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Show HOW SPOOLS ARE MADE. White birch is largely used in this manufacture, and extensive forests of this wood grow throughout the State of Maine, Canada and the Provinces, many spool factories are located in these sections in order that supplies of material may be easily procured. The wood after being delivered to the factories, is first sawed into pieces about four feet long, and from an inch to an inch and a half square, according to the size of the spool it is required to make. These pieces are put in a dry house and thoroughly dried, from whence they are taken to the factory and given to the 'roughers,' who in an incredibly short space of time bore a hole in the center a couple of inches deep, turn about the same space round, and then cut off the length required for a spool. The machines used for this purpose are revolving planers, in the center of which is a revolving gimlet or bit, and immediately to the right a small circular saw with a gauge set to the proper size of the spools. The 'roughers' receive a cent and a half per gross for their work, and experienced men can turn out from 100 to 130 gross per day. The round blocks pass from them to the 'finishers,' who place them in machines which give them the shape of spools and make them quite smooth. A man stands with his left hand on a small lever, and with the right places the blocks, one at a time in the lathe, then draws the lever toward him for an instant, and the work is done; the lever is pushed back and the spool drops into a box below, while the right hand is ready with another block. These blocks are handled at the rate of 25 to 30 per minute. The 'finishers' also receive a cent and a half per gross, and they can each turn out from 100 to 150 gross per day. The spools are then thrown loosely into a large cylinder, which revolved slowly so that the spools are polished by the constant rubbing upon each other for some time. On being taken out of the cylinder they are placed in a hopper with an opening at the bottom through which they pass down a slide for inspection. Here the inspector sits and watches closely to see that no imperfect spools are allowed to pass, and a very small knot or scratch is sufficient to condemn them. The spools then pass into the hands of the packers who handle them very lively. They are packed in large boxes made the proper size, so that the layers of spools exactly fit the box and no additional packing ????. These boys receive ???? rolling ????, and a smart boy who is accustomed to the work can pack about 200 gross per day. -- Bos. Com. Bul. |