TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2817, 20 June 1900, Page 2

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

MR JOHN JACKSON’S NEW OFFICES, The handsome block of new offices for occupation by Mr John Jackson and his clerical staff, of the steam saw mills, and Mr K. G. Turner and his clerical staff, of the Belford mill, are now out of the hands of the builders, and a day or two should see the complete furnishing of the offices and their occupation for business purposes. The new offices are of brick, standing at tire corner of Stafford street south and North street, and from an architectural and business point of view are exceedingly neat and well finished. A detail that will no doubt bet soon attended to is the formation of a decent footpath on the north street frontage, with kerb and channel, which we conclude is a matter that the municipal authorities will see to. Entering the sawmill offices from the Stafford street frontage, a neat porch cuts off the main doors, and leads to the accountant’s and clerk’s office, a commodious room 20ft by 16ft. This is to be furnished with counter, screen, etc., and otherwise fully appointed. Next to it, with an entrance from the front, office andfrom the timber yard, is Mr Jackson’s private office, 12ft by 16ft, which is a very cosy room indeed. At the back of the clerk’s, office is a strong room, leading out from which is a handy hallway to the sawmill and yards adjoining. On the North street frontage are the Belford mill offices, the main entrance taking visitor or customer into the clerk’s room, which is 14ft by 20ft, and is already fully appointed with counter, desks, etc. These are very creditable specimens of workmanship. The entrance to the clerks’ office is cut off with a very handsome panelled swing door, , At the rear of this office is Air Turner’s room, which is qunte.as handsomely finished as are the other offices. One excellent feature of the whole suite of offices is the panelling, which presents a much finer appearance than if the rooms were finished in plaster work. This panelling has also given the painter a chance to show his taste and skiff, and hitting upon pleasing combinations, the result is excellent. In the sawmill offices, pala green and buff alternate on the walls, and the ceiling is coloured light green and buff, the heavy moulding which breaks ceiling a pd walls being tinted rose colour in combination with the other colours named. As the waffs are 12 feet 6 inches in the clear, the general effect at this good height is extremely pleasing. Mr Jackson’s room is coloured in pale red and mauve, a combination which is somewhat sombre, but withal very pleasing to the eye. In the flour mill clerk s room buff ana pale brown are the chief colours, while Mr Turner’s room is. of a light slate colour, with comice relieved in red. The new building being for a mill that turns out some of the finest finished woodwork in the district, it was only to be expected that the “ furniture ” would be of a tasteful kind. For instance, the mantelpiece in Air Jackson’s room is of choicely figured rimu, and is a most creditable piece of workmanship; again, the flour mill office fittings are of picked kauri, varnished in the clear, and they also look extremely well. The whole place is well lit and ventilated, and fitted tnrougniut with the electric light, the current being led by cables from the Belford miff dynamo. The facades of the offices are finished in plaster, caps, mouldings, etc., being neatly done, and the whole presenting a very fine appearance. Mr Jas. S. Turnbull was the architect, and is to be congratulated on his tasteful design, and Messrs B. Tooth and Clayton, workers in wood and brick respectively, have put in honest and sterling work. We may add that a large shed has been built on the eastern side of the new block, which is to be used as a store room for cement, etc.

Whilst at the mill we took advantage of the opportunity to have a look over some new machinery which Mr John Jackson has lately imported for his woodwork trade, and which is now running pretty well to perfection. The sawmill and its many appoitments has already been described in these columns; but as Mr. Jackson has to keep abreast of the times (machinery) and to be in a position to meet the calls of increased and expanding: trade, he has to keep on adding to his. machinery. And in this connection ha sees that what he does add is of the best, the latest improved, and the most effective. In the sawmill proper the latest addition is a sawmill bench made by McDou’all and Sons, Johnstone, Scotland■l his bench is specially designed for sawing deals, battens, or other work which comes under the comprehensive heading in mill language of “splitting.” The feed is continuous, and can be regulated either to put timber through on; the bevel or on the square. The bench frame is very strong and substantial, and is made in one piece, the saw being driven at such a rapid rate that very clean work is done. The feed cogs are driven by the main shaft, which has four rates for the various purposes of the bench. These varying rates allow of the saw being driven at the rate of from 15 to 60 feet per minute. In the mill is also an improved sweepstakes planer, matcher, and moulder, on a new design, which prevents all jar of the shaft, which is a • very important detail where smooth work is required. Tha machine can be quickly changed to a surface!' only, and will take in 14in. is adjustable for light or heavy work* will make rustic siding, beaded ceiling* etc., and turn out all patterns of mouldings from to 5 inches wide. It is a very heavy machine, and does splendid work. Ihe trio of new machines ig made up on the mill lioov proper, with the chain saw mortiser,” one of the specialties for woodwork as turned out by the tt cT. ■ Machine Company, of Conn., U.S.A. For hard wood, no matter of what, description, the mortise is made without any boring for a start, without any trouble, and. with great speed. The soul of the machine is a chain which runs over a sprocket wheel and feeder bar. This chain is an endless one, somewhat similar to a bicycle chain, but with the links; toothed on the outside. The links are arranged in succession, some with two outside teeth and a clearance space betwen, others with two intermediate spaces outside and between, others with a single central tooth. The chain is rotated with the sprocket wheel at the upper end, anil

is Wrought to a proper state of tension with a feeder bar. The operator places his work on a table, and has the mortiser in full view. The chain rotates with high velocity, from 1800 to 2300 feet per minute, and a complete or blind mortise can be made in any kind of wood, finished and ready for glueing. In fact, we were really surprised to see the very clean work the machine can turn out. The machine has three feeders, and as most of. the mill work —for door frames, etc. —is done in kauri, the middle feed is generally used, the whole being automatically and neatly done. There is a constant rush of small chips during the operation of the rapidly moving chain, and these are caught in a hood, from which opens the suction aperture of a small fan. This fan sucks the chips along to a small pipe, where they are expelled among other refuse. It is computed that one chain saw mortiser will, replace and do the work of three men, on the general principles of the old chisel and auger. In the upstair portion of the sawmill one new machine has been added to what was already a very complete plant. ■ It is _ called a singlemotion wood-cutting relisher,” for relishing lock and bottom rails of doors, etc., and cutting wedges at one operation. There are seven circular saws on two spindles, rotating on the flat, with two small saws rotating on the straight. Ihe nests of saws work on the flat and on the bevel (the latter to cut out the wedges), and the little saws cut-out the spaces between the tenons. The work moves along a sliding bed, and the operator can relish the rails and make the wedges for 1000 to 1200 doors in ten hours. This machine also turns out splendid work. Finallv, Mr Jackson has added to fiis extensive works a department where all sorts, shapes, and patterns of wood-bending are done. He imports his own hickory, bluegum, and other requisite timbers, and the expert in charge has now cot all'his plant in admirable order. • One great thing about having'such a department locally is that no matter how odd the pattern of say, a buggy shaft is, the expert can ' bend a mate for it, and so save time and expense in sending away to other towns, and then perchance not being able to get the article matched. The steam box _is roomv, and will take in all the requisite sizes‘of timber, make them as pliable almost as putty, and ready to take whatever form is required. .The machine for bending wheel rims, felloes, etc., is very'ingenious, and as all is run by steam quick work is done. With shafts for dog carts, daisy carts, etc., as many as three to four sweeps or bends are needed, and these are attained by the use of various kinds of clamps, moulds, etc. One great advantage is that selected hickory and other timbers can be used, and a customer can see for himself the class of article lib is getting. We were very glad to hear that there is a good demand for the local article, and that the bent wood trade is rapidly extending. Writing of this department, which is mainly related to the coach and carriage building trade, reminds us that Mr Jackson has also got a Robertson’s spoke lathe, which turns out spokes for all classes of vehicles. It is a complicated machine, and does capital work. The mill is now very complete in all details of machinery, yet a new joiner and sash machine is to be added. As a local industry it occupies a most important place, employing a large number of skilled and unskilled hands, and turns out a very large variety of woodwork, in the sawmilling, wood-turning, sash and door-mak-hig, wood-bending and other departments. The timber yards are very extensive, and vast racks ensure that pretty well all of the timbers get every chance of a thorough seasoning before being either sent out for builders’ purposes or worked up into sashes and doors. A visit to the mill discloses a veritable hive of industry and mechanical activity.