The Dickinson press., 1888-11-10
MAKING BERRY BOXES.
INTERESTING DETAILS OF A cA!i-
FoRNlA COAST INDUSTRY.

Cutting u Big Log Into ~ Single shaving.
The Great Eiadc at It's Work-ForminS
the Angles of the isox-1iaking tho BOT
tn,n-Thc Last Step.
The thin sheets of wood which form the |
sides and bottom OF n berry box arc nothing
moro nor less than small pieces cut from Il
great pine, fir or whitewood shaving. and |
bent and fastened together III the shape of q |
box. These shavings, of course, are not like
those whicl, fall in graceful curlS from the
carpenters plane, but are great long sheets,
in each of which is almost the entire wood of
Il hi, log. and from Il single shaving is fire.
Gllcntlv made from 1000 to 1000 berry boxes.
The logs, which are brought down from
the northern coast, are unloaded i'll the waters
of the hay and tioated into the boom clcsc TO
the shore, where the factory is located. From
there they are hauled UP on Il tramway rum
ming down into the water. so that tho logs
c;,n be tloate,l upon the car. When brought
up, the logs are cut 10y Il drag saw into uni
form lengths as desired. These sections OF
the log are then placed i'll large steam box,
of which there are several convenient to the
machinery, and left for twelve hours, sub
jected to the effects of the exhaust steam
from The engine. This so1trEs tho wool SO
tlla, it can be cut into the thin sheets desired
without checking or splitting int" fragments.
y section of II great log. three feet in Gi:,-
meter, was rolled out from the steam box by
two men. and, after the center had been
lnari.o,l ;it both el,s, Was l!oistod hya small
derrick and swung overa machine the prin-
clpal feature OF which was II long bcvc
edged knife, firmly set ina strong iron frame,
in Very much tho same manner as the blade
ii II carpenters plane is set. Indeed, the
eating portion of tins machine Is IL great
I."ustcr shaving plane, with the edge of the
blade fixed upwards The log WAS next low
cred lay the derrick Ia its proper position,
tl:" operator of the machine pulled n lever,
and two great clamps, with strong, sharp
pointed jaws tvs" inches long, advanced and
lg!-hcl their iron teeth into the marked cen
,crS at each end of the log. The great
wooden cylinder WAS now held firmly in
front of the blalo of th" immense shaving
plane and when the operator pulled another
lever, the log commenced to revolve towards
tn. cutting edge, exactly like the strip of
wood in Il turner lathe revolvcs toward, the
cnsel Another pull hv the operator, and
the frame holding the great blade began 10
L,ilf. came in contact with the steamnss
wood, the outer edge, We're peeled of in Thin
strips without II sound of cutting, and ihn
broad sheets rolled uul under the blade us
oa-iiy and noiscles,ly Us would IL slice "i
cheese under II sharp knife.
After tho water soaked outer portions ci
the log had been trimmed off in this man.
ner, The operator adjusted, on tho sile Of tlA'
log opposite To the cutting knife, II numlc'
of small chiscl like Instruments at tho end o
each of which was a small, sharp cutting
edge pressing against the log. These LITTLE
cutters are placed nj various distances, care
fully measured by the operator, and evident y
formed an important feature Of tho opera
ton. When the log again began its revolu
tlons against the blade of tho great shaving
machine, there came out from under tn,
knife II long, wide. thin strip of wood whicl
the men pulled out and rolled and folded NJ
like wall paper.
An examination Of this great white, steam
ing shaving showed that its entire lenl tn wa
married 10y parallel lines cut partially through
tho wood, made by the little cutters at th
lack of tho log. The purpose Of these line
vas Il mystery until the operator carcessl.
broke off an end OF tho great shaving, mai;
!n.s q strip two or three inches wide, an
quickly bent it into the form Of II berry no:
complete, excepting tho bottom. The point
of bending were the parallel lines cut in th
wood, which made the operation of shapin!
,!o box nothing but simple mechanic;,
movement.
The wood bent readily at the partial Gu,
and formed the angles Of the box. Maxim
tho bottom, Of course, consisted i'll cxactl
the same operation, except that the strip us,:
for this portion was not so long, having onl
Two cuts and three scgmcnts. The middl
segment formed, Of course, the bottom Of til
box, and the two at the end extended upwar
inside the frame formed by the longer strip.
e All but the small core Of the log l.; turnc
III into this long shaving, onc-twentieth {
) an inch in thickness and nearly 1000 fee
long, which is folded and broken into COZ
s Hcneut lengths for handling as fast rs
Y comes from the knife.
Tic machinery which thus in u lcw ili,
{ utts converts II rough log into u long parc
Il like sheet Of wood is called !; rotary venc'
e machine, and in The factory are several
> ti!ciu Of vario', sizeS the largest Of the
!, being adapted to the shaving Of logs ten fe
{, eight inches in length. This, by the way,
II the largest rotary veneer machine in o;lcr
IS tion in the United States. The thin sheets
"tCI us laSl US LiieJ arc ltiien lIoiIi ti!c III
g cinc, arc placed upon long table alear
q hand, and pushed under u knife operated J
y steam power, which cuts tho wood into ma
9 row strips, lcngthwisc, and Of tho prop
o width for tho sides and bottom of u berl
= box. The knife which cuts the long shaving
!, crosswise Of course cuts len2th"ise of Il
y grain. The narrow strips, as fast Us they
&c cut, are taken away 10y boys and carried {
g am elevator to the second floor Of the bull
ina. wiiere number Of boys and girls ia
70 idly bind them into box form. The last ST.
+ in ihc manufacture, which is done by gin.
&c is the fastening Of tho bottom and side stri
q together. This j., done BY peculiar lookil
a machine called "A staplcr, but which mig
y very properly he called a wire sewing m
u c,!inc.-San Diego Cali Union.