Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-18


How They Are Shaped, strung and Cafvoi
In ARsr1eaa KActeries-
An hours ride over the Old Colony
road and a brisk drive over a country
oadway brought the writer to the rae
quet factory. It was busy place
where about thirty hands were en-
ployed in different stages of the work
The visitors were shown the method
of making the racquets. Lengths of
second growth. selected ash about 81
feet long, after being delivered at the
factory, are first sawed into strips
about 1xa inch. These are then al
lowed to season for few mouths, after
which they are planned down to ext
inch. The strips are then steamed for
an hour and then bent into the desired
shape on forms especially made for
this purpose. While firmly held
thereon they are placed in the drying
room for twenty-four hours Being
removed, the next process is the put
ting in of the triangular throat piece
and long bit of wedge-shaped pine to
form the handle. By the aid of best
quality glue and couple of brass
screws these pieces are securely held
in position a peculiar feature of this
business is that the frame strips have
to be sawed with the grain just as they
would naturally split; and although
the utmost care is observed in the Sc
lection of stock. yet it is a fact that
only one-quarter of that picked out is
used. The frames are now ready to
he, r,lonad 1oWn on q h,I7z nlSnor fn rrof
the twist out of them; or, in other
words, to get them perfectly true.
Next the Spanish cedar handles are at
tached. glue again forming the adj
hesive agent. By beveling the edges
a proper size is given these
handles, which average say
14x1s inches. and a bet
ter grip is assured. Now numerous
holes are bored through the frame to
hold the gut in place. and ON the top
edge these are counter sunk to save
the strings from possible contact with
the ground when in use. To enable
the wood to take a high polish the
grain is next filed and seven coats of
best shellac are applied. after which
the racquet is rubbed down with pun
ice: The final polish is done by hand.
a French polish being used on all the
finer grades.
The next step is one of the most i'm
portant in the construction Of the
racquet. It is the stringing, and in
this two twenty-foot pieces of gut are
used. One is run lengthways. and the
other at right angles to the first
This second string, by the way. is run
cover and UNDER the first. and by so
doing the mesh is formed. 1t is very
essential that the stringing should be
as tight as possible. In the factory Wis.,
tied the skilled workman could perform
this part of the work on twenty ordi-
nary racquets daily. But the stringing
of six pieces of American Tate is con-
sidered a days To remove the
little rough ends y -le strings an alco-
hol flame is employed. and then the
strings are oiled and shellacked. This
treatment adds materially to the gen.
era1 finished appearance, and also
serves as protection from weather
changes. The strings come in two
colors, red and white, and are used as
may be desired. By slightly roughen-
ing the cedar handles a firmer grip is
obtainable to the player. Last. a
small wooden or leather knot is affixed
to the end of the handle to prevent
slipping, and the racquet is ready TO,
shipping. Boston Herald.