employed, the splnts being shaved from %
bolt or plank of sufficient length to
produce the size of basket required, and
Of the proper width. In some establish
menls these bolts are separated into splints
by rolling. The ends of the bolts are
scored across the grain with V cuts and
then passed between rollers, when the
material splits on the lead of the cuts,
making the splints thick or thin, as the
scores are made near or further apart.
Barrel hoops are formed in this manner.
The theory probably is that the outer
layers, those nearest the upper and lower
rolls, are stretched or expanded by the
pressure and released from their fibrous
connection with the remaining substances.
This idea appears to receive support from
the fact that the upper and lower separate
spints tend 10 curve upward and down
ward, soon as released from the pressure
of the rolls.
But is some basket making concerns
separation of the splints by means of
actual splitting is preferred. In this case
the bolt or plank is secured by dogs just
as log is secured for saving into boards,
and is moved by sliding frame against
the edge of blade set at an angle in II
fixed frame, precisely rs the iron ofa plane
is set. The knife edge is set out TO the
required thickness, and the bolt is carried
forward by means of crank and pitman.
belt and fly wheel, and the splntis is shaved
off, following the grain of the wood, if
straight. land diagonally across ii, if
curved. OF course, knots and knurls, and
curvatures of the grain, and other imper-
fections. affect. more or less, the perfec-
ton and tenacity of the splint.
Unless the splints are very thick, they
are formed into the baskets in a dry state,
hut the bottom and top rims. being quite
thick, are either steamed in box or
soaked in tank of water before being
worked. All large baskets are made on
forms. These are merely shapes of boards
or planks of the size and form of the in
terror of the baskets to be made. For
convenience, these forms are suspended in
front of the workman by Il pivot, so they
will turn readily in any direction. All the
weaving is by hand, whatever the shape
or size of the basket to be made. When
covers aie made they are not usually
woven to exact size, but are made of larg-
er area than the top of the basket, placed
on it, marked with pencil, trimmed to
size with shears, and then reinforced on
the edge with rivcts, spints or hand-wind-
ing with flexible rattan.
Iron wire, timed and annealed, is large.
ly used in modern basket making. 1t is
employed in the form of staples or rivets,
the staples being wound in a Lathe on q
fiat iron bar, Us Il close coied spring
would be, and then cut apart by II rotary
cutter. The holes for the reception Of
staples and rivels are drilled in machine,
and the riveting or clinching is done in II
press.
Berry baskets arc made Of white
wood" the veneers of which they are
formed being peeled off IA cyln lrical bolt
as some veneers for cabinet work are pro-
duced. The open sides and solid bottom
are formed from one sheet of veneer by
dies in press. A press with dies all
forms the basket, the form being secured
by rivets. The process is exceedingly
rapid of'onsmcrce.