The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-02-09
LEAD PENCIL MAKING
TRIP TROUGH THE FABeR FACTORY
NEAR NUREMBERG.
Treatment of the Graphite and CIay-Sub
9ected to Intense Hest-The Work
men in Cedar-Final Stages
of Development.
Foreign Correspondence

IfOFelSn NOTTeSpOHuencSI
We first enter large basement room
containing two rows of huge watts placed
in descending series, like steps. One
row is devoted to the publication of the
graphite, the other to that of the clay,
and the process is the same for both sub
stances. The raw material is thrown into
the first vat and a quantity of water added;
the mixture is then thoroughly stirred and
afterwards allowed to settle, when the
valuable ingredients rise to the top.
or remain in succeeding strata, while
the earth and stones sink to the bottom.
A plug is then withdrawn about midway
in the vat and the thickly impreg
mated water falls into the second recepta
Gle, while the mass Of mud remains il
the first In this manner the materia
passes through water five times. when il
has become sufficiently pure to be poured
into bag of thick cloth, which is sub
Jected to a heavy press until the water Ii
drained away, and the lead or clay is lef
in a solid mass, when it is placed in irOr
pans and dried in furnace.
IN THE MILL.
After the lead and clay have been dried
and mixed in suitable proportions, water
is added, and the mass is put into mil
consisting of rows of separate stones, oc
cupying the whole length of a large
apartment, and connected with the steam
wall Under each mill stone is a tub tC
collect the mass which slowly escapes
from the tremendous pressure, and falls
in thick gray drops from the wooder
trough beneath the stone This process
is repeated ten or twelve times, when the
mass is again dried in the oven. After
wards it is laid upon fiat surface anC
hammered for a considerable time, then
shaped into cake aud sent to the second
hlnn1tn r
splrals OF different sizes corresponding tc
the aperture through which it is pressed.
These loIg spirais are collected and
handed to operators who sit before q ia
be and busy themselves IN Strengthening
the still neXIble cords by laying them into
boards grOoved to corresponding size.
The boards when filled are laid upon
shelves just below the ceiling where the
warm air of the room will have most
effect.
after day or two the leads are placed
in other hands to be cut to the length
required for pencils, and carefully as.
sorted the perfect specimens are then
laid in boxes and sent to another room,
where they are enclosed in larger boxes OF
iron Theoretically sealed and subjected tc
the intense heat OF furnace fire for five
hours, when the lead is sufficiently tenn
pered for writing purposes, and passes
into the care of the wOrkmen who fur
nish the wooden enclosure though il
must first bear the scrutiny of the faith
full proprietor. who personally makes
trial of specimen of the contents OF
each box before he allows it to go forth
under the stamp of his honest name.
WORKING IN CEDAR.
We may now leave the lead manufac.
tory and enter the long building appro.
priated to the workmen in cedar. AS we
ascend the stairs the air is heavy with the
spicy perfume, and great blocks and slabs
OF the pink and white wood, just as they
were hewn in their native American for
ests, are lying in the passage. On open
ing the door which leads into the first
work room we find ourselves in cloud
of dust and amidst heaps of soft shavings,
the work of the many fine saws which
are revolving so rapidly in their frames
as to appear stationery, while the hoarse
growl of the machinery below is ex,
changed for a sharp buzz, as though
gigantic bees and flies were endeavoring
to escape from spider webs as strong as a
ships cable.
Here we see the whole process of cutting
the wood for pencils One workman holds
the block under a saw which works with
frightful force, and prepares the slabs for
a more delicate machine, which saws them
to the proper thickness; another set of
tools, also worked by steam, gives the
requisite angles 10 each nall ol Cue 1ormj
another makes the groove for the lead.
The next room is furnished with tables,
around which the workmen sit. each per
forming a special task according TO a
sly tematized division of labor, and then
giving what he has finished to another
until it thus passes from hand to hand
through the successive stages of develop
ment One lays the lead into its groove,
another CLUES it over. third applies the
cover of wood and CLUES the halves
together. In the room devoted to the
final process-the polishing colOring.
gliding. stamping arranging, and pack
ing of the pencils-only women and girls
are employed
According to DR.. franklin.
Twill YOU give me them pennies now?"