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MESSRS FINDLAY AND MURDOCH'S ESTABLISHMENT.

At the corner of Cumberland and Stuart streets, where the disastrous firs last June destroyed the premises of Messrs Findlay and Co. (Limited), sawmillers, have been erected a substantial block of buildings, which are now occupied by the successors in business of that company. The partners in the new firm, which bears the title of Findlay and Murdoch, are Mr George Findlay (of the old firm) and Mr John Murdoch ] (who was until recently a sawmill owner on a large scale in Bouthland). The buildings, the greater portion of which have had to be rebuilt, cover, including the the mill, fully half an acre jf ground; but when the firm's yards are taken into account, their premises comprise an areaof over three acres. The buildings naturally divide themselves into three sections—the offices, the mill, and the factory. The two former are in one storey, but the factory is built m two storeys. The building is constructed of brick on concrete foundations, and oare has been exercised to make it as nearly fireproof as possible. The same principle may he said to be observed?in the erection of buildings Buitable for sawmilling purposes, and it would hardly serve any useful end to enter into a detailed description of Findlay and Murdoch's block j when it is said that the buildings cover half an acre and that 10 tons of iron were required to roof thorn sufficient is said to convey to the ordinary mind an idea of their extent. The contract for the buildings was fulfilled by Mr W. Mercer, and the machinery was set in position by the New Zealand Implement Company, who also made the engine This is a highpressure double cylinder engine with automatio cut-off valves. It is of 220-horse power, and the cylinders are 18in with a stroke of 22in. The engine is connected with the main shaft by a rope connection. The fly wheel is 10ft in diameter, and is grooved for six ropes. The main shaft runs under the flooring, the advantage of this being that room is economised and the danger of accidents minimised. It is 80ft long, and is cartied through a bnck-lincd pit, which is 6ft deopand lit wide. Connected with the main shaft is a cross shaft 32ft long, which drives an elevator to the boilers, by which the steam is raised. Through this elevator the accumulations of shavings and sawdust from the floor of the mill are conveyed to the bailer pit, and they are put to ÜBeful purpose in being consumed as fuel, in which respect they have entirely- superseded coals in the establishment. The boilers are three in number, and are of the high pressure, tubular type. In the yard behind the mill is a steam crane, which is capable of raising 10 tons, and is used for lifting logs from the stacks to the saws, and for lifting cut timber from the saws to the drying room. The logs are, however, led by trucks on rails to the vertical saws, of which there are three. The largest of these is known as the breaklng-dpwn vertical, and it is by this that, the first cut-is given—that is to Bay, that a heavy flitch of timber is first sawn by it. This is capable of cutting a log 6ft 6in deep by 6ft 4in wide. Near it is the seoond vertical, which is 36in wide and made by the eminent firm of M'Dowell and Sons, of Johnstone, near Glasgow. This machine will cut a log that is 3ft square, but it is capable of having as many as 50 saws fitted into it, so that it will, at a single operation, cat a piece of timber into SO boards, reducing them to a thickness of Jin, or even less. A breastplate circular saw, with self-feeding apparatus and capable of cutting to 18in, .is next noticed; and after it comes a tonguing, grooving, and , planing machine, by M'Dowell and Sons, which can dress 10,000 ft of timber per diem. M'Dowell and Sons are also the makers of the machine that comes next in order, this being an iron circular saw bench, which ia Belf-feeding, with a patent longitudinal and side feed.; Near it is another tonguing, grooving, and moulding machine, which is capable of executing as much work as the one already mentioned. -..,'■ Passing into the factory, attention is directed to a swing crosscut flaw, which performs the first operation ia the process of manufacture, cutting the timber to the required sise, according to the description of article that is to be made. The timber is then reduced to the requisite width by a circular saw. Near these instruments is

a band saw, the use of which is found- in cutting circular work, each as is necessary in the manufacture of naves and goods of that order, and a " buzz " machine, which is used for paring —taking the twist out of—and equaring np timber. A horizontal boring machine prepares the timber for the steam-morticing machine (which is said to be capable of doing as much work in a day as, without it, 20 men would do), and working in conjunction, as it were, with the latter is the tenoning machine. A door-mould-ing machine and groover is next pointed out, and after it comes a shaping machine for moulding, circular work, the saw in the latter being of small size, but running at a terrific rate as may be imagined when it is said of it that it performs 5000 revolutions -per minute. The machine that comes next in order is noticeable as being the only one of its kind in the colony—so.it: is claimed. It is a doorplaning and sand-papering machine, and takes in a door 3ft wide, and planes aud sand-papers it at one operation. By the use of this machine the firm are in a position to finish all the doors that they make, and do rso.without-having a plane put to them by hand. , Another sandpapering machine, which is olose by, puts a better "Bkin" on the doorthanthe other one does. This machine is worked by hand," and has an aotion very similar to that of the human arm. A hollow fan connected with this draws the Just a way from' the operator and throws it out at the roof. To complete the appliances in this department there are still some machines to arrive from America, and others are to be manufactured on the premises. "

The bending department, which is a distinct feature of the firm's business, comes next nnder notice. In this department rims, shafts, .and bent work of all kinds is prepared for coachbuilders and wheelwrights. The rims are turned in a machine used for bending the lengths of wood after they have been steamed in the steam box, which is of course connected with the factory boilers. There is also in this department machines for bending various descriptions of shafts, and for performing all necessary coachbuilders' work. Tbe spoke de-

partment constitutes in itself an important branch of tho industry carried on by the firm. Tbe logs in the rough are put in tbe spoke machine, which shapes them according to pattern, and turns ont about 150 per day. The spokes on coming from this machine are tenoned, and then go to a sandpapering machine, where they undergo two processes of sandpapering, from which they pass to another and finer sandpapering machine, which gives the finishing touches. A turning lathe in another portion of this department performs all sorts of turning work, and there is also a swing crosscut saw, i which cuts the timber to the desirad lengths, and crosscuts it for makiDg packing boxes. Alongside this swing saw is a steam lift for conveying the material to the bucket factory upstairs. Here also is a large collection of machinery of various kinds. Two drum saws are pointed out, one being employed for cutting staves for firkins and the other for cutting' staves for buckets and tubs. A circular saw, a lathe for making the tops and bottoms for firkins, a machine for hoop-cutting and punching, and a hoop-presser for tightening hoops to the level of the utensil which they are designed to bind are among the smaller of these, but a tub, bucket, and firkin lathe is a machine of large size, being 14ft long by 6ft wide.' This tapers the staves to the required width at the ends, cross-cuts them to the desired length, and turns the vessels outside and in. After the staves comes from the lathe they go to the lathe tonguing and grooving machine, whioh works with great velocity. Separated by a fireproof division from this room is another, which is to be used as a workshop, but which at present

contains a quantity of the surplus stock from the fire, aa well as two oramping stools—one for doors and the other for sashes—which are to be removed to the factory floor, it being the intention of the firm that all the machinery, with tbe exception of the cooperage plant, shall be on the ground floor.

Besides the building that has been erected on the sections at the corner of Cumberland and Stuart streets, the firm have a store in Castle street where they keep their furniture and ironmongery stock. A large stock of glass for manufacturing purposes and of builders' oils and paints is kepthere, but it is proposed to erect another building for their ironmongery store. Besides this building, is the firm's timber yard, where there are stocks of timber of, it might seem, all kinds—Hobart palings, posts and rails, piles, flooring andJliniDg timber, scantling, moulding, ceiling, spoke timber, &c. The firm are in constant receipt of supplies from the various markets, and the timber is brought into the yard by a private railway siding, which is carried up to Cumberland street, running along the back of the factory and mill. The timber stocks are not confined to those contained in the yard in Castle 6treet, but a large quantity of bluegum for bridge and other contracts is stacked on a section opposite the yard. At the Castle- street entrance to the factory premises are the stables, where the firm's dray horses are kept, for Findlay and Murdoch possess their own drays and horses. At the back of the new building also are further stacks of timber, including numbers of splendid flitches of kauri.

The factory ss a whole is, we are informed, able to turn out 120 to 150 doors and a like numI ber of sashes a day, besides their Bpecial lines, The firm arc to be complimented upon the enterprise they have exhibited, one result Of which is that where a few months ago there was nothing but a mass of charred ruins there now stand a substantial block of buildings, in which is carried on an industry giving present employment to 75 hands.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18910420.2.49

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 4

Word Count
1,824

MESSRS FINDLAY AND MURDOCH'S ESTABLISHMENT. Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 4

MESSRS FINDLAY AND MURDOCH'S ESTABLISHMENT. Otago Daily Times, Issue 9094, 20 April 1891, Page 4

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