the various branches of industry which consume ready-cut stock use a greater number of species. Many consumers because of prejudice or custom are confining their requirements to a limited number. In most cases there are other species of wood available which could be used to equal advantage. Probably the automotive industry has done more work along this line than has any other consumer. New woods are constantly being used, and recently this industry has introduced the use of western softwoods to partially replace the hardwood parts formerly used.

INSPECTION

In many mills inspection is considered as a necessary evil and is treated as such. A mill cutting 50,000 board feet per day may employ one inspector who examines several pieces on the top of a truck load of finished parts as it goes to the bundling or loading dock. Such an inspection only proves that a small quantity of the finished stock is correctly manufactured and in no way eliminates the possibility of shipping poorly machined, defective, and incorrectly sized stock. This method of procedure often results in unpleasant complications and should be condemned. The producer who is anxious to establish or keep a good reputation in the small dimension industry should give close attention to the important factor of inspection.

REJECTION LOSSES

Careful inspection before shipping is unquestionably the best method of decreasing rejection losses. A good inspector should know the requirements of the consumer, the use to be made of the stock, and the rules or specifications in effect between the seller and the buyer. The salary paid to such a man will prove to be a good investment because of decreased rejection losses and the establishment of the firm's reputation for shipping a high-grade product.

A firm in Tennessee reports that they are paying $1 more per thousand board feet for inspection than is the case on most operations, and that this abnormal expenditure results in a profit because of decreased losses through rejections.

MANUFACTURING LOSSES

Efficient inspection is one of the best possible checks on proper manufacture. A good inspector will detect poorly machined stock and will report the nature of the machine defect to the chief mechanic or to the machine operator. Operators and mechanics who know that all outgoing stock is carefully inspected will be especially careful in machine operation and adjustment.

LABOR

The problems of labor and employment are of interest to every manufacturer. Innumerable combinations of working conditions, machinery and equipment, nationality and types of labor, labor efficiency, and wages make it apparent that each manufacturer is operating under different conditions and has original problems which

require solution. Generally speaking, small dimension manufacturers require a fairly intelligent type of labor, since many of the workmen must be skilled machine operators.

BONUS AND PIECEWORK RATES

Small dimension stock producers are not agreed as to the advisability of using piecework or bonus systems. Many operators believe that these systems are not applicable to a rough dimension mill because of the variety of sizes being cut and the varying quality of the stock. Other producers have installed some type of system and are well satisfied with the results.

A great variety of systems, and combinations of bonus and piecework rates have been evolved. As applied to the woodworking industry these rates may be divided into three classes-production incentive, utilization incentive, and incentive based on a combination of production and utilization.

Production incentive.-The most common forms of labor incentive are based on quantity production. This classification includes bonuses, piecework rates, and contracts in various forms and combinations. It is apparent that this method has its advantages if quantity production can be effected without sacrificing quality. In handling, stacking in the yard or for kiln drying, bulk piling, etc., a labor incentive based on production is undoubtedly efficient and is being successfully used at many operations. However, this method of labor incentive is not so successful when applied to those operations and processes in which high-pressure production results in inferior quality in the finished product. This condition is very true of the crosscutting and ripping operations and in all other cases where increased waste and damaged stock result from forced production. A few of the many methods of production incentive may be profitably summarized.

1. Bonus system: One southern small dimension mill cutting 4/4 and 8/4 stock in about equal proportions has installed a system which gives a production bonus provided that the average weekly production is in excess of 60 board feet per man per hour. For each 2 board feet above this average of 60 board feet the men are credited with an additional half-hour wages. This bonus applies to the operations of crosscutting, ripping, and surfacing, and includes clean-up men, truckers, off-bearers, foremen, and clerks as well as machine operators.

2. Piecework rate: It is also common practice to base the wages entirely on a production or piecework rate. This rate is usually applied to the handling of lumber or stock. One firm located in a low labor rate area pays a flat rate of 30 cents per thousand board feet for bulk piling rough lumber, 40 cents per thousand for kiln stacking, 35 cents per thousand for moving the stacks into and through the kilns, and 30 cents per thousand for pulling the kilns and transferring the lumber to the cooling shed. Other mills pay a flat rate of 75 cents to $1.50 per stack for kiln piling and 30 to 75 cents per thousand for stacking on the yard.

3. Contracts: When it is necessary to move or unload stock after working hours it is usual for the foreman or superintendent to con

tract with the workmen to handle the entire job. The average workman is usually more than willing to increase his income in this way and does good work because he feels that he is working for himself. Utilization incentive. It has been found that very few firms are using a bonus system which is based entirely on utilization. From the standpoint of utilization a bonus system of this type is very desirable. However, from the standpoint of production this system is not so desirable, since the factor of decreased production more than compensates for the increased saving resulting from more efficient utilization, unless careful supervision can maintain a reasonably high production rate.

When this type of incentive is put into effect, it is customary to fix a basic utilization percentage, such as 60, 70, 75, etc. Whenever the weekly utilization of the mill is in excess of the basic rate, the workmen who are responsible for this saving are given a bonus in the form of a percentage of their wages or in credit for increased working time.

Incentive based on both production and utilization. This type of labor incentive is gaining in popularity and seems to be the most logical method of arriving at the happy medium between production and utilization. This system has been used successfully by one organization for seven years and is working out successfully in several other small dimension mills. It is so arranged that the workmen have their attention fixed on both production and utilization.

An example of the workings of this system may be given as follows: The production angle of the system is covered by a bonus which provides for the payment of an additional 5 per cent of the weekly wage for each additional 2 board feet cut in excess of an established output per man per hour, as explained on page 35. This established average varies with the material used and the stock manufactured. For plants which are manufacturing fairly large sizes the average production per man per hour should be approximately 65 board feet. This average should take into consideration foremen, clerks, sweepers, truckers, and helpers as well as machine operators. Close utilization is encouraged by establishing an arbitrary utilization percentage such as 65 per cent. For each I per cent increase above this percentage the workmen who are responsible for this increase are given a wage increase amounting to 5 per cent of their total weekly wage. In most cases only the cut-off sawyers and rip sawyers participate in the utilization bonus.

Obviously, it is unfair to compute the production bonus separately for the rip and cut-off sawyers. In producing short stock the work of the cut-off sawyer is increased while the work of the rip sawyer is decreased, although not in the same proportion. If a large percentage of the cuttings are long, the conditions are reversed. Therefore, in installing a system of this type the production bonus should apply to both of the operations mentioned.

In some instances, where there is considerable variation in the grades of lumber being used, a standard utilization percentage has been applied to all grades with unsatisfactory results in the form of dissatisfaction on the part of the workmen because of loss of bonus in cutting low-grade lumber. To cover the factor of variation in lumber grades a table similar to the following may be prepared.

TABLE 2.—Average utilization percentages for various lumber grades'

Lumber grade:

Firsts and seconds.

Selects.

No. 1 common_.

No. 2 common.

No. 3 common_

Standard utilization

4,000'

per cent

81.5

75.0

70.0

55.0

35.0

This or similar tables may be used, as follows: Assume that a kiln truck containing 4,000 board feet of No. 1 common lumber is cut into small dimension stock. The utilization should be 70 per cent of the gross footage, or 2,800 board feet. If the truck produces 2,900 2,900 board feet, the utilization percentage will be or 72.5 per cent. Applying the above illustration, in giving a bonus of an additional 5 per cent in wages for each 1 per cent increase over the standard rate, the workmen would receive an additional 12.5 per cent in wages for the time spent in cutting this particular load of lumber. A similar table may be prepared listing standard production per man per hour for various grades of lumber.

From an article, entitled "Lumber Conservation in Woodworking Plants," by Carle M. Bigelow, which appeared in the May, 1929, issue of Mechanical Enginering. In this article Mr. Bigelow gives complete information for installing and operating a production and utilization incentive system.

Part III.—HANDLING, BUNDLING, AND LOADING SMALL DIMENSION STOCK

Inefficient handling is responsible for considerable waste of time and money in the small dimension industry. In the handling of ready-cut stock or material it is wise to remember that every time a piece of stock or material is moved unnecessarily the handling charges are increased. In many cases small dimension operators, as well as other members of the lumber industry, cling to longestablished and obsolete practices. Because the lumberman of 1870 believed it necessary to unload his rough lumber on buggies, haul it to the yard, pile it for air seasoning, pile it on buggies again and haul it to the kilns to be stacked for kiln-drying, many operators believe that this is still good practice. The progressive lumber executive eliminates three handlings of material by piling his stock from the cars directly on kiln trucks. Any necessary air seasoning is accomplished while the lumber is "on wheels."

HANDLING IN THE YARD

Yard handling is a relatively unimportant problem in the small dimension industry. Stock is commonly purchased or delivered in an air-dry condition, piled directly on kiln trucks, and moved into the dry kiln. If stock is manufactured from green material, it may be piled for air seasoning or, in rare instances, piled for kiln drying and air seasoned in the kiln stack. In cases where mill offal is utilized in the manufacture of small dimension stock it is usually possible to manufacture this stock at the band mill and thus eliminate additional handling. When this arrangement is impossible, the mill waste is loaded on buggies and hauled by tractor to the small dimension mill.

When it is necessary to do considerable moving of stock in the yard and where the yard layout is favorable the operator may effect a considerable saving by using electric locomotives in connection with a narrow-gage track system. A Wisconsin operator reports that this method is more economical than the use of horses or tractors.

HANDLING IN THE MILL

The most common method of handling in the mill after the initial sawing operation is to load the stock on factory trucks or on lift trucks. Four-wheeled factory trucks are commonly 5 feet long and 22 feet wide. The two large side wheels are approximately 18 inches in diameter; single wheels about 10 inches in diameter are located at each end of the truck. The original cost of a lift truck installation is considerably less than factory truck equipment, since only the lifting truck must be purchased. The truck bottoms may be made at the mill. Loads handled with lift trucks have the disadvantage