HOW TO RECLAIM THE LUMBER IN WIREBOUND BOXES

A wirebound box is a light-weight, though very strong shipping container, whose sides, top and bottom are made from sheets of thin wood of the same thickness throughout, and fastened to a framework of heavier wood strips at the ends. Several steel wires pass completely around the body of the box. Each wire is firmly fastened to the thin wood by means of small staples, spaced at regular intervals and "clinched" on the inside. The binding wires serve not only to hold the top, sides and bottom together as one unit, but when the box is packed for shipment, it is closed, or sealed, by twisting the two ends of each wire together. The ends of a wirebound box are fastened to the framework of heavier wood

strips by means of nails or staples. The thin wood with which a wirebound box is made is clear, free from knots. It is an excellent material for making any articles that call for the use of thin lumber. You will find it ideal for making many of the articles described in this and other "You Can Make It" books, such as bird-houses, airplane models, doll-houses, partitions for tool chests, drawera, etc., and various scroll-saw products.

Follow the instructions below for salvaging this useful material from discarded or used wirebound boxes: Tools Needed.-All you need is a saw and a pair of nippers or wire-cutting pliers.

Next, cut the sections apart by clipping each binding wire where the sections are joined. This also is shown in Figure 3. The result is four separate sections of thin wood, each having several short lengths of wire stapled to it. Before you can use the wood, however, the staples and wires must be removed. To do this:

With nippers or pliers, pull out the staples in each section except those which hold the two outermost wires. Pull them out carefully, so as not to splinter the wood. The wires may be discarded.

FIGURE 1.-Typical Wirebound Box.-Note the rows of wires stapled to the thin lumber.

First, fold back the lid of the box, as shown in Figure 1.

Next, remove the end panels, as shown in Figure 2. Make a cut with the saw just inside the two upright pieces of the framework to which the sides of the box are stapled. The cuts should extend down to, not into,

FIGURE 3.-Removing the Staples and Wires.-Note that the two outermost wires are not removed.

Now, as shown in Figure 4, saw off the two outer edges of each section, about an inch inside the wires that were left attached to the wood. Discard these strips.

The sheets of thin wood you have thus obtained, together with the two end panels, are now ready for whatever use you may wish to put them, and they may be sawed or worked into any shape desired.

FIGURE 2.-Removing the End Panels.

the horizontal pieces to which the bottom of the box is stapled. The end panels should then be pushed in, so they will split away at the bottom. This will give you two pieces of usable thin wood.

Now, unfold the box, by bending the sides and lid down flush with the bottom. The result is a "mat", consisting of four sections, joined to each other by the wires. Turn the mat over, so that the wires and staples are uppermost, as shown in Figure 3.

FIGURE 4.-Cutting Away the Outside Edges.-In circle (1) A wirebound box, (2) The usable veneer pieces that came from it, and (3) The tools needed for the job.

AMERICAN LUMBER STANDARDS

The pieces specified in this booklet are given in accordance with American Lumber Standards for softwood lumber recommended by the Division of Simplified Practice of the United States Department of Commerce. Rough green lumber (not planed) as it comes from the mills nominally measures 1 by 3 inches, 14 by 4 inches, 11⁄2 by 5 inches, etc. (thickness by width). However, in most cases boards purchased for making the various articles incorporated in this booklet should be dressed-that is, planed only on one side (S1S) or on two sides (S2S); the edges should also be dressed (S1E) or (S2E)—surfaced one and two edges, respectively.

This standard dressed lumber generally accepted throughout the country will have the following measurements:

Boards 1 inch thick (rough) will measure 2532 inch surfaced one side (S1S) or surfaced two sides (S2S). Other standard dressed thicknesses (S1S) or (S2S) measure, 116, 16, 16, and 16 inch.

Boards 3 inches wide (rough) measure % inches (S1E) or (S2E) surfaced one and two edges, respectively.

For the sake of convenience the following table, showing at a glance thicknesses and widths of dressed American Standard Lumber, with the corresponding roughlumber measurements, is given:

The following names of prominent publications dealing with wood-handicraft projects, in addition to those listed in You Can Make It, Volume I, are presented for the purpose of aiding those who may desire the names of publications dealing with camps and camping:

ADAMS, JOSEPH H.; Harper's Outdoor Book for Boys; Harper & Bros., New York, N. Y. 1907.
BEARD, D. C.; Do It Yourself; J. B. Lippincott Co., New York, N. Y. 1925.

BRIMMER, F. E.; Camp, Log Cabins, Lodges, and Clubhouses; D. Appleton & Co., New York, N. Y. 1925.

HOPKINS, R. T.; Every Boy's Open-Air Book. 1925.

KEPHART, H.; Camping and Woodcraft; The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1921.

JESSUP, E.; Roughing It Smoothly; G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, N. Y. 1923.

MILLER, C. H.; Outdoor Sports and Games; Doubleday, Page & Co., Garden City, N. Y. 1911.
VERRILL, A. H.; The Boys' Outdoor Vacation Book; Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, N. Y. 1915.

Farm Home Conveniences, Farmers' Bulletin 927, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington,

D. C.

Handicraft Club Work, Club Bulletin No. 11, extension division, Michigan Agricultural College, East Lansing, Mich.

Homes for Birds, Farmers' Bulletin No. 1456, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.