Saw Dust and its Uses.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 8, 1 June 1907, Page 297

Saw Dust and its Uses.

To THE EDITOR Havelock St., Auckland. Dear Sir, — In reply to your correspondent's enquiry regarding possible uses for New Zealand sawdust and wood waste, which appears in one of your recent issues — I beg leave to point out that its principal value lies in its fitness as a fuel. Under suitable conditions, producer gas from coal, has quite a second place. But to burn sawdust on a large scale successfully a properly designed and constructed furnace is indispensable. As far as I am aware, there is no such furnace in New Zealand. If one were installed many others would follow suit, for a better fuel could hardly be found. You point out that saw-dust was successfully made into briquettes for use as fuel m Germany in 190'?, and there are besides the one quoted, many such establishments where this is being done to-day, see Messrs Glovei and Co's well-known machinery quoted in your March issue. Under certain conditions (such as transport over considerable distances, storage, stowage, etc ) it is advisable to briquette saw -dust, but this process is quite unnecessary in the majority of cases, for as said before, with a suitable furnace it burns most satisfactorily even in a loose state. But in situations where it cannot be profitably used as a fuel saw-dust may be usedBy destructive distillation for the production of ■wood spirit, etc , etc. For the production of artificial wood by combination with suitable cementing materials. For the production of " blasting powder ' ' oxalic acid, etc. As packing for safe transport of fragile articles. As a substitute for bone-ash mixed with mineral phosphates In the manufacture of " floorcloths," as a substitute for cork-dust. Mixed with a suitable cement as a nonconducting covering for boilers, steam pipes, and the like ; also for cold stonge, and general insulation. As body for wall-paper. As litter for cow -bails. As a substitute for tan in garden compost. Mixed with hydraulic lime and tar, as a waterproof roofing felt. As wood pulp for paper making. Mixed with resin as fire lighters For conversion into sugar and alcohol t or flooring blocks, footpath and paving blocks 01 tiles, walls and ceilings or decoratne objects. For the manufacture of illuminating gas, for the product'on of tar charcoal, acetic acid, etc., etc. For packing stuffing furniture, etc , etc The foregoing are some of the uses which sawdust can be put to piofitably so that, instead of being a burden and a nuisance, it can become a source of great profit. There are many other uses to which it can be piofitably applied; in fact too many to be enumerated in this letter. — I am, dear sir, youi s faithfully,

Consulting Engineer, Auckland TOM DREWET. Senior Inspector of Steam Boilers and Prime Movers. Indian Civil Service, Bombay. Retired,