NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON WOOD UTILIZATION R. P. LAMONT, Secretary of Commerce, chairman. R. Y. STUART, Forester, United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, vice chairman. AXEL H. OXHOLM, director. DUDLEY F. HOLTMAN, construction engineer. EDWARD EYRE HUNT, secretary. The National Committee on Wood Utilization, established by direction of President Coolidge, comprises over 150 members, representing manufacturers, distributors, and consumers of lumber and wood products. Its object is to work for closer utilization of our country's timber resources. The committee, whose headquarters are in the Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C., works in close cooperation with a number of official and private organizations, notably the Bureau of Standards of the Department of Commerce and the Forest Products Laboratory of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. SUBCOMMITTEE ON USES FOR SECONDHAND BOXES AND ODD PIECES OF LUMBER T. J. WILCOX, president and general manager, Linderman Box & Veneer Co., Eau Claire, Wis., chairman. C. H. EIFF, vice president, The Milwaukee Chair Co., Milwaukee, Wis. JOHN FOLEY, assistant purchasing agent, The Pennsylvania Railroad, Philadelphia, Pa. SIDNEY FROHMAN, president, The Hinde & Dauch Paper Co., Sandusky, Ohio. H. A. GARDNER, director, Institute of Paint and Varnish Research, Washington, D. C. L. KRAEMER, director, Trade Extension Committee, Chicago Retail Lumber Dealers' Association, Chicago, Ill. H. L. PEASE, secretary-manager, Plywood Box Manufacturers Association of America, Boston, Mass. F. P. PRETTYMAN, secretary-treasurer, J. F. Prettyman & Sons, Summerville, DON L. QUINN, president, The Don L. Quinn Co., Chicago, Ill. FOREWORD Between three and four billion feet of lumber is used every year in the construction of boxes and crates. Once they have served their original purpose they are usually thrown away or otherwise wasted. If it were possible to use this lumber for construction purposes, about 400,000 average-size frame houses could be erected-enough to shelter a population approximately four times that of the Nation's capital. Millions of feet of odd pieces of lumber are also being wasted, most of which could be applied to the making of useful articles. The National Committee on Wood Utilization is organized for the purpose of increasing a knowledge of the uses to which wood may be put, in order to stimulate reforestation activities. It has, therefore, prepared a series of booklets on the subject of uses for wooden-box material and odd pieces of lumber. The making of the simple devices illustrated in this book should give boys an elementary knowledge of the essential points of wood construction in its various applications, which will stand them in good stead later on in life. Such work will also develop a boy's selfreliance and practical sense. This series is sponsored by a special subcommittee whose members are interested in this waste elimination. The pamphlet has been prepared by H. Conrad Hoover, of the committee's staff, working under the direction of the subcommittee. The committee desires to express its appreciation of the valuable assistance given by the Boy Scouts of America, the Y. M. C. A., Junior Achievement (Inc.), Boys' Club Federation, and the Playground and Recreation Association of America. Grateful acknowledgment is also made of assistance rendered by the United States Patent Office, Office of Superintendent of Prisons of the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of the Department of Commerce, in the preparation of drawings. Valuable assistance was also received from Dr. H. A. Gardner, who prepared the text on decorating the finished article. The material in the book is based partly on original ideas and partly on information from both domestic and foreign sources. Credit has been given in each case to publishers and authors who have permitted the committee to use their ideas. The committee hopes that these booklets will be instrumental in teaching boys the proper use of wood and will induce them to make their own toys and equipment. The booklets will also be of interest to manual-training teachers and vocational directors. JUNE 1, 1929. AXEL H. OXHOLM, Director. YOU CAN MAKE IT GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS SOURCES OF MATERIAL Grocery, hardware, or department stores and most other commercial establishments have a constant supply of wooden boxes and crates which they are usually glad to dispose of at little or no cost. Also, in many lumberyards one may secure odd pieces of lumber at lower cost than regular yard items. Since the lumber needed is all less than 8 feet in length, no difficulty will be found in transporting it. In some cases it may be feasible for several boys to cart away the boxes by wagonloads, as storekeepers generally do not like to be bothered with the handing out of one or two boxes at a time. In other instances the material may be carried in the car or on the running board. TOOLS If one desires a fairly complete outfit of tools, the following list will serve as a guide: 1 claw hammer, 13-ounce. 1 two-foot folding rule. 1 bench plane, 12-inch. 1 ratchet brace, 8-inch sweep. 2 auger bits, % and 34 inch. 1 oilstone. 1 jackknife. PREPARING THE MATERIAL FOR USE Use of sandpaper and a plane will remove markings stenciled on the boxes as well as scratches and other defacing marks, or it may be desirable to remove marred boards and nail them back in place with the marred surfaces inside. If a nail puller is not available, the sides and bottoms of the boxes may easily be removed from the ends by hammering on a block of wood placed across the pieces to be removed as near the nailed sections as the inside of the box will permit. This will eliminate splitting of the pieces. The box sizes specified are suggested only to give some idea of the correct proportions of the article, and sizes that are slightly larger or smaller will serve the purpose as well. SIMPLE LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR BOX FURNITURE This construction consists of two strips nailed to the corners of the box as illustrated. One strip is wider than the other by the thickness of the material. The wide strips are nailed to the front and rear faces of the box with one edge overlapping the ends of the box by an amount equal to the thickness of the material. The narrow strips are nailed to the ends of the box with one side tight against the overlapping edge of the wide strips. This example is presented here because it applies to any article designed to have legs. DECORATING THE FINISHED ARTICLE It is probable that the majority of articles outlined in this pamphlet will be prepared from old packing boxes which are made of softwoods. After the article has been completed and is ready for decoration it should be finished with attractive colors. Since most of these articles will be for interior use, it is not necessary that linseed-oil paints be applied. The latter type of paint is used on dwellings and is usually the most durable on wooden surfaces. Such paints are rather slow Box End Leg Box Side Front or Rear FIGURE 1.-Simple leg construction for box furniture. (Courtesy Louise Brigham Box Furniture, The Century Co.) drying in character as compared to varnish paints and lacquers. The latter two materials are now widely used for interior-decoration purposes and would be entirely satisfactory for objects made from packing-box wood. Linseed-oil paints for exterior use usually require 12 to 14 hours to become sufficiently dry so that a second coat may be applied. For interior work, lacquer usually dries so that the surface may be recoated in a period of about 30 minutes, although a slightly longer time is usually preferred. Color varnishes of the 4-hour type and clear varnishes of the same type dry in approximately 4 hours, but it is desirable to allow them 6 hours before recoating. The time will depend upon the season of the year and the ventilation in the place where the work is done, Varnish stains are combinations of a varnish with a staining material, which stain and varnish the wood in one operation. Beautiful effects may be obtained with mahogany varnish stains. Two coats are usually sufficient over a primed surface. If there is no particular desire to have the object finished exceptionally well, varnish or lacquer products in clear or pigmented form may be applied in two or three coats without any priming of the surfaces. If any exceptionally smooth and highly finished surface is desired, the cracks in the object should be filled with putty or crack filler, which may be purchased from any paint store. The whole surface could then be given a priming coat of silica wood filler, which may be purchased in liquid form at a paint store. After the primer has been allowed a sufficient period of time to become thoroughly hard and dry, varnish stain, color lacquer, or color varnish may be applied in one or two coats to obtain the desired finish. If the woodwork has any large number of knots present it is often desirable to touch up the knots with a coat of shellac. After drying, the finishing coats of colored product may be applied. After the first coat of color varnish or lacquer has been applied and allowed to thoroughly dry, it may be lightly rubbed with fine sandpaper to remove any imperfections before applying the final coat. A much smoother surface is thus obtained. Aluminum paint is sometimes used for touching up knots if the finishing coats are to be of paint for exterior surfaces. Highly satisfactory results are obtained with this treatment. Lacquering or painting work should be done in a place where there is good ventilation and where there are no flames. The brushes used for lacquer should not be used for paint, varnish, or enamels. Lacquer brushes should be softened in lacquer solvent and kept well cleaned. Paint brushes should be washed in turpentine, thoroughly dried, and kept clean for the next operation. Since many different colors may be desired on the objects to be finished, it would probably be desirable to purchase the products in pint or quart cans. If the colors obtainable at a paint store are not exactly those desired, two colors may be mixed together to produce different shades or tints. 43543°-29-2 |