RHODES' MILL, ARATAPU.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 170, 4 November 1892, Page 3

RHODES' MILL , ARATAPU.

Ssme months ago we gave our readers an account of what we saw on a visit to the site of Mr Rhodes’ mill, the foundations of which were then being laid and the engine put into position. We recently heard the mill at work so determined to pay it another visit on the first opportunity. This wo were able to do ou Wednesday last and we shall give our readers the benefit of the information we gathered. We were very courteously received by Mr J. A. Rhodes who kindly showed us round the mill and explained what had been and what was being done. Since our last visit the frame work of the mill has been completed and roofed with iron, and the engine, shafts, pulleys, and belts placed in position. The boiler has been recently inspected and is certified to bear a pressure of 6olbs to the inch. Two large tanks have been placed in position to provide the boiler with water, in addition to which thereis awell with a good and constant supply of water. The engine is simple in construction and fully capable of performing all that is required of it, the fly wheel is about 33 feet in circumference. The pulleys, shafts, and bearings are substantial and of the best workmanship and have been cleverly arranged to the best advantage. The saws are all on the upper floor which is lofty and gives plenty of room for working underneath. The breaking down saw is a large circular Dne, 6ft 2in, in

diameter which can cut a log three feet in diameter and pass through it at the rate of twentyfive feet per minute ; the saw makes about one hundred and ten revolutions to the minute. From the breaking down the logs are passed over to the smaller circular, very conveniently situated, This will be done by means of travelling skids so that no jacks need be used ; the sawyer by simply placing his foot on a lever will raise the travelling skids and the flitch will move across to the circular. If the flitch from the big saw is for the deal frames then the bench is simply run back and the fiirch being pushed over is then in position for the frames. There are two deal frames, both the same size, capable of cutting boards up to twenty-eight inches in width. These saws have a rack feed and no rollers, and it is contended that by this means the timber shows a cleaner cut. At the end of the little circular bench a goose saw is to be fixed so that the ends of the boards can be trimmed before they are passed into the yard and then the good timber will be passed down skids on one side direct into the truck and the waste timber will be passed down the other side to the stoke-hole. The supply of kakikatea is almost unlimited and Mr J. Harrison has the contract to supply logs as they are wanted, the timber being best when green. The creek is capable of holding a large number of logs and the winch when tried showed itself well able to bring up all logs required. The mill is cap able of cutting logs up to thirty feet in length, but shorter lengths will be much better handled in all departments and will be preferred, Dor convenience in rafting the length will not be limited but a crosscut working by machinery is to bo provided to divide long logs after they have been hauled into the mill. No jacks will be required for turning over the logs for the big circular as a wire rope and hook have been so erected that it will onty be necessary to drive in the hook, fix the chocks, and then press the lever with the knee, and over goes the log. The sawdust truck runs in right underneath the big circular and is so constructed that it can easily he turned in any direction, tipped and replaced with very little exertion. The mill has been run for about three days at interval 3 and everything worked very smoothly and satisfactorily. The timber cut was shown us and.it seemed to be of first-rate quality, the boards and flitches all looking well. The breaking-down circular is well able to keep the deal frames and small circular supplied with timber and it is expected that the daily output of the mill will he about fifteen thousand feet. Mr Rhodes expects to have everything so far completed that he will be able to start the mill in regular work in about three week’s time. A start will he made with the erection of the wharf in a few days. It.is to be so placed that there will be seven feet of water for vessels alongside at low water. At the highest spring tides the water will bo over the wharf, but the slope of the tram from the mill to the wharf will be just what is necessary for easy working. The mill has been erected so that a layer of sawdust about three feet deep all round will be required cn the ground and this will ensure a dry yard. We have to thank Mr J. A. Rhodes for bis kind attention and we hope to be able to report very soon that his mill is hard at work to keep pace with a press of orders.