A NEW TIMBER-SEASONING PROCESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 26

A NEW TIMBER-SEASONING PROCESS.

Mr A. D. Hunter, of Melbourne, is at present in Dunedin to bring under the notice of those interested the Rieser process of seasoning timber, and is negotiating for tho sale of the patent rights. For the process, invented after much labour by Mr Rieser, it is claimed that all kinds of timber, including blue gum, stringy bark, or black pine can be made as amenable to the plane or chisel as Baltic or kauri. The timber becomes closer in tho grain, will work better in every way with tools, is lighter, and does not shrink, warp, or split. Mr Hunter has with him a beautifully carved panel in high relief, close in the grain, and without the slightest trace of inclination to crack or warp. It has all the appearance of very fine old oak, but without the distinctive grain peculiar to that species of tree. The timber is only Tasmanian blue gum, and engraved on a small tablet is a certificate by the carver, Mr William Howitt, of Melbourne, that he commenced to carve the elaborate design 11 days after the tree from which the board was taken was felled. He states that after carving several panels he is of opinion that for his purpose timber treated by the Rieser process for 15 days is as good as timber air-seasoned for 15 years. Among Mr Hunter's specimens are jarrah, messmate, stringy bark, American pine, poplar, cedar, and others, all showing very close grain, and through the hardest of which ho asserts nails can be driven, after the treatment, without risk of splitting. The timbers are said to be actually softer after being put through the Rieser process, and can be cut in any direction without tearing out the fibre. Mr Hunter explains that the process goes on the principle of extracting all the constituents of tho wood that make for decay, and that by their swelling or contraction under climatic changes cause cracks and warping. As showing this, he states that the white ants of Queensland will not touch timber seasoned by the Rieser process, simply because their food— i.e., the juices — is eliminated from the wood. As to warping and cracking he says that testboards have been placed for weeks half through the wall of a shed, have been reversed and thoroughly exposed to sun and rain, without showing the least sign of warping. The process, from this statement, appears to be one of an extraordinary nature. It is not, however, in house carpentry that this perfect seasoning will find its highest uses, but for cabinet work, organ, piano, and carriage building, wheelwrights' work, carvings, and even wood engravings. In these directions it will give value to timbers that are now cast aside as intractable. An example of this is a panel of messmate shown by Mr Hunter. This is a kind of stringy bark — one of the most intractable timbers grown in the colonies. This was carved by a machine, the centre being countersunk, with moulding cut round it, and a floral design in the panel. No objection can be taken to the work, the timber cutting in any direction under the tool and apparently working as well as mahogany. This same wood when an attempt was made to work it after seasoning in the usual manner, splintered and curled in all directions, and could not be made of any practical use. Among Mr Hunter's exhibits are some photographs of magnificent carved work on panels of kauri and red pine — the latter tho gem of the collection — not only by reason of the delicacy of the design, but for the high relief into whioh it is wrought, and such work would not be possible on red pine seasoned in the ordinary way. As instancing how the process lightens the timber, Mr Hunter states some kauri stacked iv Melbourne tor months was subjected to it, and lost 53ilb of 2cwt gross weight. Other tests showed that 2161b of green cedar was reduced to 1111b ; American redwood, from 1231b to 691b ; jarrah, 571b to 441b ; and blackwood, from 3881b to 305i1b. As regards the strength of timber subjected to the Rieser process, it is asserted that from tests with ,rail testing machines in Victoria and New South Wales, the bearing strength of the timber was in no way impaired. Mr Hunter states that certain kinds of wood treated by the process can be placed in water for days and will come out practically the same weight and measurement, which shows that it had been rendered all but impermeable. The cost per I.ooft of submitting the timber to the process is said not to be large. Mr Hunter contends that new markets would be opened up foe New Zealand timber, especially red pine, after being seasoned by the Rieser process.

The patent rights have been taken up in Australia and Tasmania, and works erected on an extensive scale for the treatment of the raw material in various cities in these colonies. The Australian railway commissioners and managers are interested in the process, seeing in it possibilities in carriage building of native woods. Mr Hunter is prepared to lay the whole matter before experts in the timber trade with a view to arranging for the purohase of the patent rights. Mr Rieser, should business eventuate, will come to the colony to arrange for the erection of the necessary works. Mr Hunter carries with him credentials from the Governments of the various Australian colonies.

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