The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-03-10

a BUSINESS ABOUT WHICH MOST
PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE.

The Process of Manufacture is Not
So Simple as Might BE Imagined
From the Low Price of the Finish
ed PrOduct--Hoyv They Are Made.
Among the little things seen in daily
life about which most people know
very little is the common, ordinary
clay pipe. In almost every cigar shop
window, in the mouth of every third
labOrer met and even in the nursery
this snow white little instrument of
comfort and amusement may be seen,
yet few know, for instance, that most
Of the clay pipes sold in this city Of
domestic make are manufactured in
New Jersey. Woodbridge is the name
of the queer little town given over to
this odd manufacture, and a trip
through one of the factories of that
settlement, to follow the pipe from the
time it is dug as clay to the time it
appears ready for the market, is inter
esting.
Looking at the chunks and Jumps Of
clay as they are transported from the
banks to the factories, one would
hardly believe that the snowy, cheap
little article could have been manufac-
tured from material so different in
color. The color of this clay before it
is burned is dark gray, like cement;
nor is the process of manufacturing
one of these pipes as simple as might
be imagined from the absurdly low
price. AS the clay comes into the fac
tory it is divided finely and put to
soak in water for ten to twelve hours.
This soaking is to divide the clay to
it's smallest possible particles so that
in the ensuing process it will not cake
or lump and will work smoothly and
evenly. This attained, the clay is put
into pug" mill, where it is stirred
by machinery until it gets sitter and
sitter, finally becoming as stiff as
dough. In this state the clay is rough
~ nodded into Jumps and distributed
among the pipemakers, who begin the
first step in the life of the humble ere
alton.
Grasping q small chunk of clay in
each hand, the artist begins work to
time. Rolling the clay between table
and his palms, he quickly produces
two carrot shaped and pointed rolls
that bear little or no resemblance to
the article when it shall be finished.
With incredible speed the faShioning
OF these rolls continues, for ahead Of
the expert is the problem of manufac-
turing something like seventy-five
gross Of pipes within the week. Then
the rolls are put away to dry some
what, and for ten or twelve hours they
stiffen SO that once shaped they will
not fall readily to pieces. After that
the clay is ready for molding.
The ordinary mold consists Of two
pieces Of iron hinged on the side and
opening like a sewing box. Most of the
little factories have numerous molds,
from the common, unadOrned sort that
comes in two pieces and is intended
for the ordinary plain pipe to all sorts
of elaborate patterns that come in six
or eight pieces and are made of brass
and intended to fashion pipes in imi-
tatiOn of wooden models that happen
to be in vogue. The pipemaker grasps
one of the shapeless rolls, tits the fat
end upward, which at once gives the
suggestion of pipe, and runs wire
through the pointed end, out Of which
the stem is to be pressed.
This roughly fashioned clay is then
put into the mold, which is damned
shut, while at the same time plunger
is pressed to enter the mold and to
press out the clay SO as to form the
bowl. With a dull knife the clay
pressed out at the side of the mold is
shaved off with a single lightning
stroke by the expert, and then once
more there must be drying process, |
this time in a room heated to about S5 |
degrees, where, as before, the pipe is
kept for twelve hours. Except that the |
pipe is of it's original gray color and |
soft and supplied with the "burs'' |
where the nodded ends are joined, it is
now practically finished.
Then comes the process of shaving
off the burs At this stage the pipe |
still retains considerable dampness. so
that the clay may be cut smoothly,
while at the same time wire is again
drawn through the stem, so as to in
sure proper draft All is now ready
for the pipe in it's final state except
that it needs to be burned. For this
purpose it is put into cylindrical YES
sci twelve inches high and as much in
diameter. This is known as a ''sag-
ger" Set one against the other. the
pipes are adjusted solidly in the sag
ger, which will hold something like a
gross Of pipes properly packed. If
the pipes consist of the more fancy de-
signs-that is, merely pipe bowls that
ire to be provided with mouthpieces
IF wood or rubber-the saggers will
1old as many as two gross Of pipes
Nine of these saggers filled with pipes
ire known as a stand, and a medium
sized kiln will hold twenty one stands
ind will burn them all at the same
lime. For five hours the heat in the
Kiln is kept at a moderate temporal
ure. After that it is allowed to run
lp until at the end of twelve or four
cen hours it is driven to a white heat,