The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-16
Artificial Wood Ornaments.

past, attended the production of EN-.
bossed wood torfurniture decoration and
ornamentatiOn. But wood, however
thin, does not lend itself to the die as
metals do, and the fiber on which it,
strength depends is more or less frael-
ured in the operation. For this and
other reasons it may not be superlluous
for us to describe an entirely different
process in which an artificial wood is
used.
The crude mass from which the ar
tlcleS are pressed consists chiefly of eel
lulose mixed with any sort of starch.
The ordinary commercial cellulose,
which is to be had in any quantity in the
form of paper, is softened in water and
thoroughly disintegrated. 1t is then put
in fine meshel sieve and the water
drained off 1t is then mixed with
about three parts (by weight) of dry
starch, made from wheat, rye, potatoes,
Indian corn, ETC., as well as two parts
of rye or wheat -four, or corn meal, or
any other flour that contains gluten, and
very intimately mixed.
The mixture of cellulose, starch and
flour is put in a suitable receptacle,
plJCS IHiNlG VI Iulu SlBeI lllGldl are tle
BEST and heated on a water bath for an
hour. The tubes are then taken out and
cooled to ordinary temperature. This
cooking has converted the mass into a
fibrous, tenacious, glutinous substance,
which is intimately mixed with an equal
quantity of sawdust Cor turnings.) The
stuff is then rolled out into sheets and
dried in the air or in warm stoves, when
they are ready to use.
The dies in which the mass is pressed
are of iron, steel, or red brass, which are
heated to 120 degrees G.. (248 degrees
Fahrenheit,) and subjected to pressure
of 700 kilos per square centimeter,
(nearly 1000 pounds per square inch).
The stuff then becomes gummy, and
fills out every corner of the mold fully.
The article is at once removed from the
mold while hot, and when cold very much
resembles wood, being both hard and
elastic, and in time gets as hard as bone.
These articles can be worked and treated
like wood; can be sawed, planned and filed;
dyed, polished, and glued.
Large articles can be veneered on the
outside with natural veneer in this way.
The mold is prepared and heated, and
then from one to four strips of thin We
neer, Which have been previously coated
on one side with glue or rosin and dried
again, are put in the mold, according to
its depth. This is covered with LAYER
of the dry and pulverized mass, from two
to twenty millmeters thick, according TO
the depth. Thin and flat articles, like
representations, buttons, rilievoS, etc,
can be finished by once pressing, where
by the veneer becomes so firmly attached
and united to the mass beneath, that it
cannot be removed without destroying
the article. In those having a high re-
lief, and such as are hollow, the article
is only partially formed by the first press
ing, after which the press is opened
again, and the reverse or cover, to which
it almost always adheres, is taken off.
If there are any spots not completely
covered with veneer, a new strip is laid
on after moistening the glue side. 1t is
then covered with one large piece of dry
veneer that covers the whole, and then
put back in the press and the full press
ure applied. On opening the press the
article is taken out of the hot form
finished.
or Wrapping after they are done, white
pipe clay is added to the dry mass, and
this also makes it more plastic, SO it fits
into the depresSiOns better.
The artificial wood can also be directly
veneered without using the pulverized
material described, by placing the veneer
that is glued on one side on the previ-
ously shaped or roughly pressed article,
and then pressing it with the full force.
Such articles are, however, more liable
to warp.
To the pulverized and dried wood stuff
there is added a small percentage of a
binding material like dextrine, or albu-
men, or roasted and ground blood, and
thus strong connection is formed be-
tween the veneer and the pulverized
wood mass, as well as between the latter
and the artificial wood beneath. A good.
dry, pulverulent mass for this purpose
is obtained by mixing from two to ten
liters of pure cellulose (paper), with six
to thirty literS of Sawdust, one to five
hters of dry deXtrine in powder, or blood,
albumen, rOsin, etc, one to five liters OF
Hour, and from one-eighth to two liters
of pipeclay To produce the color nee
essary for pressing it with the veneer,
small quantity of the dry color in fine
powder is mixed with the powdered ma
terial.
Instead of pressing with the use of
veneer as already described, !. e.. of put
ting the prepared veneer in the hot dye,
then putting the dry cellulose on it in
powder, and then pressing it so that the
real core of the article is of this mass, a
saving of the latter is effected by using
a large block of wood of proper shape,
or by pressing in chips and small waste
pieces of wood. This not only saves
good deal of material, but also gets rid
OF worthless bits of wood, and makes
them valuable, For making very heavy
articles, such as paper weights, pieces
OF metal could be pressed in as backing
instead of blocks of wood. Scientific
american