WOOD PLASTICS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 23, 13 November 1945, Page 6

WOOD PLASTICS

MIRACLE OF TRANSMUTATION

IlliV OLUTIONA KY POSSIBILITIES

The following is an cxtract from the Canadian publication 'Research in Wood' which Whakatane readers having a direct link with the progress ol" the Paper Mills at Pupuaruhe will we feel read with the

most inten.se interest

"Canada is actively engaged in such research. The forest production laboratories under the Department of Mines and Resources have added to their prewar I'acilties several new laboratories and much new equipment. These include a glue

an improved wood laboratory ? »a wood plasties laboratory, some plywood equipment ol' a semicommercial size, "a wood hydrolysis a large press tor fabri-

cating laminated structural units, equipment for moulding plywood 6ver curved surfaces two high-fre-quency electric units for work in the rapid setting of glued structures and for use in the seasoning of special units or assemblies and a considerable amount of ancillary equip, mfcnt. lliese additions to the facili-t ties have been useful its a wartime necessity ? and their part in the postwar encouragement of the forest industries: will be great.

'A short time ago the. Canadian Industries Limited magazine G —l—L OVAL told of a new process for the transmutation of wood. Simple impregnation with comparatively abundant and inexpensive chemicals it transforms ordinary wood into substances as dilferent from the original as steel is from iron. The process reconstitutes wood to order. Hardness, finish strength, durability and density can now be contributed chemically and controlled almost at will. Wood otherwise permitted to go to waste or used only for J'uel f can lie imbued with qualities fitting it for use in furniture home or boat building.' In a few days poplar becomes harder than hard, maple, which in turn can be made harder than ebony a wood that nature takes a century or more to grow. The compressive strength 0 f wood is so increased and other properties are imparted to such an extent that the result is actually no longer naural wood but a new material which may be termed "Transmuted wood.' 'Ihe based upon impregnation with metliylolurea makes wood markedly harder stronger stiller and more durable. It elimin-

ates its natural tendency to swell shrink, or warp with changes of humidity' and prevents the grain from rising when moistened. It en-i ables near at hand f cheaper species of woods to compete in lields hitherto open only to scarcer costlier varieties. Furniture made from transmuted, wood can be shipped throughout the world with assurance that drawers and doors will continue to operate smoothly and j remain close fitting under > varying temperature or humidity conditions. A "built in" finish is imparted by the process throughout the wood. Mars or scratches may be removed by simply smoothing and rubbing. Colour also may be imparted permanently throughout by mixing a dye with the impregnating chemicals. Even shavings and similar wood waste may be moulded

into and dyes or pigments incorporated. Other cellulosie and ibrous products, including cotton ! 'arm wastes paper and leather, also end themselves to treatment.

"The process appears to be applicable to large items such as structural timbers, as well as to items as small as smoking pipe stems and musical instrument reeds. it can be employed to advantage in the manufacture of veneers and plywoods, .flooring, furniture textile

and other machinery parts, sports: goods t boats; tool ? knife and kitchen utensil handles: millwor'k; screen window and door sashings: rollers wooden heels ; shoe lasts, tanks, sanitary laundry and chemical

equipment

? agricultural implement

parts, and scores of other items. Now that soft yellow poplar, a number of types of and other woods can be transmuted into woods with the desirable qualities of hard oak or walnut it will J>e possible to choose woods for beauty of colour and ijrain more or less regardless of other properties.