The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-03-04
LEAD PENCIL MAKING.
TRIP TROUGH THE FABsR FACTORY
NEAR NUREMBERG.
treatment "f the Graphite and CIay-sub
jeoted to Intense Heat-The Work
men in Cedar-FinaI Stages
of Development.
FOREIGN Corresnonasnrel

tA'iAVA%h NNNEtS tsehNenEe-i
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 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 aud stones sink TO the bottom
a plug Is then withdrawn about midway
In the vat, and the thickly impree
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 II
has become sufficiently pure to be poured
into bag of thick CLOTH which is sub
Jected to heavy press until the water
drained away, and the lead or clay is lief
In solid mass, when it is placed in iroI
pans and dried in a furnace
IN THE MILL.
After the lead and clay have been dried
end mixed in suitable proportions water
is added, and the mass is put into a mil
consisting of rows of separate stones oc
cupying the whole length of argI
apartment, and connected with the steam
engine by bands running along the uppe;
wall. Under each milestone is a tub te
collect the mass which slowly escapes
from the tremendous pressure. and fallI
in thick gray drops from the woodel
trough beneath the stone This process,
is repeated ten or twelve, times. when tn,
mass Is again dried in the oven. After
wards it is laid upon q fiat surface and
hammered for considerable time. then
shaped into cake and sent to the second
press, from beneath which it falls ia
splrals OF different sizes corresponding to
the aperture through which il - pressed.
These long spirais are collected and
handed to operators. who sit before a Ia.
bic and busy themselves in strengthening
the still flexible cords by laying them into
boards grOoved to a 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
il 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 to
the lnfense heat of furnace fire for five
hours. when the lead is sufficiently TEN.
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 a 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 mauufac.
tory aud enter the long building appro-
pTiated 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 6 Clcu6
of dust aud amidst heaps of SOFT shavings,
the work OF the many tine 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-We as strong as
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
more delicate machine, which saws them
to the proper thickness; another set OF
tools. also worked by steam, gives the
re- luls!te angles 10 each halr OF the Iormj
another makes the groove for the lead.
The next room is furnished with tables,
around which the worEmen sit. each per
forming a special task according to a
sy tematized division of labor, aud 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
ng of the pencils-only women and girls
are emplo, ed