BUTTER BOXES

Southland Times, Issue 19895, 14 June 1926, Page 8

BUTTER BOXES

NEW CONTAINER PRODUCER. BEECH AND WHITE PINE USED. SUPERIORITY’ OVER SPRUCE. Considerable interest is being taken locally in the suitability of the butter boxes at present used in the export trade, and in view of this a Times representative waited on Mr. J. Collins, of the Timber Merchants Guild on Saturday last, and some interesting information was supplied. Mr. Collins stated that with a view to improving the butter boxes now being used in the export trade, the New Zealand Forest Service had made a series of tests and as the result of these had developed an attractive metal-strapped box fourteen times stronger than the present unstrapped box, and costing from id to a lid less. Further tests carried out indicated the superiority of cement coated nails over smooth wire nails and of beech and white pine boxes over the imported spruce packages, whether from North America or Scandinavia. The essential qualifications for an export butter package were: (1) That it should be strong enough to stand up under exceptional rough handling; (2> that it should be able to resist punctures from the corners or edges of other containers; (3) that it occupy the minimum of space; and (4) that it be difficult to open and reclose without special tools—a preventive of concealed pilfering. It was necessary to secure these qualifications without a burdensome cost. After giving some technical detail, Mr. Collins quoted Mr. W. C. Ward, of the Forest Product Branch of the Forest Service, as giving the following summary of his deduc(1 • The use of cement coated nails is essential if an economical and balanced package is to be designed. (A cement-coated nail is not a Portland cement-coated nail but a resin obtained by a secret formula.) (21 Adequate nailing is of the utmost importance in box construction. (3) Silver-beech ranks first, white-pine second, and spruce last in suitability for butter boxes when carrying qualities are con14 ) The one-piece-side box is markedly superior to the two-piece-side box. (5) Flat strapping or wire binding of unannealed metal is of great value as a reinforcement on all boxes. (6* Resistance to loss of contents increases with the number of straps used. Two straps applied in two directions gave better results than two straps applied parallel. (7) Decreasing the thickness of sides, ton. and bottom of white-pine boxes below 3/Bin. results in marked reductions in strength. (8j Wire bindings of annealed metal increase the resistance of a box to loss of contents, but are inferior to flat strap or wire binding of unannealed metal. (9) Sides less than 5/16in. in thickness puncture easily. The drying of thin boards by artificial heat should be carefully controlled to prevent brittleness. These facts were of importance to timber cutters and sawmillers as well as users of the boxes. The relative resistance to loss of contents between the three kinds of boxes in common use in New Zealand was also embodied in the tests, continued Mr. Collins, and the results can be borne out by practical experience. The white pine box resisted loss of contents more than five times better than the spnice box, and the beech box more than eight times better. The poor nail holding qualities of the spruce wood and its tendency to split easily were features which did not produce a box of first-class carrying contents.