has direct charge of the work in hand, should from experience of many yesterdays, be able to determine the work for today. I refer to work that cannot easily be done on a piece-work basis because of its changing character and small volume per job. That is, I would handle all work in this way, but large volumes of duplicate work scarcely warrants discussion.

This averaging must take the place of hair-splitting, if the schedule is to work out satisfactorily. In other words, if a worker does not make out on each small job exactly according to schedule, it need not matter so long as on the whole he makes out about right from day to day. The "Off" Day Cared For

Another important feature of this system is that the cost record of the individual job is not altered by the fact of an individual worker falling down or doing an unusual day's work. Such cases are, and should be, matters between worker and department head and affecting the showing of the department instead of the cost of the individual job, directly. The worker who averages above the standard or schedule may be given a premium, while the one who falls below may be penalized, discharged, trained or placed at other work. It is the way all the workers in a department average that determines the success or failure of the department; but why should individual jobs suffer or profit by the variations in the efficiency of workers.

The theory of the schedule is positive instead of negative. It does not merely record what it costs to do the work, but it specifies in advance what that cost shall be and then it's up to those responsible to make good.

A brief outline of the system may be described by starting with the institution as a whole and following it down to the productive worker.

The first thing to be determined is the capacity of the factory or the total volume to be produced for a given time.

The cost of the above volume should be divided into the relative proportions for each department.

The time covered by this volume should be divided into the most convenient working periods for the kind of goods to be produced and orders scheduled as nearly as possible in amounts determined for the capacity of each period. If the orders cannot be divided into exactly such amounts, the average, at least, can be striven for. And this is one of the points of the system: the pace is not only cut out for the factory, but for the sales department as well. The schedule completed for each department, the same procedure follows within the departments.

The total schedule for the department is divided into relative proportions for each machine or bench and the work for each laid out daily in advance.

Such a system cannot be installed and become effective in a very short time. How long it will take depends on many conditions, most important of which is the attitude of the organization.

In starting such a system without available cost records, I would in no case, recommend the use of a cost system first. The necessary information should be in the heads of your managing organization, but whatever is lacking in this respect should be approximated to start and adjusted for a time the same as with a piece-work price started

under such conditions. A stop watch and the confidence of workers whose efficiency is unquestioned will help a great deal.

The above system eliminates all mechanical time recording devices and, therefore, will not appeal to manufacturers of such instruments. But I can assure you, Mr. Employer, that it will appeal to your employes. We are apt to deceive ourselves into thinking that the workers do not object, because through force and habit they submit without protest. Try liberating them and you will see.

The cost of planning and laying out the work is more than saved in the productive worker's time. Also, a standard of efficiency is assured which is considerably higher than is maintained by observation of the executives only.

T

A Floating Exhibition

O INTRODUCE the products of American manufacturers to merchants of the West Indies and of South America, a floating exposition borne by the steamship Kroonland, a large trans-Atlantic liner in New York-European service, will cruise for several weeks in Latin-American waters under the direction of the American Trade Tour Co., No. 15 Maiden Lane, New York. The project has been conceived in anticipation of the stimulating influence to be exerted by the opening of the Panama Canal upon trade in the Western Hemisphere and in the attempt to foster opportunities long neglected by the American producer.

South American commerce has for years been controlled by trade influences foreign from the United States, despite the nation's geographical proximity. American manufacturers, apparently, have been content to export their wares experimentally, paying little attention to the conditions peculiar to the foreign market and discontinuing their efforts when the initial venture failed. Germany and Great Britain, on the other hand, are declared to have secured control of a fertile trade field through their application to its requirements and desires.

It is to correct this situation that the Kroonland will leave New York for the West Indies on October 14, 1914, carrying four hundred traveling salesmen representing the largest manufacturers of the country as well as an extensive display of the manufactured products of these concerns. The cruise of the Kroonland will continue for 120 days and in each port merchants of the town will inspect the exhibit and confer with the representatives of the exhibitors. Closer trade relations, in connection with the Kroonland's visits, will be promoted by American consuls, who will be instructed by the state department to lend their fullest aid to the project.

During the early part of the cruise, stops will be made at Havana, Santiago and Kingston, after which the steamer will visit Colon, where the salesmen will be given an opportunity to inspect the canal and ascertain trade conditions in the canal zone. In South America principal stops will be made at Cartagena, Columbia; La Guaira, Venezuela; Port of Spain, Trinidad; after which the exposition afloat will proceed to Brazil. In that country, Para, Bahia, Rio de Janerio and Santos will be visited and stops will be made later at Montevideo, Uruguay, and Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic. At Buenos Ayres the Kroonland will remain in port for two or three weeks, giving the salesmen time to cross to Chili and the western

coast.

LOYALTY may permit men to complain somewhat among themselves about the men they work for and the place they work in, but when it comes to knocking to others it's time to quit and hunt a different job.

I

N THESE days of efficiency and scientific management any new process which gives promise of redueing costs is investigated with interest by the progressive manufacturer. The Aeron system of finishing has been adopted during the past two years by several hundred wood-working plants in the United States, after having been investigated and found to effect a material waving.

This method consists, briefly, in spraying stain, shellac, varnish, or enamel, as the case may be, on the work by the means of compressed air, under a pressure varying from 30 to 80 pounds per square inch. The hand brush is almost entirely eliminated, being used only to apply the filler, which is handled in the usual manner.

The necessary outfit comprises the Aeron itself-which is made in two styles and several sizes, the air compressor and receiver, an air transformer set for regulating the pressure and purifying the air supply, a booth or cabinet in which the work is done, and an exhaust fan to dispose of the vapors and fumes resulting from the atomizing of the finishing material. Besides these necessary appliances, turntables are used, where advisable, to facilitate the handling of the work while the "acroning" is done.

The two styles of Aerons are shown in the large illustration, each connected with an air transformer set, to which the air supply pipe is attached. In one style of Aeron the finishing material is carried in a pint or quart capacity cup forming a part of the Aeron itself. The other machine takes its supply from a five-gallon container suspended above the nozzle. The first photograph shows an operator using the process on a dresser. The work is placed in the booth on the turn table, which can be tilted at any convenient angle and revolved by hand, and is coated on the top, sides and front with the drawers in place. Drawers may also be finished inside by this process.

It will be noted that it is not necessary to coat the top separately and the sides in a horizontal position, allowing time for one side to set up before coating the other, in order to obtain a full bodied application. All surfaces that are to be finished can be coated in one operation, as it is possible to put on a heavier coat with the Aeron than with the brush without danger of sags or runs. This, of course, refers to varnish, chiefly coach or gloss, where a full body and high gloss must be obtained with as few coats as possible.

sets uniformly. For the same reason the final drying is hastened to some degree.

In brushing flat, horizontal surfaces, where a heavy coat is applied, it is almost impossible to avoid fatty edges, and in brushing carved or ornamental relief work, the low spots are sure to collect more varnish than the high places. Corners and edges in panel work are also causes of difficulty in this respect. In using the Aeron the surface varnished is covered uniformly and evenly, whether flat, paneled or carved, with one sweep of the

machine at an even speed. Consequently heavy spots, runs and fatty edges are entirely avoided.

In applying finishes with the Aeron a slight reduction of the material with turpentine or other solvents is logical; with some materials, necessary. Reducing is logical on account of the slight evaporation of solvent previously mentioned. In other words, in order to have the Aeron application of the same consistency after reaching the surface as it is when brushed, a reduction of from 5 to 10 per cent. would be required. This is not always desirable by any means, especially in the case of the heavy gloss coat spoken of. Whenever a free-flowing coach varnish is used, reducing is not necessary. Conditions in different plants govern this matter to a great extent.

The statement that a full coat can be applied to a vertical surface as well as to one lying in a horizontal position demands an explanation. There are two reasons. It is impossible to put on a perfectly uniform coat with a brush, especially on a vertical surface, and runs and sag are caused by the heavier portions of the coat dropping down over the lighter coat spots. With the Aeron a uniform coat of varnish i- applied, and it is a fact that as the cost is the same over the entire surface it will not run, even if it is as heavy as a brush coat which would show sags. The second reason is that an Aeron coat sets somewhat dicker than a brush coat, owing to a Sught evaTOTE TOOL The solvent caused by the action of The compreNPL & T. Act - the coat is uniform, it

Rubbing varnishes are usually reduced slightly, as a full bodied, heavy coat is not required: also because a rubbing varnish does not flow as readily as a coach varnish. On account of the evenness of the coat, an Aeron coat of rubbing varnish is somewhat more easily and quickly rubbed, either by hand or by machine.

Undercoat varnishes are reduced to some extent for Aeron work for similar reasons. They are also more easily sanded than when brushed.

Pigment primers, or first coaters, are aeroned to better advantage if the pigment content is less than for brushing. It is also sometimes desirable and expedient to use a more finely ground pigment.

Flat finishes are applied to great advantage, and because of greater uniformity of surface, more closely resemble a rubbed finish than when brushed.

The Aeron offers, perhaps, greater advantages in the application of shellac than with other materials. It is a matter of common knowledge that shellac is very difficult to brush, while on the other hand it aerons easily. Instead of cutting the gum four or five pounds to the gallon of alcohol, as for brushing, the material is used in the proportion of two and one-half to three pounds of gum to the gallon. The aeroned coat of shellac is perfectly smooth and uniform, and requires practically no sanding compared with the work necessary to sand a brushed coat.

White undercoats and enamels are handled in the Aeron with surprising ease, considering the difficulties they offer in brushing. White brushed finishes require several coats to properly cover a job, while in aeroningowing to the uniformity of surface and the absence of brush marks-one or two coats usually can be saved. One coat of white primer put on with the Aeron will cover a piece of work as well or better than two brushed coats. Some very presentable product is being turned out with two coats in satin finish and three coats in gloss with this system. Highest grade rubbed white work is done in four coats. Brush marks, runs and laps are eliminated and the saving is obvious.

Stains and fillers are being aeroned in some factories, but usually the process is not applicable to these materials. When fillers are applied with the Aeron, the unusual rapidity of the drying makes it somewhat difficult to obtain an even shade of color.

The saving in time depends upon the material applied, the nature of the work finished and the method of handling the piece. In general, it can be conservatively stated that one man operating an Aeron can do a given amount of work in from one-half to one-tenth of the time required to brush the same job.

The economy of time is greater with the shellacs and primers, one man being able to do the work of from four to eight men on ordinary case goods or flat surfacessuch as tables. On carved work, and the like, the saving is still more. The advantage in time on chairs is great because of the many different surfaces and angles, all of which offer difficulty in brushing.

The varnish and enamel coats cannot be handled as rapidly as the undercoats, but the differences in time required with the Aeron and with the brush is nearly as marked as in the case of the undercoats.

The Aeron is simple and easy to operate, and a week's work is sufficient to make an efficient and expert operator of the average man.

The work is clean and, what is more, is healthful and sanitary, as all vapors and fumes are removed from the finishing-room by the exhaust fan used with each outfit.

Cleaning the Aeron is accomplished by spraying a solvent through the nozzle instead of the finishing material, and the whole machine may be placed in a can of thinner over night if desired. It is necessary to clean the Aeron but once a day if it is used more or less continuously. The whole operation of cleaning may be performed in a minute or two.

There is usually some loss in finishing material when the Aeron is used, though this is hardly noticeable except on small work, when it may amount to 15 or 20 per cent. In many cases there is no waste, in others an actual saving-where coats are eliminated by the use of the machine. As an average, however, there is some slight loss-largely of the solvent used in reducing the material. In any event, however, the waste is offset many times by the saving effected in time and labor, without taking into consideration the saving in floor space, the greater ease in handling the work, the better quality of the work done, the advantage to the workmen, and, finally, the general all around convenience of the Aeron system.

A

RECENT number of The Hardwood Record, of Chicago, contained an editorial on the sale of a number of woods from Africa and the Philippines, which was as follows: "Genuine mahogany is probably the most useful of all cabinet woods. It is famous for its perfect seasoning, for the precise manner in which it stands after being placed in a finished piece of cabinet work, its gorgeous polish and the tone imparted to it with age. The supply is abundant and the price reasonable.

"The extensive use of this most popular wood causes as a natural result the importation of other woods that do not possess the qualities of the true mahogany, but which the importer hopes will, by reason of somewhat similar appearance, sell as a substitute for mahogany at a lower price. The entire trade suffers from this and it militates against genuine mahogany, as the buyer of goods manufactured from such substitutes is usually under the impression that he is buying the genuine species and is eventually dissatisfied with the substitute, mahogany itself bearing the brunt of this criticism rather than this method of doing business, which is the real

cause.

"The importers of foreign woods and the good cabinetmakers of the country know that the best grades of mahogany, particularly for use by manufacturers of furniture, are derived from timber growing on the mainland from the province of Tabasco, Mexico, British Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala. There is also some fine mahogany found on the west coast of Africa, but of the "fifty-seven varieties" shipped from there as mahogany, only two or three are genuine. At the present time considerable so-called Philippine mahogany is being imported, but while there are useful woods in the Philippines, no species of mahogany grows on the islands and it would seem that if manufacturers desire a substitute it would be just as feasible to utilize some of our native woods, such as birch and gum, and stain them to imitate the genuine mahogany. This would result in a considerable saving over the utilization of the so-called Philippine mahogany. The reputable merchants in this line of business naturally, being merchants, sell what people want to buy; but it can be safely said that sales of so-called substitute mahogany are never made without the buyer being told all that the seller knows about these woods. The buyers should protect themselves against the substitution of other woods, however, and give their orders to reputable concerns or insist upon samples being submitted so that they will know what they are to get. By pursuing this course disappointment to themselves will be prevented and a certain protection to the legitimate mahogany trade will be afforded."

This editorial brought from William Winslow, president of the Indiana Quartered-Oak Company, who it seems is a purveyor of Philippine mahogany, a hot protest to which Mr. Gibson, the editor of The Hardwood Record, made this reply:

spurious mahogany which are being received at this office every few days, which bear no resemblance whatever to true mahogany. Hence, mahogany buyers are protesting against it.

We are obliged to reiterate what was said in the article that there is no evidence at hand that any true mahogany grows in the Philippine Islands. We have in this office a complete list of Philippine woods, and specimens of all the leading varieties, and even the Philippine Forest Service makes no claim that true mahogany grows on the islands.

The specimens of wood which you send may be just as valuable in physical characteristics as true mahogany, but we are simply protesting against woods that are not mahogany being marketed under that name, just as we do when California white pine is marketed as Michigan white pine.

If you wish to have your protest and our reply thereto published in Hardwood Record, and will authorize it, we will be glad to give the matter room in our columns.

Mr. Winslow promptly took advantage of this latter offer and "came back" with the following defense of the claims made for the Philippine wood:

In your issue of February 10, under the caption of "Spurious Mahogany," you mention "Philippine mahogany" as one of the chief offenders under this head. As the sales agents in the East of the largest manufacturers of this wood (which we have been importing for about five years), we feel enough interest in the matter to try to correct, in the minds of your readers, what seems to us your mistaken point of view. We speak only for ourselves, and in regard to Philippine wood.

We sell this as "Philippine mahogany" and never omit the word "Philippine." It seems to us one has the same right to do this as all dealers have, when they sell most "African." You state (and we gladly admit your knowledge), that "there are only two or three genuine varieties of mahogany in the fifty-seven' shipped from Africa.” Ought not, therefore, mahogany dealers to sell the other "varieties" under some other name?

If we should offer our wood under the local names of "Lauan, Tanguile and Almon," we would be kept busy showing customers and freight agents how to spell them. As we fully explain, our wood is not a true mahogany (and by the way you omit in your list any mention of the West Indian wood which the writer considers the true mahogany, but which nowadays runs small and short and is sold as "Cuban").

It is almost impossible to distinguish some Philippine wood from some "African.” A large user of our wood told the writer recently that "his foreman said he wished the Philippine wood had never come in the shop, as some of his oldest and best cabinet-makers had gotten it into the work along with African as they could not tell the difference," and added, "I can tell the difference by the amount of our lumber bills."

Another customer had to get the writer to point out our wood from African, used in a large and costly motor boat.

We have your favor of February 16. Please bear in mind that when the editorial in question in our issue February 10 was written, it was without the knowledge that you handled mahogany or any tropical woods. Hence, you will see that there was nothing personal intended.

it was a new cigar or a drink. "The rose will smell as sweet by any other name." Our Philippine wood has been used by the same old customers for years, and they come back and don't care what we call it.

You make one error, we think, in saying "It would be just as feasible to utilize some of our native woods, such as birch and gum, and stain them to imitate the genuine mahogany." We recently sold Philippine mahogany to the largest piano concern in the United States. They said "red birch has got so high and so poor we are going to use your wood. It costs no more considering the quality, and little waste." How about this, in connection with your "stained birch" suggestion? Most tropical woods have the peculiarity of growth like "genuine mahogany," in that when quarter-sawn they show a "stripe," "ribbon" or "roe." Also, the best of the "near mahoganies" (like ours) "stay put," and work easily and run wide and long. Birch and gum do not.

The writer is an amateur cabinet-maker of a quarter of a century and knows what he is talking about. There is no mahogany like West Indian to work, carve, polish or darken with age, but this wood has almost gone the way of the "cork pine."

For some purposes (not considering the less price) Philippine "mahogany" is better than "African" (we are speaking of African which is not botanically mahogany), because it is more even colored and shows more figure and "life" (when quartered) and is straighter grain.

Near mahoganies are not hurting real mahogany any more than poplar hurt white pine or gum hurt poplar, or tupelo has hurt other gum. It is merely the natural trend of events, resulting from the sure and increasing disappearance of the timber of the world. In ten years from now South America will be bringing in here a substitute for "Philippine mahogany," and you will probably find us writing indignant letters to you about "spurious Philippine mahogany" being offered to the poor, innocent buyer.

We also consider that we are benefactors to the ultimate consumer, as many of them are now getting a Philippine mahogany table, where last year they bought for "genuine mahogany" one with a birch top and soft maple legs.

A Chapter From a Foreman's Experiences

W

BY A. L. LARSON

HY do some managers secure hot-air services in place of a practical man? Five years ago I accepted a position as foreman of a cabinet and machine room in an account register plant. At first production was $20,000 per month, which we increased to $40,000, and at invoice time the stockholders decided to get a new manager. The manager we had was a man from the western market, who invented an account register for credit accounting, and started with two men to manufacture this machine, and made good. Well, at that stockholders' meeting we got a new hot-air manager. He let our production drop to $18,000 per month, and then down still further. All of the salesmen quit and went somewhere else, and we had a lot of infringement suits which cost a lot of money. Against the manager's wish we got an efficiency engineer from Chicago. Here is where I got hold of a lot of good stuff, for he had some good ideas, but all of the other foremen in the plant, together with the manager, said that what the efficiency engineer recommended could not be done. But we got a good start towards a good cost system, but finally dropped it all, because the manager was not satisfied. I then started to work up a cost system, and from that time on we have seen some good come out of it.

Some time ago I accepted a position with a furniture factory. They told me that they wanted some new and young blood in their plant, for they were losing money, and here is where my trouble started. Every man used to go out to the yard shed and get his stock, and go out to

the engineer's room and gossip. The manager used to go down the plant and spend from fifteen minutes to one hour and gossip about his auto and the fishing trips that he and Tom, Dick and Hank used to take Saturday afternoons. Of course, they had a lot of old-timers or "Hasbeen-some-timers" with them for a good many years. These they paid small wages. Strangers could come into the factory and stand and talk for an hour at a time and the manager did not object, and even consented to this being done. After a short time I tendered my resignation. They were very much pleased to have it. They thought all I needed to do was to reach up in the air for production and let all these old-timers gossip all they pleased. We had no self-feed rip-saw, no double cut-off saw, an old time-time hand glue jointer and our planer fed 15 feet per minute. There were no glue clamps that were any good and all the work that could be done by hand was done by hand.

Just four weeks ago I got a new experience in the metallic line. This concern makes fire-proof doors to stand the test made by the underwriters. The doors have wood cores and are three-ply. The doors cost too much to meet competition. The company called in a cost expert from Chicago, and he told us it cost 7 cents per square foot to make wood cores and told the company that they must drive the workmen and make them produce more to get the cost down. After the cost expert was gone, the manager, a friend of mine, called me in to see him. He knew I was a wood-worker. Just by fixing things in the right way, I found that the wood cores need not cost this company 12 cents per square foot. I can see a big difference in the way we used to do at home in Jamestown, N. Y., ten or fifteen years ago.

The writer has never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Deinzer or Mr. Maine, but would appreciate having their address. Their writings are certainly good. The bonus wage plan is the only plan, and is not hard to understand. The illustration which follows shows cost method and a way of figuring burden:

Goon temper in a man as in a knife should be neither too hard nor too soft and should stand up to the work to be done in a seemly manner.

Too many men are prejudiced against any new idea except that it originates with themselves for the wheels of progress to move smoothly.

THE man at the tenoner must fit shoulders carefully for appearances, and he should take pains with the shank of the tenon for the sake of good construction and the reputation of the house.

OUR furniture manufacturers would very likely develop the Central and South American trade more industriously were it not that it costs so much to travel and canvass the country. We may think traveling expenses heavy here, but they are small compared to those reported from down there.