Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Testing And Strength Of Railway Materials, &C.
allowance for waste should always be made ; Avhenever it runs about 12 " square it is almost sure to open shaky at the heart . "As to size for general use , as a rule Riga runs rather small , not over 13 "; Memel , as an average , 13 to 13- | - ; but if joists or girders are required to hold 14 " deep Avhen slabbed , there is nothing to be had but Dantzic . In the course of one season I had to provide about 200 loads of this scantling for a special purpose , and it was all that there
was in the market ; so that in more than one instance I Avas applied to by Builders to see if I could spare them a feAV sticks . It is possible by special arrangements Avith the merchants abroad to obtain a shipment of rather larger timber , but the limit mentioned above gives the general run of the market for ordinary purposes . " Swede is apt to run rather irregular in size . I have seen a feAV sticks as large as 16 "; but this almost invariably opens shaky . The best size to buy Swede is 12 " cloAvn to 11 and 10 * '
" Some very superior small Memel is to be bought tor purposes to AVUICU it is adapted about 9 " square ; it is equal in quality to the very best , but is to be had considerably cheaper on account of size . " For light shoring and smaE scantlings Avhere no weight is to be carried , such as ceiling joists , & c , it is often advantageous to use Die Square . It comes over from 4 to 8 " square , any length , is about half the price of full-sized timber , sometimes less , and the sawing is saved .
" In buying timber in the Avater one or tAvo points are Avorth attention . " Never buy timber that floats too IOAV in the water , as in that case it is either sappy or shaky , and always look at the ends Avith an especial vievr to soundness . " There is very often a little shaky appearance , Avhich is of no consequence . But if there is anything like a shake running through the heart of the pieces , I reject it at onceas I know that it AVEI open shaky .
, " The peculiar green shade that denotes sap is recognised at a glance . And I AVEI give another p iece of advice . If doubtful as to buying a lot of timber , go and look at it on a wet day , as the rain has the effect of shoAving up the defects if there are any . " Do not be too much afraid of knots if they are not large or dead . Some descriptions of timber that look rather coarse , open sound and clean equal to the best .
" Pine ' red , ' Avhich is good and fit for anything , and yellow , which is rarely to be trusted , have both at intervals been used in the London Market , but the prices of both lately have been such as to exclude them for timber purposes . " Oak is generally specified to be ' English Oak ' , but a great deal of foreign oak is used ; Stettin , Memel , aud other ports furnishing a capital article , strai ghter in grain than Englishand rather easier to work—in endurance quite equal for all practical
, purposes—and when converted as good as English iu all respects ; in fact better , as it is not so apt to cast ; the twisting up of sills , aud other failures resulting from the use of strong groAvn Aviry native stuff , being entirely avoided by the introduction of 'Baltic Oak . '
" As far as timber goes this pretty nearly exhausts the materials in most general use ; for exceptional purposes other woods are employed . "Teak for Railway carriages and the treads of warehouse staircases is about the most durable material we have ; it has also been used for manger rolls ; but the desperate labour of working it keeps it out of use for all but the most exceptional purposes . "Mm , for vice benches , bench tops and coffins , may just be mentioned ; and then , as
far as timber is concerned , there is not much more to be said . " Some wood was imported into this country from CaEfornia as an experiment a few years ago , in the shape of whole timber deals , battens , and planks . "The whole timber was simply magnificent—4 ft . square in the butt , 60 ft . long , with scarcel y a knot—aud the other articles equal in quality . " The rate of freighthoAVeverAvas prohibitiveand after the first importation we had
, , , no more . It had this peculiarity in working ; with the grain , it worked as easily as ordinary Memel fir ; across grain , it Avas as hard as wainscot . "It made splendid joiners' Avork , and Avould be , I imagine , unapproachable for ship masts ; but its importers lost money , and there is no supply .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Testing And Strength Of Railway Materials, &C.
allowance for waste should always be made ; Avhenever it runs about 12 " square it is almost sure to open shaky at the heart . "As to size for general use , as a rule Riga runs rather small , not over 13 "; Memel , as an average , 13 to 13- | - ; but if joists or girders are required to hold 14 " deep Avhen slabbed , there is nothing to be had but Dantzic . In the course of one season I had to provide about 200 loads of this scantling for a special purpose , and it was all that there
was in the market ; so that in more than one instance I Avas applied to by Builders to see if I could spare them a feAV sticks . It is possible by special arrangements Avith the merchants abroad to obtain a shipment of rather larger timber , but the limit mentioned above gives the general run of the market for ordinary purposes . " Swede is apt to run rather irregular in size . I have seen a feAV sticks as large as 16 "; but this almost invariably opens shaky . The best size to buy Swede is 12 " cloAvn to 11 and 10 * '
" Some very superior small Memel is to be bought tor purposes to AVUICU it is adapted about 9 " square ; it is equal in quality to the very best , but is to be had considerably cheaper on account of size . " For light shoring and smaE scantlings Avhere no weight is to be carried , such as ceiling joists , & c , it is often advantageous to use Die Square . It comes over from 4 to 8 " square , any length , is about half the price of full-sized timber , sometimes less , and the sawing is saved .
" In buying timber in the Avater one or tAvo points are Avorth attention . " Never buy timber that floats too IOAV in the water , as in that case it is either sappy or shaky , and always look at the ends Avith an especial vievr to soundness . " There is very often a little shaky appearance , Avhich is of no consequence . But if there is anything like a shake running through the heart of the pieces , I reject it at onceas I know that it AVEI open shaky .
, " The peculiar green shade that denotes sap is recognised at a glance . And I AVEI give another p iece of advice . If doubtful as to buying a lot of timber , go and look at it on a wet day , as the rain has the effect of shoAving up the defects if there are any . " Do not be too much afraid of knots if they are not large or dead . Some descriptions of timber that look rather coarse , open sound and clean equal to the best .
" Pine ' red , ' Avhich is good and fit for anything , and yellow , which is rarely to be trusted , have both at intervals been used in the London Market , but the prices of both lately have been such as to exclude them for timber purposes . " Oak is generally specified to be ' English Oak ' , but a great deal of foreign oak is used ; Stettin , Memel , aud other ports furnishing a capital article , strai ghter in grain than Englishand rather easier to work—in endurance quite equal for all practical
, purposes—and when converted as good as English iu all respects ; in fact better , as it is not so apt to cast ; the twisting up of sills , aud other failures resulting from the use of strong groAvn Aviry native stuff , being entirely avoided by the introduction of 'Baltic Oak . '
" As far as timber goes this pretty nearly exhausts the materials in most general use ; for exceptional purposes other woods are employed . "Teak for Railway carriages and the treads of warehouse staircases is about the most durable material we have ; it has also been used for manger rolls ; but the desperate labour of working it keeps it out of use for all but the most exceptional purposes . "Mm , for vice benches , bench tops and coffins , may just be mentioned ; and then , as
far as timber is concerned , there is not much more to be said . " Some wood was imported into this country from CaEfornia as an experiment a few years ago , in the shape of whole timber deals , battens , and planks . "The whole timber was simply magnificent—4 ft . square in the butt , 60 ft . long , with scarcel y a knot—aud the other articles equal in quality . " The rate of freighthoAVeverAvas prohibitiveand after the first importation we had
, , , no more . It had this peculiarity in working ; with the grain , it worked as easily as ordinary Memel fir ; across grain , it Avas as hard as wainscot . "It made splendid joiners' Avork , and Avould be , I imagine , unapproachable for ship masts ; but its importers lost money , and there is no supply .