LUMBER INDUSTRY Part 1

Description

The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Forest areas of United States.” Map of the United States showing northern forest, hardwood forest, southern forest, Rocky Mountain forest, and Pacific forest. “The visitor at a winter lumber camp in northern Michigan needs to be warmly clothed as the winters are severe.” Cabin in woods, snow on ground. “Starting out for the day’s work in the woods.” Men and teams of horses leaving camp heading for woods. “A voice shouts ‘Timber!’” Men sawing tree - tree starting to fall, workers running away, tree falling. “The logs are then drawn to a convenient loading place.” Snaking logs through forest. “The low loading sled or ‘skid’ makes it easy to load the logs.” Workers rolling logs onto sled with the aid of block and tackle - horse-drawn loaded sled moving down trail. “Logs may be transported to the railroad where they are reloaded on flatcars.” Sled on trail - workers loading logs onto flatcars. “On the way to the sawmill.” Freight train of loaded flatcars moving along tracks. “Should there be no snow, there are other ways to move the logs. In the Northwest they ‘snake’ them out of the woods in this manner.” Crane dragging and pulling logs through woods. “In some places an aerial cable is used. Why?” View of logs being moved by aerial cable. “In the Southwest the logs are hauled out on large two-wheeled carts.” Logs being slung from axles of two-wheeled carts - carts being hauled by horses. “Compare this with the method used in northern Michigan.” Workers using crane to load logs onto flatcars. “A river provides the best transportation for the clumsy logs.” Logs in river, men in boat rowing past log pile. “Logs are ‘Banked’ on the ice and along the bank during the winter. The ‘Drive’ commences with the spring freshets.” Logs floating down river. “Logs frequently form a dam of a ‘jam’ in the river. It is dangerous work to break a jam. Dynamite is sometimes used.” Workers on log jam, trying to break it with long poles. “The lumberjack’s courage is tested every day of the drive.” Worker on jam, breaking it up with pole. “The logs reach the mill and are stored in the ‘Boom.’” View of logs in boom. “The logs shipped by train are dumped into the boom to await the saw.” Logs rolling from flatcar into water. “The large log is lifted by the conveyor and carried into the mill. It is placed on the saw carriage and the large band saw cuts it into boards.” Logs moving up conveyor into sawmill - worker on saw carriage, operating controls - saw cutting log into boards. “An automatic conveyor carries the lumber away from the saws.” Boards on conveyor - workers pulling boards off conveyor. “After being sorted some lumber is placed in storage for future shipment.” Tractor-hauled trailer loaded with logs. “Some may be loaded on cars for immediate shipment.” Workers loading and stacking boards into freight cars. “Lumber is shipped from the northwest and south in ocean going vessels.” Ship at dock - large cranes loading lumber into hold of ship. “Lumber is generally seasoned before it is used.” Worker stacking cut lumber into piles in yard. “The rough lumber is cut and planed in the wood-working factory. The smooth, dressed boards are now ready for use.” Men watching different woodworking machines in operation in factory. “Watch this machine rapidly cut a square hole.” Drill cutting square holes in edge of board. “The revolving knives of the planer cut the board down to a level, even surface.” Worker operating planing machine. “Where will this piece of lumber be used?” Men watching worker cutting support for stairs. “Tell the story of how a log is changed into lumber.” “The End.” “Ford Educational Library.” [1920]

Collection

Ford Motor Company Collection

Series

Motion Picture Films Relating to the Ford Motor Company, the Henry Ford Family, Noted Personalities, Industry, and Numerous Americana and Other Subjects