Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-12
Use of Red Gum as Cabinet Wood
Grows as Properties Are Learned

in the export trade, though small
amount is used in the United States
for inside finishing. Practically IS per
cent of the clear heart gum lumber
cut in this country is exported for use
in England, France and Germany, for
the manufacture of furniture, inside
trimmings, newell posts and stair raul
ings. The commoner grades of red
gum are used in the United States for
cheap furniture, desks, the better
grades of boxes and a number of nov
elites. The poorest grade goes into
boxes, barrels, and other articles for
which short, narrow boards can be
used. The inner portion of the hearts
of the trees, which are of little value
for boards on account of shakes and
other defects, are usually sawed into
two by four to two by IL, and some
times six by six and six by eight inch
building ti:nbers. These timbers have
small values in the large markets, but
near the mills the local trade exhausts
the supply.
For the manufacture of slack barrels
red gum is one of the most important
| woods in the country, ranking second
| to elm, both as Stave and a heading
| wood Up to the year 1900. elm and &
| little cottonwood were used for this
purpose, but with the advance in price
of these woods substitute had to De
found. and red gum, owing to It's
cheapness, was experimental with an(
| found quite satisfactory
| Can Treat for Wrapping.
| The chief objection to red gum is it!
strong tendency to warp and twist
/ This can be entirely overcome b.
proper handling. Were the lumber O
high price this difficulty would hav'
been considered and overcome Ions
ago, and the wood used, but on accoun
of its abundance and cheapness. yer,
few operators have turned their atter
ton to solving the problem.
The preparation of red gum lumbe
for any purpose should begin when tn
tree is felled. To guard against stair
ing and warping. it is handled in niue
the same way as other woods, but wit
the important difference that the pile
are narrower, so that the air may eli
culate freely, and thus prevent ferme:
tation of the sap, and that the eros
sticks must be played close togethe
1t has also been found well to plac
heavy weights on the cars of red gui
when they are sent to the kiln. Ever
manufacturer of high grade furnitur
and trim knows. that to secure til
best possible results, the material mu;
be redried when 1t reaches the ia
tory. Some large users of red gum r
lpile the stock after it has been carrie
awhile, and bulk it down with GRO:
sticks every five or 'cix layers, so .
TO Straighten out whatever twist the
may be in the boards. This practical
;, assures the elimination of twisting al
: warping. 1t can be handled in tn
way to much better advantage ths
n where an effort is made to straightt
e it out by force, when cutting up Il
6 stock and preparing it for use; fo
: when the pressure is applied gradual
s there is no loss by reason of breakir
s or splitting. After having been dri'
r and tempered in the air and then I
i dried, it usually loses nearly all of
o warping tendency. The cost of han
e ling lumber in this manner is n
n great, and the good results secur'
e thereby more than pay for whatev
# outlay there may be.
II Reinforcement Effective.
II A plan, which many furniture ma
ufacturers have followed to good d
d vantage and employed where red gu
oak. mahogany. or other woods a
u used. Is to design the article in SUI
a manner that the wide pieces may
reinforced, and thus. prevent any wal
ing or other defects showing up.
stances have been known, where r
lgum boards Is inches wide have be-