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 THE TEXTILE WORLD RECORD 
 Eim BOOKS 
 
 Ko. 6 
 
 Kinks on Wool and 
 Worsted Finishing 
 
 Compiled from the 
 
 Questions and Answers Department 
 
 of the 
 
 TEXTILE WORLD RECORD 
 
 for its subscribers only 
 
 MICE 75 CENT« 
 
 LORD & NAGLE COMPAmf 
 
 Publishers 
 
 Boston, Mass.) U. S. A. 
 
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H. W. Butterworth 
 & Sons Co. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 PROVIDENCE OFFICE 
 Room 4\7f Industrial Trust Building 
 
 SOUTHERN AGENT 
 
 A. H. WASHBURN 
 
 Charlotte, N. C. 
 
 Bleaching, Dyeing, Drying and 
 Finishing Machinery 
 
 FOR TEXTILE FABRICS 
 
THE TEXTILE WORLD RECORD 
 KINK BOOKS 
 
 No. 6 
 
 Kinks for Wool and 
 Worsted Finishers 
 
 Compiled from the 
 
 Questions and Answers Department 
 
 of the 
 
 TEXTILE WORLD RECORD 
 
 for its subscribers only 
 
 LORD & NAGLE COMPANY 
 
 Publishers 
 Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 
 

 v.-^^ 
 
 Copyright, 1909 
 
 LORD & NAGLE COMPANY 
 
 Boston, Mass. 
 
 ©CLA251955 
 
 ^-?/(ro7 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Very little attention has been given the subject of 
 finishing woolen and worsted goods by textile writers. 
 This is unfortunate as so important a branch of the 
 woolen and worsted industries certainly would be 
 benefited by tl^e interchange of ideas of competent 
 men on their work. All finishers must have felt at 
 some time this lack of opportunity to compare ex- 
 periences with others who have met the same diffi- 
 culties. 
 
 The editors of the Textile World Record are 
 at all times face to face with the problem of securing 
 practical information. For years its subscribers have 
 been invited to make free use of its columns in asking 
 questions relating to textile manufacturing and it has 
 occurred to us that if some of the most important and 
 most interesting of the practical questions that have 
 been answered were gathered together in a handy form 
 for quick reference it would meet a wide-spread want. 
 
 This book is the result. It contains information 
 which has been supplied by manufacturers, superin- 
 tendents and overseers from their private note books 
 and their stores of knowledge gained by experience. 
 
 It is offered free with a new subscription to the 
 Textile World Record or with the renewal of an 
 old subscription, and unless in the future we see some 
 
 3 
 
4 PREFACE 
 
 good reason to change our policy it will not be sold to 
 others. It is therefore available only to subscribers. 
 As the subscription price of the Textile World 
 Record is very low, amounting to less than eighteen 
 cents a month or two dollars a year, Kinks for Wool 
 and Worsted Finishers is certainly within the reach of 
 anyone interested in its contents. 
 
 Many questions are answered and much information 
 given in this book, but subscribers should remember 
 that if there is any information they desire which is 
 not given in this volume it is their privilege to ask the 
 Questions and Answers Department of the Textile 
 World Record, and every effort will be made to 
 publish the information for them, provided the question 
 is one of general interest to the trade. 
 
 No effort has been made to arrange the subjects in 
 the order of precedence in manufacturing but the 
 book is fully indexed, which should enable, anyone to 
 find the information he seeks in the shortest possible 
 time. 
 
 Grateful acknowledgment is due to the men who 
 have supplied the information, and if Kinks for Wool 
 and Worsted Finishers should benefit any of the large 
 number of men for whom it is intended, both they 
 and the publishers will feel that its mission has been 
 accomplished. 
 
 TEXTILE WORLD RECORD 
 Lord & Nagle Company 
 
 Publishers 
 
KINKS FOR 
 WOOL AND WORSTED FINISHERS 
 
 Difficulty in Fulling 
 
 Our fuller shrinks his cloth about three inches 
 to the yard, but when the goods are finished 
 they are about the same as when they left the 
 loom. That is, they do not stay where he puts 
 them, but stretch the three inches that he 
 shrinks them and sometimes more. I think the 
 trouble is in the fulling as it seems to me half 
 an inch is enough to allow for stretch. The 
 fuller runs the mills with the doors open and 
 the pieces are very cold. Would that have 
 anything to do with it? Marion (841). 
 
 I think "Marion" will find that running the 
 goods stone cold has a good deal to do with the 
 trouble as the wool fibre does not curl or twine 
 so much when cold, in fact, it has an opposite 
 effect. In addition to this the fuller may be 
 fulling the goods almost up to width before 
 beginning to full the length. Both should be 
 started together, even if he has to stop trapping 
 them when up in length to get the width right. 
 Of course there is more strain on the length 
 than the width and the sooner it gets there the 
 less it will stretch. Bernard. 
 
6 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 The trouble seems to be that the stated shrink- 
 age of 3 inches on a yard is caused merely by 
 wetting the pieces in the fulling mill and not by 
 real fulling. All wool is more or less elastic, 
 but some kinds of wool have a tendency to shrink 
 as soon as they come in contact with water or 
 any wet substance. 
 
 The fact that the fuller leaves the doors of the 
 fulling mill open would seem to strengthen this 
 opinion. He has evidently found that the pieces 
 full too quickly and to work more slowly opens 
 the doors. I would suggest that he make an 
 experiment and put the marks on the list of the 
 next piece in the usual way, and wash it with 
 water without fulling. I think it will be found 
 to shrink as much as the piece in the fulling mill. 
 To overcome this trouble the pieces will have to 
 be fulled six inches to the yard. The dry finisher 
 should pull the pieces over a steam pipe after 
 each of the different processes. Whatever 
 stretching the goods undergo in the shears and 
 presses the steam will bring them back to the 
 fulled length. South. 
 
 Crimps in Worsted Cloths 
 
 For some time crimps have appeared on our 
 fabrics. Will you tell us how these are made or 
 how to prevent them? Baker (1204). 
 
 Crimps are a fault common to worsted, cloths 
 and appear soonest in fabrics of hard make. 
 They form by the cloth being allowed to remain 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 7 
 
 in creases while hot and wet, as in this state the 
 fabric is very soft and creases quickly. If lifted 
 hot from the dyeing vessel, worsteds often show 
 the form of crimp known as laid crimps or crow's 
 feet. They form by the plaiting down of the 
 hot cloth, the bottom layers always suffering the 
 most owing to the weight of the top ones. Pre- 
 vention is best done by running cold water into 
 the vessel before lifting, or the cloth may be run 
 through a cooling tank before being piled ready 
 for washing. Tanks for cooling purposes are 
 often let into the ground in front of the cistern 
 used for dyeing; when flush with the floor a 
 pair of substantial hinged lids cover the tank at 
 once, and when not in use the top forms a part 
 of the floor. 
 
 Another crimp known as the long vertical 
 crimp is generally caused in the preliminary 
 soap scouring, and sometimes in the washing 
 off after dyeing. The most frequent cause is 
 long running in one fold during scouring, aggra- 
 vated by hot soap solutions. Scourers' crimps 
 are in 90 per cent, of cases fast and incurable, 
 the crease being in severe cases broken. Hot 
 liquors are great causers of crimps, and no higher 
 temperature should ever be used for worsteds 
 than what can be comfortably borne by the 
 hand. Long running in the same crease is also 
 a fruitful cause of this fault, and in many cases 
 far too much soap is used, with the result of 
 prolonging the scour in order to clear it out. 
 Cold liquors rarely give rise to crimps, unless 
 
8 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 the squeezing rollers are exceptionally heavy or 
 the cloth is overcrowded in the washer. With 
 the idea of changing the form of crease, the cloth 
 is often crossed at the back of the machine, so 
 that two pieces instead of running in two endless 
 bands run in the form of a figure eight. Open 
 width scouring machines are recommended for 
 goods with a tendency to crimp; they certainly 
 keep the cloth open but take a long time to 
 perform the work as the squeezing is slight. 
 
 Sergius. 
 
 Brightening White Blankets 
 
 Can you suggest any harmless solution that 
 we could use in washing our country blankets 
 to brighten the white? Could the same solution 
 be used when washing black and white or other 
 plaids ? How can we overcome the effects of 
 using muddy water? Syracuse (848). 
 
 Probably the water being used is one cause of 
 the dull colors and we would suggest that a clear 
 water be provided, either by filtration or finding 
 a new source. 
 
 If the blankets are scoured thoroughly before 
 fulling and washed carefully afterward, the 
 white should be bright, provided suitable stock 
 is used. A good scouring soap is made as 
 follows : 
 
 10 ozs. good soap, or 
 1}4 ozs. cotton seed oil soap, 
 3 ozs. alkali, 
 1 gallon of water. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 9 
 
 This solution should be boiled until dissolved. 
 Just before it is cold add one-half ounce of sal 
 ammoniac to the gallon. If this is added while 
 the solution is hot, the sal ammoniac, being very- 
 volatile, will lose much of its value. 
 
 After fulling, rinse the goods thoroughly in 
 the washer, but do not add soap. Rinsing 
 should last from 45 minutes to one hour, first 
 using warm water, and then cold, and allowing 
 the suds to drain off frequently. When blacks 
 or other plaids are washed the warm water could 
 not be used unless the color was very good. , 
 
 Removal of Spots on Worsted Goods 
 
 I would like a recipe for removing spots from 
 white worsted goods that are to be piece dyed. 
 
 Orinoco (427). 
 
 Ordinary dirt spots can generally be removed 
 with soap and water. Rust spots can in most 
 •cases be removed by a weak cold solution of 
 oxalic acid. They do not disappear immediately, 
 prolonged treatment being necessary. The solu- 
 tion is applied to the spots and the cloth left to 
 soak, the spotted places being in the meantime 
 repeatedly dampened. Finally the spot is re- 
 moved by rubbing with a sponge or cloth. It 
 is often a good plan to apply a dilute alkali 
 solution to neutralize the acid that niay remain 
 in the goods. If the goods have been dyed and 
 the color has been affected by the acid, the 
 
lO KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 pieces are passed through a solution of spirits 
 of sal ammoniac. Several thicknesses of cloth 
 should be placed under the piece of cloth that 
 is being treated. If this precaution is neglected 
 and the cloth rests upon wood, stone or other 
 hard substance, the spot is likely to be made 
 larger because of the spreading of the rust. If 
 the fabric is very thick and firm, both sides 
 should be treated. 
 
 If there are many spots in the goods it is well 
 to apply the acid solution in the scouring machine, 
 ^he pieces are run in the solution until the spots 
 disappear, the worst places can be treated by 
 hand as already described. After treating with 
 acid the cloth is thoroughly rinsed in clear 
 water and then in a weak alkali solution. 
 
 Spots caused by animal oil are easily removed 
 by benzine, spirits of sal ammoniac or with a 
 solution of acid and ammonia. Delicate colors 
 should be treated with neutral soap only. 
 
 Mineral oil spots are removed as follows: 
 After placing the cloth on felt or three or four 
 thicknesses of clean cloth, olive oil, oleine or 
 rape seed oil is applied to the spots and left for 
 some time to soak into the goods and become 
 mixed with the mineral oil in the spots. The 
 spots are then treated with the following solu- 
 tion: 20 per cent, of soap, 60 per cent, spirits 
 sal ammoniac, 20 per cent, acetic ether. They 
 are then rubbed with a sponge or cloth and the 
 goods rinsed in lukewarm water. Washing in a 
 soap solution is sometimes advisable. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS II 
 
 Where the pieces are badly spotted oleine is 
 freely applied and the goods are then washed 
 with soap and acid in a regular scouring machine. 
 An old and thoroughly tested means of removing 
 oil spots consists of rubbing the spot with warm 
 oil and then washing with soap and water. 
 
 Acid and fruit stains, as well as those made 
 with tar and grease, yield quickly to a solution 
 made of 75 per cent, alcohol, 5 per cent, benzine, 
 and 20 per cent, spirits of sal ammoniac. Fruit 
 spots are readily removed by unterchlor.saures 
 natron. 
 
 Mold spots, if only on the surface, are removed 
 by a thorough washing or steaming. If, how- 
 ever, the mold has penetrated the fabric the 
 spot cannot be removed, because either the 
 fibre or the color has been partially destroyed. 
 These mold spots appear in the form of hght 
 colored places in the finished goods. Pieces 
 that are spotted with mold should first be treated 
 with spirits of sal ammoniac in the scouring 
 machine, then with a solution of soap. Good 
 results are also obtained with unterchlorsaures 
 natron. 
 
 Faint acid spots caused by carbonizing dis- 
 appear by scouring; pronounced spots remain 
 visible after the goods are colored, in which case 
 it is necessary to dye the pieces black. 
 
 Spots caused by pouring strong solutions of 
 alkali on the goods during washing, fulling or 
 neutralizing remain visible even after dyeing, 
 and generally do not yield to any treatment. 
 
12 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 In rare cases they may be removed by neutral- 
 izing the alkah spots with a weak acid solution, 
 then rinsing the goods in clear water. 
 
 Small spots caused by specking ink are re- 
 moved by a damp sponge; large spots of the 
 same origin are removed by scouring the pieces 
 with soap and fuller's earth in the regular 
 scouring machine. Sometimes such spots can 
 be removed by a rinsing in clear water. Ink 
 spots are removed by unterchlorsaures natron. 
 Spots caused by steaming or sponging are re- 
 moved by repeated rinsing in warm water or by 
 steam blowing. N. N. 
 
 Sponging Cotton Warp Worsted 
 
 We enclose sample cut from a piece which 
 before sponging was in good condition, but after 
 being subjected to the ordinary steam sponging 
 a number of red stripes appeared across the 
 piece at irregular distances. Some of these 
 stripes ran across the piece and some lengthwa3^s. 
 Please let us know the cause of this discoloration. 
 
 Clifton (1056). 
 
 After a careful examination I find that this 
 fabric is composed of cotton warp and worsted 
 filling, and the change in color has taken place 
 wholly in the warp threads, the filling threads 
 not showing any change. I feel quite sure in 
 saying that this cloth was colored in the piece 
 by what is known as the one dip process. The 
 cause of the change of color on the cotton is 
 owing to the high temperature to which it has 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 1 3 
 
 been subjected in the steaming or sponging 
 process, the color used in dyeing not being 
 able to resist the action of the steam at this 
 high temperature. If this piece was steamed 
 hard enough the color in the warp would change 
 throughout the whole piece. I would suggest 
 sponging this fabric by the cold process. 
 
 Finisher. 
 
 Finishing Fancy Cassimeres 
 
 I would like the methods used by some of 
 your old finishers on fancy cassimeres. Our 
 seUing house is not satisfied with the finish we 
 give them. Holmer (1472). 
 
 As cassimeres are close finished fabrics, they 
 should be mended in the grease. All parts are 
 treated alike during the finishing process and 
 this will make the imperfections less likely to 
 show than if the sewing is done after the goods 
 are sheared. 
 
 In the next process, fulling, the pieces are 
 folded with the face inside and the selvages 
 sewn together. This makes the pieces full 
 more evenly and also keeps the flocks from 
 the face of the goods, if flocks are used. The 
 flocks should be applied as slowly as possible 
 and the pieces run from fifteen to twenty minutes. 
 The goods are now ready for soaping and for 
 this a soap containing three to seven ounces 
 of alkali per gallon is best. It should be used 
 lukewarm and care taken to have the pieces 
 wet evenly and thoroughly. Good judgment is 
 
14 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 necessary to shrink the goods in length and 
 width in the same proportions. If this is not 
 done they will be more likely to draw out or 
 stretch in succeeding operations. It is a good 
 plan in some cases to take the goods out of the 
 fulling mill and reverse the ends during the 
 operation. They should lose anywhere from 
 18 to 22 per cent, in weight. 
 
 After fulling the goods are scoured, but this 
 should be more of a rinsing process than scouring, 
 as the soap used in fulling should have alkali 
 enough to raise the grease thoroughly. After 
 several applications of warm water in the 
 washer, pour on a 2>^ per cent, solution of sal 
 soda to remove any soap remaining and then 
 run in cold water for half an hour. If the 
 pieces are to be scoured fill the washer half 
 full of water. For fancy colors add a small 
 quantity of sulphuric acid, run for ten minutes 
 and rinse well in cold water. If the goods are 
 to be burr dyed they should not be scoured. 
 The pieces are now extracted lightly and gigged. 
 
 The goods must be gigged very carefully 
 in order to bring the threads out round and 
 full. The next process is back burling, after 
 which the goods are taken to the shear. This 
 operation of shearing should not be hurried 
 and several runs should be made with the blades 
 at different points until the threads show full 
 and round. On the specking table burrs and 
 coarse fancy threads are carefully removed, and 
 any places to be mended should be marked. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 1 5 
 
 After two or three runs on the brush the pieces 
 are pressed. If a screw press is used the pieces 
 should be folded with the face inside and paper 
 placed between the folds. The papers should 
 be changed at the end of six hours and the face 
 of the goods lightly steamed. 
 
 With a rotary press give a moderately hard 
 pressure so that the back of the piece will hold 
 the pressing when the face is steamed. Run 
 on the roll, let stand for twenty-four hours, 
 then steam lightly again. After a final inspec- 
 tion the goods are ready to be cased and shipped. 
 
 I. A. T. 
 
 Rust Spots on White Woolen Goods 
 
 We are having trouble in bleaching white 
 woolen goods with sulphur. Small rust spots 
 of various sizes appear at intervals; sometimes 
 they are as large as a man's hand and have 
 the effect of a sponge filled with rusty water 
 and dropped on the goods. The goods are 
 bleached in one long length. Rockland (873). 
 
 So many different causes might produce the 
 defect mentioned that it is very difficult to 
 give a satisfactory reply. Possibly the spots 
 are caused in the carbonizing process and do 
 not show up until after the goods are bleached. 
 
 A number of years ago I had just such a 
 trouble in the mill where I was working. It 
 was a ramshackle sort of place and all the steam 
 and water pipes were old. One morning rust 
 stains like those "Rockland" describes appeared 
 
1 6 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 on the goods. We looked for the cause of the 
 trouble, but could not find it. For a few days 
 the goods came clear, then the rust spots ap- 
 peared again. Then we hunted some more, 
 and after a while we found the cause. I had 
 tied a bag over the water pipe before opening 
 it to dilute the acid bath and pieces of rusty- 
 iron about as large as peas had lodged near the 
 valve ready to be discharged when the valve 
 was opened. The spots were generally worse on 
 Monday morning after the shut down over 
 Sunday. 
 
 Possibly "Rockland" will be able to trace his 
 stains to the same cause. If he is using steam 
 power to keep the bath at a uniform temper- 
 ature, this may cause it, on account of the 
 affinity of iron for sulphur. If there is a deposit 
 of iron it would be transferred to the goods. 
 We sometimes had to run the water through 
 the pipe for ten or fifteen minutes to clear the 
 pipe of the deposits. Then of course there may 
 be a large percentage of iron in the water, which 
 would make it worse. 
 
 It might also be caused by exposed pillars, 
 beams, bolt heads, nails or other iron connections 
 that have corroded and come in contact with 
 the goods during the process of bleaching. 
 The pipes should be covered at once, if exposed. 
 If the trouble occurs early in the week or even 
 early in the morning, it can probably be traced 
 to the pipes. If the water or sulphur used in 
 bleaching contains iron, it would be in such 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 1 7 
 
 minute quantities that it could not produce 
 the effect complained of, and in any case it 
 would be more evenly distributed. 
 
 Charles Aitkin. 
 
 Bleaching with Permanganate of Potash 
 
 I would to have some information regarding 
 the bleaching of union goods, cotton and wool, 
 with permanganate of potash. Stevens (1018) 
 
 The bleaching of union goods with perman- 
 ganate has not been entirely successful for the 
 reason that the cotton contained in the cloth 
 is always very liable to suffer in strength by 
 the influence of the powerful oxidizing action 
 of the permanganate, and also by the action 
 of the acids necessary to complete the bleach. 
 
 Wool is quite effectively bleached by per- 
 manganate, the strength of solution ranging 
 from ^-ounce to 2 ounces of permanganate to 
 every 25 gallons of water. One German author- 
 ity mentions a strength of "4 per cent." which 
 for the above quantity of water would be nearly 
 133 ounces, and which is no doubt an error^ 
 but liable to cause serious trouble to the goods,, 
 besides leading to a condemnatory opinion of 
 thd process. 
 
 With a solution of say, 1 ounce to 25 gallons, 
 there should be added about 1 per cent, of Epsom 
 salts (sulphate of magnesia), the effect of which 
 is to counteract the action of the caustic potash 
 formed in the bath during the deposition of the 
 peroxide of manganese, with the formation of 
 
l8 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 magnesium hydroxide and potassium sulphate, 
 conserves the strength of the wool fibres. The 
 immersion of the goods lasts about one hour, 
 taking care to have the material thoroughly 
 wetted, then turning regularly for another hour 
 until the peroxide deposited appears to be quite 
 uniform. The actual bleaching is accomplished 
 during the depositing of this brown oxide. 
 
 The "clearing" is accomplished by passing 
 the well washed material through ,a fresh cold 
 bath made up with either bisulphite of soda or 
 sulphurous acid and borax. Some recommend 
 that this bath be heated to 125° F., but to the 
 writer this seems to invite damage to the goods. 
 After the brown coloration has been entirely 
 removed the goods should be removed, well 
 washed to remove every trace of acid, and then 
 dried. 
 
 For union goods it is suggested to use a cold 
 permanganate solution of yi to 25 gallons of 
 water, bleach until the pink color is completely 
 lost, wash well, and give a sour in dilute sul- 
 phuric acid at 1° Tw., until the brown has 
 cleared, then lift, and wash well to remove all 
 traces of acid. This will give a basis upon which 
 to work out a process for this type of bleach. 
 
 Berwick. 
 
 Perforated Rolls for Steaming Cloth 
 
 What are the advantages and disadvantages 
 of large and small perforated rolls for steaming 
 cloth? We are now steaming our goods on an 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS I9 
 
 ordinary steam gig with 7-inch rolls, and are 
 informed that better results can be obtained at 
 less cost with the use of a regular steaming 
 machine with larger rolls. Stein (457). 
 
 Increasing the size of the rollers enables a 
 larger quantity of cloth to be wound without 
 any increase in the thickness of the cloth through 
 which the steam is forced. Two pieces of 24- 
 ounce worsted serge measuring 79 >^ yards were 
 wound on a 7-inch roll and the cloth was five 
 inches thick. It would, however, take 152>^ 
 yards of the same kind of cloth wound on an 
 18-inch roll to make a thickness of 5 inches. 
 
 Experience has shown that with copper of 
 the ordinary thickness, 1-8 of an inch, it is not 
 safe to increase the diameter of the perforated 
 roll beyond 18 inches. If made larger than that 
 the pressure of the air when the steam is 
 condensed inside the cylinder is liable to cause the 
 cylinder to collapse. 
 
 Wrinkling of Woolen Goods 
 
 We are making union dress goods and flannels 
 weighing 10 ounces per yard, 56 inches wide, 
 26 warp threads and 28 picks per inch in the 
 goods. We fold by hand and bolt our goods, 
 using a long table with a hand baling machine. 
 Some of the pieces will bolt even, others will 
 not lie smooth on the table and will wrinkle on 
 the bolt. We dry on tender bars. We use a 
 steam press for finishing part of our goods, but 
 have the trouble with goods that are not pressed 
 at all. Can you suggest a remedy? 
 
 Canton (988). 
 
20 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 Not knowing the nature of the wrinkles, this 
 is a hard question to answer, but there are 
 several causes for this difficulty. The most fre- 
 quent is tight listing and cockles. When the 
 trouble is caused from the listing the cloth will 
 bag in the center when the listings are folded 
 together and will wrinkle when the goods are 
 folded up. The only remedy for this trouble is 
 to use as much tension on the press as possible 
 when pressing the goods, that is, stretch them 
 lengthways. This will stretch out the listing to 
 correspond with the center of the piece. This 
 remedy is also used when the listings are loose. 
 The finishing department is not the proper 
 place to remedy this trouble, it should be done 
 before weaving. It is usually caused by 
 using yarns for the listings differing in size from 
 those used in the rest of the warp. 
 
 As the goods will not lie smooth on the table, 
 I judge the trouble is caused from cockles. It 
 is often maintained that this trouble is caused 
 in the fulling process, from uneven soaping, etc., 
 but this is not so. Cockles cannot be made in 
 the fulling mill. Cockles are made before the 
 goods reach the finishing department, or even 
 before the goods are woven. As they cannot 
 be seen until brought out by the fulling process 
 it is but natural to lay the blame on that. 
 Cockles are often the result of uneven filling, 
 mixed filling, uneven weaving and uneven oiling 
 of the stock. The latter is the most frequent 
 cause. Weaving in old bobbins of filling that 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 21 
 
 have been allowed to lie around for a long time 
 will also cause cockles. In such cases the oil 
 is firmly set and is apt to start uneven in the 
 fulling process. This can be overcome by a 
 strong solution of alkali, as strong as the fabric 
 will stand. Alkali is a strong agent in the 
 fulling process and is likely to bring up the 
 goods in width and length before the required 
 amount of felt is produced. In such a case 
 the goods should be thoroughly scoured before 
 fulling, when it will be possible to treat them 
 at this point so that the required finish may be 
 obtained. Cockles are never caused from uneven 
 soaping unless hot soap is used. This should 
 never be used as the soap will penetrate very 
 quickly in spots and these places will begin to 
 full before the drier places become wet enough 
 to start. 
 
 Mixed filling in the weave room will often 
 cause bad work, especially on fabrics that re- 
 quire a lot of fulling. The filling being of 
 different stock, with more or less twist, the 
 goods will full unevenly. This is easily de- 
 tected as the wrinkles run straight across the 
 goods. When the goods come to the finishing 
 room in that condition the only thing to do is 
 to stretch them in width, leaving the pieces on 
 the rolls over night. Vincent. 
 
22 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 Test of Hydro-Extractor 
 
 How much water should be left in woolen goods 
 by a centrifugal extractor? Dry Gig (371). 
 
 The amount of water in extracted cloth de- 
 pends upon the fabric and efficiency of the 
 centrifugal extractor. If the fabric is close and 
 solid, it will not absorb moisture as well as will 
 a soft, spongy and loosely woven cloth. The 
 efficiency of a cloth extractor is tested by 
 weighing the pieces as they come from the 
 machine and again after drying. The pieces 
 should not be subjected to any process of 
 finishing between extracting and drying. For 
 example, a piece of kersey weighs 81>2 pounds 
 when extracted and 62 pounds when dry, show- 
 ing that the extractor left in the piece 19^ 
 pounds of water which was removed by drying. 
 This 19>^ pounds is 31.4 per cent, of the dry 
 weight of the piece. By making an occasional 
 test of this kind the efficiency of the machine 
 can be determined. The tests should, of course, 
 be made with the same fabric as the amount of 
 water retained by different fabrics varies widely. 
 
 Following are the results of tests of an ex- 
 tractor on six pieces of tightly woven kerseys, 
 style 4608, and two pieces of loosely woven 
 beavers, styles 1441 and 1382. The water left 
 by the extractor in the kerseys varied from 
 25.7 to 37.7 while that left in the beavers 
 varied from 80.1 to 85.7 respectively: 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 ^2> 
 
 
 
 WEIGHT 
 
 
 Percentage 
 
 9TVT V 
 
 
 
 
 of water 
 
 
 Extracted 
 
 Dry 
 
 Water 
 
 based on 
 dry weight. 
 
 4608 
 
 813^ 
 
 62 
 
 19>^ 
 
 31.4 
 
 4608 
 
 633^ 
 
 503^ 
 
 13 
 
 25.7 
 
 4608 
 
 653^ 
 
 51M 
 
 14 
 
 27.1 
 
 4608 
 
 73 
 
 53 
 
 20 
 
 37.7 
 
 4608 
 
 73 
 
 56 
 
 17 
 
 30.3 
 
 4608 
 
 75 H 
 
 55 
 
 203^ 
 
 37.3 
 
 1441 
 
 1043^ 
 
 56 
 
 48 
 
 85.7 
 
 1382 
 
 1043^ 
 
 58 
 
 461^ 
 
 80.1 
 
 The wide variation here disclosed was probably 
 due to the fact that the pieces were run in the 
 extractor for the same length of time irrespective 
 of the fabric, and shows the necessity of gauging 
 the time of running by the class of goods handled. 
 The speed of the extractor is of course limited by 
 the consideration of safety. 
 
 Burr Dye for Wool, Worsted and Union 
 Goods 
 
 Will you kindly give me recipes for burr dyes 
 which can safely be used on all-wool goods and 
 on union cassimeres and cotton warp goods. 
 Also please give the strength to be used. 
 
 Burry (1314). 
 
 Burr dye is made of logwood, blue vitriol and 
 soda ash, a good recipe for it being: 
 
 Extract of Logwood 48 lbs. 
 
 Soda Ash 30 lbs. 
 
 Blue Vitriol 12 lbs. 
 
24 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 This should make about 100 gallons of a burr 
 dye that can (properly diluted) be used with 
 safety upon almost any kind of woolen or 
 worsted, excepting cotton mixtures. The dye 
 will stand at about 10°, and has to be diluted 
 with cold water to suit the fabric under operation. 
 This burr dye, as in fact all others, must be used 
 only when perfectly cold; again it will not do 
 to allow the goods to stand still in the liquor 
 any length of time. 
 
 Another recipe for a burr dye is given thus: 
 
 Extract of Logwood 200 lbs. 
 
 Soda Ash 110 lbs. 
 
 Blue Vitriol 50 lbs. 
 
 This should make about 200 gallons of a burr 
 dye, and which also has to be reduced with cold 
 water previous to using it. 
 
 The extract of logwood as used for burr dye 
 can without disadvantage be of an inferior 
 grade, or hematine will do just as well. This 
 logwood or hematine is put into a tank with 
 sufficient water to fill said tank about 1-8 full. 
 Then add the blue vitriol, turn on steam, and 
 bring the mixture to a boil, after which turn off 
 some of the steam and boil moderately, until 
 all the vitriol has been dissolved; then turn off 
 the steam and let the liquor stand for a few 
 hours to cool, adding at the same time a pail or 
 two of cold water. Then add the soda ash, 
 but remember, very slowly and carefully, since 
 as soon as the soda ash and the vitriol come in 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 25 
 
 contact, fermentation sets in, and the liquor 
 will begin to boil and rise, and possibly run over 
 in the tank, and thus the best part of the coloring 
 matter be lost. 
 
 When all the soda ash has been added, let the 
 liquor stand for some time, in order to give it a 
 chance slowly to work, and at the same time, 
 if at any time there are signs of it rising, add 
 a little cold water. Agitate the ash gently until 
 you can stir the liquor without it showing signs 
 of much rising, then turn on steam and bring it 
 slowly to boil, and in turn keep this up for about 
 four hours. Next turn off the steam and fill 
 tank with cold water, keeping the liquor well 
 stirred while the tank is filling. 
 
 When the process is finished, the liquor should 
 possess clearness and richness (a clear plum or 
 claret) of color, when, however, if the color is 
 muddy and of a dirty blue, gray, or black shade, 
 it is a sign that an error in preparing it has been 
 made, and that the dye will give poor results 
 when used. Never combine the coloring matter 
 with the ash first and then add the vitriol, for 
 in this manner the best strength of the extract 
 of logwood is wasted, while if it is combined 
 with the vitriol first and the ash added last, all 
 of its power is retained. Combining the vitriol 
 and ash with water, and then adding extract of 
 logwood, will also give poor results, there being 
 something in the extract of logwood which needs 
 fermentation, and which is omitted by this 
 combination of the ingredients. In the same 
 
26 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 manner adding all three ingredients at one time 
 into a barrel or tank, and this to boil with a 
 small amount of water, will also give a poor, if 
 not valueless burr dye. 
 
 The more soda ash there is used, the deeper 
 a claret the shade will be, while, if the amount 
 of vitriol used is increased, then the shade will 
 lean more towards the blue cast than the claret. 
 
 A point which sometimes puzzles a finisher is 
 just how strong a burr dye should be in order 
 to produce results. This, naturally, varies more 
 or less with the kind of goods treated, that is 
 the character and abundance of specks and burrs 
 which it has to conceal; also upon the method 
 adopted in applying, as well as upon the time 
 when the dye is used. Under ordinary circum- 
 stances, and upon a fair grade of stock, the dye 
 will be found to work well at 1^° to 3°. The 
 quantity of dye to be applied to the goods 
 also varies with the amount of work which it 
 has to do, and with the method of its application. 
 
 Some finishers use the dye in the washers 
 before gigging the cloth, and when about three 
 pails of the 3° dye to the piece will do the work. 
 The operation in this case is thus: Run the 
 fabrics in the washer sufficiently long to thorough- 
 ly start the soap and dirt; and do not add the 
 dye until a good, clean lather has begun to show. 
 Each piece should run in its three pails of dye 
 for at least twenty minutes before the rinsing 
 in cold water has begun. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 27 
 
 However, the best plan is to defer the burr 
 dyeing until after the goods are gigged. In 
 this instance, although we may use the same 
 amount of dye, — about the same, viz., three 
 pails to the piece, — yet it is only necessary to 
 have it about half as strong as if burr dyeing 
 in the washer, in order to accomplish the same 
 results, l}4° in most cases being quite strong 
 enough for all practical purposes. 
 
 A good method of applying the burr dye to 
 the goods is thus: The dye is contained in a 
 large square tank, a roller frame being adjusted 
 in the tank and on which the cloth is run from 
 a pile on the floor. The cloth is thus run up from 
 the floor and down into the liquor, being passed 
 over the top row of rollers and under the lower 
 row alternately. Then just before it passes out 
 of the tank, it is run between two large squeeze 
 rollers, in order to save the surplus dye liquor, 
 whvch thus runs back into the tank and is re- 
 used. From these squeeze rollers, the fabric is 
 run on the roller or directly into the washers for 
 the removal of the loose dye and the final cleans- 
 ing. In its passage between the large pressure 
 rollers the cloth must be carefully smoothed, and 
 not allowed to curl or wrinkle under at the 
 selvages. By this method of burr dyeing, the 
 cloth is not allowed to remain in the dye too 
 long at a time, and the liquor is evenly and uni- 
 formly distributed over the whole piece, so that 
 no part of the goods receives more than the 
 
28 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 other. Cloudy and shady goods will not be 
 liable to form if care is taken. 
 
 In most cases, however, the burr dyeing is 
 done in the washer, in which case let the goods 
 run 20 minutes in the dye, and then rinse well 
 and give a bath of fuller's earth after that, 
 which will prevent all danger of the goods crock- 
 ing. 
 
 UNION GOODS 
 
 When dealing with union cassimeres, and all 
 goods which have cotton warp and wool filling, 
 we must resort to different plans for burr dyeing, 
 or else a different effect will be produced upon 
 the cotton from that produced upon the wool 
 portion of the fabric, for the fact that if the dye 
 were so made that it would produce exactly the 
 desired effect upon the wool and cover nicely 
 all the specks and dyes contained therein, it 
 would be most likely to tinge the cotton in the 
 fabric to such a marked extent as to materially 
 affect the whole appearance of the piece. For 
 such goods a good recipe for preparing burr dye 
 is thus: 
 
 Extract Logwood 175 lbs. 
 
 Soda Ash 140 lbs. 
 
 Blue Vitriol 90 lbs. 
 
 This produces 200 gallons of a dye which 
 stands about at 15°, and which for dark shades 
 should be reduced to 2°, and for light to 1°, 
 while 2)4. pails to a 6-4 piece, and from 10 to 
 15 minutes, application in the washer (consider- 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 29 
 
 ing a fabric previously gigged), will give proper 
 results. The rinsing after this is a very im- 
 portant step, and must be carefully and thorough- 
 ly done, with a good rich flow of pure water, 
 otherwise goods may crack. Plenty of time 
 must always be given for this scouring or rinsing 
 after burr dyeing, since, unless it is well done, 
 this result is inevitable. If it is desired to 
 produce a sort of blue cast on these fabrics, a 
 case often called for, it will be necessary to 
 employ about twice as much blue vitriol and 
 half as much soda ash. But here there will be 
 trouble unless the greatest care is taken not to 
 use too much of the vitriol for the good of the 
 cloth. The amount which can be safely used 
 will depend largely upon the condition of the 
 goods, but under any circumstances enough 
 should be used to cover all the burrs and specks, 
 or else its purpose will have been in vain. 
 
 Any batch of burr dye should be always 
 tested before it is used, and, if possible, kept 
 exactly uniform for all similar styles of goods. 
 Again it must be applied in even and regular 
 quantities, and the goods must always be al- 
 lowed to remain in the dye for the same length 
 of time. The dye is always best in its action 
 when perfectly cold. However, not only must 
 we use a perfectly cold burr dye, but at the 
 same time the goods must be also in a cold 
 state, and to make sure of this, give them about 
 five minutes' run in cold water after putting 
 them in the washer, but be sure and have them 
 
30 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 well drained before running them through the 
 burr dye tank, or adding the dye in the washer, 
 provided no special burr dye tank is used. In 
 the latter case never lea\'e water in the washer 
 to thus reduce the dye, for such a procedure 
 will result in uneven work. Always reduce your 
 dye to the exact strength wanted before giving 
 it to the goods. 
 
 Dewing Process 
 
 I should like to have your opinion of the 
 efficiency of the "dewing" process in the shrink- 
 ing of woolens. I understand that some of the 
 mills that stamp their goods "London shrunk" 
 are using this method. They suggest giving 
 the goods a light steam sponging before cutting, 
 which we often find not only causes shrinkage 
 but cockles the goods. The results are not as 
 good as with similar fabrics on which the"London 
 shrunk" process has not been used. 
 
 Another source of great complaint is the 
 tendency of so many worsted and mercerized 
 fabrics to cockle in the process of steaming. 
 Is there not something in this latter day process 
 of manufacture that is responsible for both the 
 evils herein mentioned? Sponger (970). 
 
 The "London shrunk" process consists in 
 dampening the goods heavily, either with a 
 "dewing" machine or by rolling the pieces 
 between the damp leaders. After the cloth 
 absorbs sufficient moisture, the pieces are 
 pressed in a plate press. In this way all stretch- 
 ing of the goods, either width ways or length- 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 3 1 
 
 ways is avoided. This process is rather laborious 
 and slow. 
 
 In order to obtain a larger production and 
 reduce the cost of labor, a number of mills have 
 adopted a different process which they never- 
 theless call "London shrunk." Ordinarily it 
 consists in dampening the cloth lightly on a 
 "dewing" machine. The pieces are then run 
 through a rotary pl-ess which stretches them 
 lengthways. They are then dampened again 
 lightly on the "dewing" machine and pressed 
 a second time in the rotary, which stretches 
 them still more. This process naturally results 
 in leaving the fabric in such a condition that 
 it will shrink when sponged. The process is 
 wrongly called "London shrunk" and in all 
 probability was used for finishing the goods 
 under examination. Finisher. 
 
 Slipping of the Cylinder of a Rotary Press 
 
 We are making large quantities of piece dyed 
 beavers and kerseys and have a great deal of 
 difficulty with the press. The cylinder slips on 
 the goods so that the cloth does not pass through 
 the machine, but wrinkles at the edges and 
 sometimes in the center of the pieces. At 
 times the difficulty is so bad that the cloth 
 remains stationary while the cylinder is running. 
 We have repeatedly rusted the cylinder, but 
 this does not seem to be entirely effective. 
 The cloth runs somewhat better after the rusting, 
 but the trouble soon reappears. Can you give 
 us a remedy? Cylinder (162). 
 
32 
 
 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 From the description given of the trouble by 
 our correspondent, we would judge that the 
 principal cause is gum or dyestuff on the goods, 
 which fills up the surface of the cylinder and 
 reduces the friction to such an extent that the 
 machine cannot carry the goods through. This 
 trouble is very liable to occur with piece dyed 
 goods, where more or less of the dyestuff is left 
 in the fabric. Heavily burr-dyed goods are 
 also very liable to the difficulty. The burr 
 dye is in the form of a loose dye attached me- 
 chanically to the goods and easily separated 
 from the fibre. To remedy this difficulty the 
 goods must be cleaned more thoroughly, the 
 surplus dyestuff or dirt being removed; the 
 cylinder should be well rusted. It may be that 
 the cylinder has become so smooth as to necess- 
 itate draw filing. To rust the cylinder the 
 press beds can be run back from the cylinder, 
 and the brass jackets can be taken out or they 
 may be protected thoroughly from water and 
 acid by burlap or other means. The ordinary 
 commercial sulphuric acid full strength or muri- 
 atic acid half strength should be applied and 
 the cylinder left to stand over night. In the 
 morning the surplus acid is well washed ofE 
 and examination will determine whether the 
 rust has sufficiently developed. During this 
 operation the cylinder should be cold. With 
 clean goods we do not think our correspondent 
 will then have any difficulty. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 33 
 
 Steaming and Stretching 
 
 Kindly explain the process of steaming and 
 stretching 'or boiling and stretching and the 
 results aimed at. Hooper (1344). 
 
 The steaming and stretching machine ordi- 
 narily receives the cloth from the extractors, 
 and has for its object to smooth out all wrinkles, 
 prevent lightning effects caused by too long 
 fulling, to sadden the cloth to its natural state, 
 arfd finally to wind the cloth under operation on 
 to wood rolls ready for the gig or napper as 
 the case may be. For still further improving 
 the lustre and feel of face finished goods before 
 their going to the dryers, as well as to remove 
 wrinkles and creases in cloth that has laid 
 around for a long time, and for steaming and 
 stretching in general, this machine will be 
 especially found of advantage. 
 
 The cloth usually is run into the machine 
 from the open fold, and passes first through 
 tension bars, then over the first stretch or 
 expansion roll to the second stretch or expansion 
 roll. Between these two rolls there are several 
 lengths of perforated pipe by which the steam 
 is let onto the cloth as it passes over the fabric,, 
 thus receiving the cloth while it is in a perfectly- 
 smooth condition, and from where it goes 
 directly to the winding roll. The machine will 
 handle the heaviest or lightest goods equally 
 well, as the tension of the cloth and the hard- 
 ness of the roll can be regulated. All the run- 
 
34 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 ning parts of the machine are gears or sprockets 
 and chain, so there are no belts to be affected 
 by the water or steam. Some of these machines 
 are built to fold the cloth off onto the floor, 
 in place of winding i^; on a roll, again some have 
 both attachments applied, either one of which 
 can be used as the case may require. 
 
 This machine is also built with a boiling pan, 
 so that the cloth runs through boiling water, the 
 latter being boiled by a perforated steam pipe 
 roll, set in the pan, and in which instance the 
 machine is termed a "boiling and stretching 
 machine." Some machines again are built 
 having both attachments (steaming and boiling) 
 added, either one of which may be used. Again 
 the regular steam box can be substituted for 
 the perforated steam pipes, if preferred. Larger 
 machines having three stretch rolls, double the 
 steaming capacity, and a larger brush with two 
 or three cloth contacts are also built. 
 
 All worsted fabrics that are to receive a finish 
 that requires gigging should be taken from the 
 washers to the steaming and stretching or 
 boiling and stretching machine and rolled up 
 to give them a smooth face free from wrinkles 
 and pits and streaks. They should remain on 
 the rolls from two to three hours. French. 
 
 Waterproofing Woolen Goods 
 
 Will you please give us a simple receipt for 
 waterproofing woolen goods? We have no dye 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 35 
 
 tubs or tanks and want some simple and in- 
 expensive process that does not require much 
 special machinery or expert knowledge of 
 chemistry, as we have no one in our employ 
 with that knowledge. Colorado (637). 
 
 There is a new process for waterproofing 
 woolen goods recently brought out which would 
 seem to answer the requirements of our cor- 
 respondent. The only machine required is a 
 washer and the finish is produced by giving one 
 run in the washer. 
 
 The following directions are given by the 
 manufacturers : 
 
 Dissolve 80 pounds of Squantum paste in a 
 50-gallon barrel. Put the paste in barrel and 
 add 20 gallons of water; heat up to boihng and 
 then fill barrel with water and thoroughly mix. 
 This makes a stock liquor sufficient to treat 
 1,400 yards of medium weight goods. 
 
 To run 200 yards of goods: the water- 
 proofing is to be done in washing machine, and 
 the goods should first be wet out in hot water, 
 and only enough water used to cover the goods. 
 While goods are running add 7 gallons of stock 
 liquor from the barrel already prepared, and run 
 in this bath for about one hour, keeping tem- 
 perature up if convenient to do so. Now fill 
 washer 1-3 to j^ full of cold water and without 
 stopping goods add 8 pounds Squantum Hquor 
 and run for five or ten minutes longer. Then 
 extract Hghtly, dry and press. 
 
 The quantity of paste and liquor to be used 
 may be varied according to the nature of the 
 
36 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 fabric. Light weight, loosely woven goods will 
 require more than a closely woven fabric. 
 
 It takes 2 pounds of the liquor for every 3 
 pounds of the paste used. The cost figures 
 from l^A to 2 cents per yard. 
 
 Cloth Boards 
 
 I wish you would draw the attention of manu- 
 facturers to the wretched habit of some of them, 
 who use rough lap boards for cloth. It frequently 
 makes from five to seven yards on the inside of 
 the pieces almost unmerchantable. By using a 
 little more care and properly papering the 
 boards they would save the jobbers no end of 
 annoyance and themselves a lot of claims. 
 
 Cloth Examiner (984). 
 
 We have frequently called the attention of 
 manufacturers to the damage resulting from 
 this very bad habit. There is no excuse for it. 
 If manufacturers don't want to take the bother 
 of papering the boards they should insist that 
 they get properly finished cloth boards, or they 
 can procure patent cloth boards made of paper 
 and wood which need no covers and which are 
 very much lighter than wood boards and 
 equally strong, or the specially designed paper 
 cloth boards which overcome the objections of 
 our correspondent. 
 
 Face Finish 
 
 Will you explain for me the secret of producing 
 a good face or lustre finish on broadcloths, 
 beavers, kerseys, and such goods? 
 
 Waddell (1463). 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 37 
 
 In the finishing of broadcloths, kerseys, 
 beavers and goods of similar character, re- 
 quiring the face or luster finish, it is not infre- 
 quently the case that too much is expected of 
 the steamng or boiling process, to the neglect 
 or oversight of the importance of other parts 
 of the work. 
 
 The prevailing idea, which is only partly 
 correct, that the steaming produces the luster, 
 is often misleading, and in the case of young 
 finishers who have had little experience on this 
 class of work, tends to lead to imperfect results. 
 
 The writer's attention was recently called to 
 two instances of mills on this class of work, 
 where the results were not satisfactory; and 
 the impression on the part of the manager in 
 each case seemed to be that there was some 
 serious fault or deficiency in the steaming of the 
 goods. We took pains to procure samples of 
 the goods, and found that there was a difficulty 
 existing which could never be corrected in the 
 steaming: a difficulty which at once suggested 
 the need of more skill or care in preparing the 
 cloth for steaming. Steaming alone can never 
 develop a luster of any consequence, and the 
 proper preparation and condition of the cloth 
 for steaming is equally important with the 
 steaming itself. 
 
 To demonstrate this point we might ask 
 Waddell to take a piece of broadcloth having 
 a good luster finish, and note the difference in 
 the appearance of the face and back. It will 
 
38 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 be found that however perfect may be the 
 luster on the face, there will be far less, if any, 
 on the back. If steaming produces a luster, 
 why does not the back show it as well as the 
 face? Simply because the back has not been 
 prepared, by a suitable gigging to bring about 
 such a result. 
 
 It is impossible to secure a satisfactory luster 
 upon a cloth having the fibers matted and lying 
 in every direction, as they appear in the felted 
 surface of the cloth as it comes from the fulling 
 mill. 
 
 The raising of a suitable nap, and above all 
 a perfect parallelism of all the fibers showing 
 upon the surface of the cloth are as important 
 as the steaming. The luster is a characteristic 
 of the wool fibers, and the gigging and sub- 
 sequent steaming only tend to put them into 
 a position and condition to show the natural 
 luster to the best advantage, and to insure its 
 permanency upon the face of the cloth. 
 
 We found by a careful examination of the 
 samples above referred to, that the gigging had 
 been insufficient. Many of the fibers upon the 
 face of the cloth were still in their felted con- 
 dition, showing through the scanty nap, which 
 was not sufficient to wholly cover up the tangled 
 fibers beneath. All the visible fibers upon the 
 face of the cloth should have been included in 
 the nap, and properly laid by a wet gigging or 
 brushing preparatory to being given a perma- 
 nency by the steaming. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 39 
 
 The best results are obtainable only by having 
 a nap that will thoroughly cover the felt and 
 threads beneath, and making sure it is well laid 
 before the steaming is done. It is necessary 
 to have a suitable felt from which to produce 
 the required nap, and if this is lacking, the 
 fault is either in the fulling or in the construc- 
 tion of the cloth in the loom. Some finishers use 
 the wire napper for a part of the work, and 
 finish up with the teasels, which is an excellent 
 plan. Where the work is done wholly upon 
 the gig it is best to start the work with old and 
 well worn teasels, as sharp teasels will act too 
 harshly upon the unbroken felted surface of 
 the cloth, tearing out fibers that should remain 
 as a part of the nap. 
 
 As the work proceeds sharper teasels should 
 be inserted in order to work effectively through 
 the nap already produced, reaching the bottom 
 and adding to the density of the nap. If the 
 work is done on a double cylinder gig, the 
 cylinders should be run in opposite directions, 
 with a grade of better work in the second than 
 in the first cylinder, until the gigging is near 
 completion, when both cylinders should be run 
 in the same direction to finish. Where a single 
 cylinder gig is employed, reversing the cylinder 
 or the cloth will serve the same purpose as 
 running the two double cylinders opposite. 
 
 Goods composed of all wool stock will usually 
 stand and require the raising of about all the 
 fibers constituting the felted face of the cloth; 
 
40 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 but care should be observed not to work upon 
 the threads of the cloth to injure them. Some- 
 times in the finishing of low grade goods, having 
 considerable shoddy, it is advisable to hold off 
 a little, leaving a part of the felt intact, but 
 raising sufficient to cover it well. This gives a 
 certain stability to the cloth and avoids the 
 danger of tender goods. At all events, the nap 
 should be thoroughly laid, and all visible fibers 
 parallel in order for the steaming to do justice 
 to the work. Elmo. 
 
 Unclean Goods 
 
 We have on hand a large stock of finished 
 cloth which is off shade. The goods do not 
 seem to be gigged or sheared uniformly. Every 
 effort has been made to set the machinery to 
 correct these defects, but we have not been 
 successful. Can you advise where to look for 
 the trouble? Miller (1406). 
 
 It is very probable that the cloth is not 
 thoroughly cleaned, and if this is the case it> 
 cannot be properly gigged, sheared, or pressed. 
 We were called at one time to a mill to correct 
 some difficulties that the finisher was having 
 in his work, and were told that, as in Miller's 
 case, the goods did not seem to gig or shear 
 uniformly, and that it was almost impossible 
 to get out two pieces of the same style that 
 would shade alike. 
 
 When we looked over the work, we found the 
 rolls on the rotary gigs were wound with strips 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 4I 
 
 of cloth along the middle, so as to force the 
 teazles to clear up the goods at that point. 
 
 In order to shear the goods, they would run 
 them until the sides were clear, and then with 
 a girl on each side holding a sheet of paper 
 over the cloth at the sides, to avoid shearing 
 more at those points, the blades were lowered 
 so as to shear the middle of the piece, all the 
 time cursing someone for making the cloth with 
 slack sides and selvages. 
 
 Every effort the finisher had put forth had 
 been to adjust or readjust his machines in the 
 dry finishing or gig room, without giving a 
 thought to the possibility that the condition 
 of the goods brought about by his own inability 
 had anything to do with the trouble. 
 
 I first went to the fulling room and adjusted 
 the strength and body of the soap to suit. 
 Then started a set of pieces and followed them 
 through to see that they received the treat- 
 ment required. In the meantime we pulled ofi^ 
 the extra laggings that had been wound on the 
 gig rolls, while the finisher, who was still "on 
 deck," swore it was a mistake, saying that if 
 the goods would not clear up with the laggings 
 they certainly would not without. 
 
 Then we made corrections at the shears, 
 straightening the rest and blades that had been 
 doctored in the vain endeavor to do an im- 
 possibility. 
 
 When the goods came around they gigged 
 and sheared as true and uniform as one could 
 wish. 
 
42 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 The trouble above referred to represented two 
 extremes. First in dirty goods and secondly 
 in ignorance of the requirements in the fulling 
 and scouring. When the wet finishing is skill- 
 fully and properly done the rest of the work is 
 easy, otherwise impossible In this case the 
 grease in the goods was never properly started 
 and the fulling could not be uniform nor perfect. 
 
 The goods 'worried up" instead of being 
 fulled up, the time for the work thereby length- 
 ened to the injury of the colors; and as some 
 were run a longer and some' a shorter time 
 owing to the varying of the imperfect con- 
 ditions, so the colors were varied in shade and 
 the goods in uniformity of felt and finish. 
 
 When coming from the washer they were not 
 clean, except on the sides, where they were 
 more exposed to the action of the soap. For 
 it will be found that, as a rule, dirty goods are 
 the dirtiest in the middle, which explains the 
 conditions in which the goods in question went 
 to the dry finishing room. 
 
 After getting the work under way, we found 
 no difficulty in matching the goods or in fin- 
 ishing uniformly. Elmo. 
 
 Loom and Finished Weights of Woolen 
 Goods 
 
 Can you give me a rule for figuring the shrink- 
 age necessary to give a specified finished weight ? 
 
 Deininger (140 ). 
 
 If the loom weight less the shrinkage leaves 
 the desired finished weight, there is nothing for 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 43 
 
 the finisher to do so far as weight is concerned, 
 but when there is a shortage he must make it 
 up in the fulHng mill. On certain grades of 
 goods this weight is obtained by fulling with 
 flocks, but the usual method is to shrink the 
 goods lengthways, as well as in width, and by 
 diminishing the yards increase the weight. A 
 proper method of calculating just how much 
 to shrink the goods in order to obtain a given 
 weight will be best explained by an example. 
 
 Let us suppose that we are running on a 
 20-ounce cassimere. We have carefully weighed 
 the sample ends or pieces in the grease and 
 again when finished, and find that there is a 
 shrinkage in finishing of 20 per cent. Our 
 pieces from the loom show 23 ounces, and we 
 are given to understand that they will come 
 this weight right along; so it is evident that 
 we must make up weight in order to have our 
 goods finish 20 ounces as required, as 23 ounces 
 (loom weight) less 20 per cent, only figure 18.4 
 ounces. 
 
 This difference in weight must be obtained 
 by shrinking the goods in length, and this is 
 accomplished by weighting the trap on the 
 fulling mill, provided with a lever for that 
 purpose. To arrive at the amount to be shrunk 
 to give our weight we figure as follows: 
 
 23 oz. (loom weight) less 20 per cent. = 18.4. 
 
 18.4X36 (inches to a yard) =662.4. 
 
 662.4^20 (oz. per yard desired) =33.12 
 
 36 inches— 33.12 = 2.88, or nearly 3 inches per 
 yard to be taken up in length. 
 
44 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 Every piece should be figured separately 
 where any variation in loom weights appear, 
 in order to insure exact and uniform finished 
 weights. There should be little variation in 
 loom weights if proper care be taken in the 
 weave room and other departments — not more 
 than half an ounce per yard at most, and if 
 the finisher observes more variation he should 
 draw the attention of the responsible parties 
 to same. While no hard and fast rule can be 
 laid down to cover all kinds of goods, it is 
 usually expedient to allow a little extra take-up 
 over and above that figured on, in order to take 
 care of any stretching the goods may receive 
 in drying, napping and any other process 
 subsequent to fulling. The amount of such 
 stretching can easily be ascertained by careful 
 measurements before and after the processes 
 mentioned. Chas. A. Heddle. 
 
 Wrinkles in Worsted Goods 
 
 Can you kindly give a reason for the wrinkles 
 and cracks in worsted goods and method of 
 removing same? Salem (1101). 
 
 If the goods are laid out properly, reeded so 
 as to come off the loom not too wide, the finisher 
 will be able to bring his goods out of the washers 
 or fulling mills a fair width, say 56 or 57 inches, 
 and have them come from the drying machine 
 at 59 inches, even in cheap goods. Under 
 these conditions there will be no trouble with 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 45 
 
 cracks and wrinkles. If the goods are not laid 
 out too wide they ought to be free from wrinkles. 
 I would also suggest that a small pot eye be 
 used in the washer. If a large one is used I 
 would advise putting in two pieces in each eye. 
 Another factor is the soap. Any one using 
 a poor soap cannot bring his goods to a proper 
 width without having poor results and badly 
 wrinkled goods. Conditions are so different in 
 every mill that it is impossible to say what is 
 best until one steps into the mill that is having 
 the trouble and sees for himself. Richmond. 
 
 Labor Cost of Finishing 
 
 We are looking into the labor cost of finishing 
 kerseys and would appreciate any material 
 you might give us on the subject. 
 
 North West (1282). 
 
 It goes without saying that a yard of good 
 quality of kerseys cannot be finished at as low 
 a labor cost as a yard of union cassimere, but 
 after all it often happens that a kersey is in 
 reality finished at a less cost for labor than a 
 yaM of union cassimere. It depends in a great 
 measure upon the place where the goods are 
 handled. This of course brings the matter 
 down to a question of management and it is 
 in this direction where the difference in the 
 cost must be explained. 
 
 As an illustration of this point we will give 
 the result of finishing a yard of medium grade 
 
46 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 kersey in two different mills, and in order to 
 arrive at a fair average, a period of six months 
 has been selected. This covers part of the 
 slack season and part of the rush season. In 
 the first mill the account at the end of six 
 months stood thus: Production for first month, 
 15,243 yds.; second month, 14,348 yds.; third 
 month, 16,252 yds.; fourth month, 17,276 yds.; 
 fifth month, 19,248 yds.; and the sixth month, 
 18,349 yds.; making a total for the six months 
 of 100,516 yds. 
 
 During this time there were employed in 
 the finishing room : 
 
 1 overseer, at $3 . 00 per day. 
 
 1 percher, at 2 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 shearer, at 1 . 75 per day. 
 
 1 gigger, at 1 . 75 per day. 
 
 2 helpers, at $1.25 each 2 . 50 per day. 
 
 1 fuller, at 1 . 50 per day. 
 
 1 helper, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 2 men at washer, at $1.25 each . . 2 . 50 per day. 
 1 man for steaming and wet gig- 
 ging 1 . 50 per day. 
 
 1 helper, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 dryer tender, at 1 . 00 per day. 
 
 1 general helper for wet end of 
 
 room, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 boy for brush, at 1 . 00 per day. 
 
 1 man at press, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 man for general work at dry 
 
 end 1 . 25 per day. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 47 
 
 2 burlers and 1 sewer, at $1.00 
 
 each 3 . 00 per day. 
 
 4 speakers, at 75 cents each ... 3.00 per day. 
 
 Total, $31 . 00 per day. 
 
 The working period was 26 days for the first 
 month, 27 days the next, 25 days the third 
 24 days the fourth, and 26 each for the fifth 
 and sixth months, making in all 154 days at 
 $31.00 per day, a total of $4,774.00 for the 
 finishing of 100,516 yards of cloth, or 4^ cents 
 per yard. It will be observed that the wages 
 paid the different employees were equal to the 
 average, and the production shows that the 
 help were fairly well employed during the whole 
 time. 
 
 At the second mill where the cost per yard 
 was obtained, the conditions were somewhat 
 different, although the goods made were of the 
 same grade and quality and the finishing ca- 
 pacity of the mill in point of number of looms 
 was equal in all respects to the first-named 
 mill. Here was found: 
 
 1 overseer, at $2 . 75 per day. 
 
 2 shear tenders, at $1.50 each . . 3.00 per day. 
 
 2 fullers, at $1.50 each 3.00 per day. 
 
 2 helpers, at $1.25 each 2.50 per day. 
 
 2 giggers, at $1.50 each 3.00 per day. 
 
 1 helper, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 2 men at steaming, at $1.25 each 2 . 50 per day. 
 2 men around room, at $1.25 
 
 each 2 . 50 per day. 
 
48 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 2 boys on dryer, at 75 cents each 1 . 50 per day. 
 
 1 man at extractor, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 man at brush, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 1 man at press, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 2 men at perch, at $1.25 each . . 2.50 per day. 
 
 1 helper, at 1 . 25 per day. 
 
 4 burlers, at 75 cents each 3.00 per day. 
 
 2 sewers, at 75 cents each 1 . 50 per day. 
 
 6 speckers, at 75 cents each ... 4.50 per day. 
 
 Total, $38 . 50 per day. 
 
 The production for six months was 12,350 
 yds., 12,875 yds., 13,425 yds., 15,280 yds., 
 14,320 yds., and 13,890 yds., making a total 
 of 82,140 yds. The working time for the six 
 months was 155 days, as follows: 26, 26, 25, 
 26, 26, 26, thus bringing the cost to $5,967.50. 
 This divided by 82,140 yards gives the cost per 
 yard 7 1-5 cents, nearly. 
 
 These two instances of the actual cost for 
 labor furnishes much material for careful study, 
 and to one not conversant with the conditions 
 obtaining in mills it will hardly seem credible 
 that such a difference could exist. Let us, 
 therefore, add a few words by way of explan- 
 ation. The figures given above are taken from 
 personal experience, and the difference found in 
 the two places cannot wholly be laid at the 
 door of the finishing department. In both 
 places the finishing was kept up to the looms 
 so that in the case of the second named mill 
 the help must have had an easy time of it. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 49 
 
 while at the first mill things were on a hustle 
 to keep up with the looms. This shows that 
 the production of the second mill might have 
 been larger and the showing in the labor cost 
 much more favorable. 
 
 The second mill could not come up to the 
 standard of the first mill and it is a question 
 if it could have handled the amount of cloth 
 which was put through the first mill with less 
 help. The number of burlers employed in the 
 second mill indicates that the cloth came to 
 them from the looms in a much poorer condition 
 than at the other mill. This indicates that 
 either the preparatory work was sadly neglected 
 or the management were trying to produce an 
 article from inferior stock, thus trying to increase 
 their profits. This turned out as it always will, 
 for it is a pure case of saving at the spigot and 
 wasting at the bung hole. Finisher. 
 
 Defects After Sponging Low- Grade Woolens 
 
 We have had considerable trouble with cloth 
 similar to the enclosed sample. The fancy 
 threads are tighter than the others and show a 
 drawn effect before sponging. This is even 
 more prominent after the ordinary sponging, 
 and the goods cannot be sold unless this defect 
 is remedied. Can you suggest a remedy? 
 
 Finisher (1084). 
 
 I find the stock in the fancy thread is different 
 from that in the body of the goods. The 
 former is made from long, coarse wool while 
 
50 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 the ground work of the cloth consists of a mix- 
 ture of cotton, short wool and shoddy. When 
 finished the fancy thread is shorter than the 
 threads of the ground work, consequently the 
 strain comes on these fancy threads causing 
 the difficulty of which "Finisher" complains. 
 I would suggest that "Finisher" wind several 
 yards of cotton warp cloth around the cylinder 
 of the sponging machine so as to retard the 
 force of the steam. The smaller the cylinder 
 the less trouble you will have. The latest 
 sponging machines are all made with small 
 cylinders. After the goods leave the cylinder 
 see that they are tightly wound on the wooden 
 roll and left to cool. The only thorough-going 
 remedy for this trouble is to change the con- 
 struction of the fabric. Greenwich. 
 
 Why Fulled Goods Stretch Lengthwise 
 
 Why will fulled goods stretch lengthwise and 
 come back to the same length as when taken 
 from the loom after having been shrunk in 
 length three to four inches per yard? 
 
 Titus (1399). 
 
 Of course on a piece of woolen goods, say a 
 twill weave, where the yarn is not hard twisted 
 they should full easily under almost any ordinary 
 treatment in the fulling mills. But take a 
 piece with hard twisted yarn and the ends packed 
 closely in the warp and also the filling pounded 
 in hard, and if the finisher uses a heavy soap. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 5 1 
 
 the goods will full so long that the life or vitality 
 of the stock is killed and the fibers lose their 
 hold in the washer, and gig, and stretch back 
 where they started from. This is the result 
 of excessive fulling and the only remedy the 
 finisher has at his command is to thin down 
 the soap, draw down on the springs of the mills 
 and keep the goods warm and free from draughts. 
 The goods will then leave the mills in a strong, 
 healthy condition, the colors bright and the 
 cloth having that nice, moist feeling that the 
 trade likes so well, and strength to resist the 
 strain of the subsequent finishing process with- 
 out losing any shrinkage the fuller may have 
 gained in the mills. 
 
 I once secured a position in a mill making 
 6-4 union cassimeres. They were having a very 
 serious and at first a puzzling trouble with their 
 fulling. The goods would come along all right 
 for a day or two and then the trouble would 
 appear: the goods would chafe and full so 
 long that when up to width they were so tender 
 that they were practically unmerchantable and 
 so it worked intermittently good and bad, and 
 at first sight, without any apparent reason. 
 The man who ran the mills had been discharged 
 and the next man had started out with no better 
 success. 
 
 I set myself to find the trouble and was able 
 to do so, luckily, on its first appearance. The mills 
 were ranged with the back against a stone wall, 
 having no doors or windows, while the front 
 
52 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 was opposite a row of windows and doors thickly- 
 set in a wooden shed built onto the main build- 
 ing. The windows and doors were not close 
 fitting. Now here was the cause of the trouble — 
 when the wind was blowing against the stone 
 wall everything was all right, but when it veered 
 around so as to blow in at the windows and 
 doors the trouble began. The finisher was 
 doing his speck dyeing in the mills and insisted 
 on the fuller keeping the front doors open. 
 The cold air from the windows and doors strik- 
 ing the goods, chilled them so that they were 
 too long in shrinking and gained no felt, and 
 when up to width were the most tender goods 
 I have ever seen and stretched back almost to 
 loom measurement in width. I overcame this 
 by having the fuller keep the front doors closed 
 and open the back doors. 
 
 The object of the finisher in ordering the 
 doors kept open was to prevent too many 
 shades. Where speck dyeing is done in the 
 mills, a few degrees of heat makes another 
 shade. 
 
 I may say I worked there three and one- 
 half years and never saw another tender piece. 
 
 I remember a case where I was fulling all- 
 wool overcoatings, a loose weave to be shrunk 
 eight inches to the yard in length; the goods 
 would shrink so quickly widthways that I could 
 not get the desired shrinkage in length by the 
 time the goods were up in width, so I had to 
 open the doors and covers of the mills, also 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 53 
 
 open the windows and doors of the room and 
 pile all the weights on the traps that the mill 
 would carry. Of course so much weight on 
 the trajps kept the goods warm, but the trouble 
 was really in the lay-out of the goods: they 
 should have been reeded wider in the loom. 
 
 Another cause for goods stretching in length 
 is sometimes due to the methods of the fuller.- 
 If he has to shrink the goods only three or four 
 inches to the yard in length he starts in to full 
 the width first and gets the goods up to, say, 
 58 inches, then he begins to shrink the length 
 and may have to use a weight to do it by the 
 time the goods are up to 56 inches, the desired 
 width. Now the fibers being knitted one way 
 before the trap is put on to shrink the length 
 they will not have so strong a hold as if the 
 fulling width and length had been started to- 
 gether from the first, and when the tension of 
 the other finishing machinery is brought to 
 bear on them they invariably stretch. I should 
 think that one-half to one inch ought to be 
 enough to allow for stretch, but this is easily 
 determined by making a test of one set of 
 pieces. H. B. F. 
 
 Watermarks on Worsteds 
 
 How is a watered effect caused on the face 
 of worsted goods? On some classes of goods 
 this fault is more prominent than on others 
 where practically the same treatment is given. 
 
 Evans (1322) 
 
54 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 In winding the fabric on a crab roller the 
 back of the cloth is in contact with the face 
 from end to end. The result of this some- 
 times is the fault known as watering, where 
 the design of the back has been embossed on 
 the face, showing a peculiar wavy effect. This 
 fault is only visible when a large area of the 
 cloth is seen at one time, for instance, over 
 the rails of a perch or coming over a steaming 
 mill, and can rarely be seen in a made up gar- 
 ment. 
 
 Very hard and prominent designs water 
 quickly. Some designs cannot be crabbed at 
 all owing to their susceptibility for developing 
 this fault, and others will only stand the slack- 
 est of tensions. Twills and fancy designs generally 
 are not so sensitive to watering as the closer 
 made fabrics, and they are also much less liable 
 to crimp. 
 
 Concerning the cure for watering there is 
 only one way to remove it and that will not 
 answer in severe cases. The remedy is to 
 disturb the design slightly by a good soap 
 scouring. This causes a shrinkage, and the 
 fibers being moved a little obliterates the em- 
 bossing. Sergius. 
 
 Streaks in Woolen Goods 
 
 We are troubled by streaks and creases in 
 our woolens and half woolens and would like 
 a preventative as we understand it is practically 
 impossible to remedy them. Stallings (1298). 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 55 
 
 Streaks may be caused before or after the 
 fabric reaches the finishing room, they may 
 be caused during dressing the warp or the weav- 
 ing, or during one of the various finishing processes. 
 The matter of irregularities in tension when 
 the warps are dressed may cause such a vari- 
 ation in the face of the cloth that in turn the 
 fulling mill may produce streaks; however, 
 this sort of streakiness will not appear prom- 
 inently unless we deal with a double and twist 
 yarn, light and dark colors twisted together, etc. 
 There the variation will be more apt to cause a 
 change in shade, whereas in connection with a 
 solid color or on an ordinary yarn, no variation 
 would be noticed. If a yarn has any tendency 
 to be unevenly twisted, or to be heavy and light 
 in places, there is the same liability to streak- 
 iness when such a yarn gets into the warp. 
 
 However, the chief cause of streaks is the 
 fulling mill. In connection with this machine, 
 the warp constituting the cloth, the flocks, or 
 the operation of fulling as carried on, may be 
 the cause of the streaks. For example, if the 
 soap is poured out of a spout on the goods, 
 and if in turn we deal with, fabrics which require 
 only little fulling, this pouring out of the soap 
 may have a tendency to result in streaks during 
 the felting of the fabric. 
 
 If the goods are allowed to run in folds and 
 remain there during the fulling operation, and 
 if the latter is quick, everything is favorable 
 towards the production of streaks. If fabrics 
 
56 KIXKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 require flocking a streaky appearance may- 
 result in the cloth, from the fact that the flocks 
 will act mainly along the line of soaping. 
 
 In connection with the fabrics requiring little 
 fulhng, it will be advisable to alter the position 
 of the cloth in the fulling mills, from time to 
 time, in order to avoid chances for streaks. 
 
 One of the most frequent causes of this 
 trouble is the bunching of the goods length- 
 wise in set folds or creases, which are not moved 
 or straightened out until it is too late to do 
 away with them. In order to remedy any 
 tendency towards streaks, soap must be applied 
 uniformly, flocks in the same way put on over 
 the whole fabric evenly, and whenever possible, 
 the cloth should be frequently opened by the 
 operative, so it has no tendency to run in con- 
 tinual folds. 
 
 We now come to the washer, and where a 
 defect in the operation of this machine will 
 frequently lead to streakiness of the cloth under 
 operation. Bad or worn out guide eyes for the 
 cloth to go through, bad or worn out rollers, 
 etc., will tend toward possible streaks and are 
 items which must be carefully watched and 
 remedied. It will be frequently noticed how 
 the dirty soap suds roll back upon the goods 
 as they pass over the rollers, and these long 
 streaks of dirty water and suds must leave an 
 appearance of streakiness to the fabric if the 
 whole is not thoroughly removed in the rinsing. 
 Here, as well as in many other processes, a 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 57 
 
 oreat cause of streaks lies in defective seams 
 at the sewing together of the ends o the pieces 
 A bunchy seam will always tend to form streaks 
 not only at the ends of the piece, but even at 
 times, far into the goods. They must be avoided 
 at all stages. . , 
 
 With reference to the process of giggmg ana 
 steaming, the tension on the fabric under oper- 
 ation calls for care, since if the fabnc is not 
 uniformly stretched, if not handled with a 
 uniform tension, or if the rollers are worn out, 
 etc., streaks are apt to appear. 
 
 Care must also be bestowed on the shear 
 the brushes must be all right, and if worn must 
 either be clipped down or renewed. The brushes 
 on the shear and press frequently are at the 
 bottom of forming streaks in the fabrics, and 
 for which reason an economy in using them as 
 long as possible, instead of replacing them by 
 good ones, will be a false one. A. M. m. 
 
 Machinery Required in a Blanket Mill 
 
 What machinery and help would be required 
 to^fsUoO pairs^of 4 pound ^la^k^t^ P-^^^^^y, 
 after leaving the looms? <-raig {iUQi). 
 
 "Craig" does not state whether he is making 
 a wool or cotton blanket. If the material is 
 wool, or cotton and wool mixed the following 
 finishing machinery would be needed: One 
 fulling mill, one washer, one wire napper, one 
 teasel gig for gigging the blankets after they 
 
58 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 have left the wire napper, one whipping machine. 
 The following help will be needed in the finishing 
 room: One man for the fulling and washing 
 machines, a man and a boy or two boys for 
 the napping machine; two young men for the 
 drier, one woman to run the whipping machine 
 and one man for the folding and packing. 
 
 Greenwich. 
 
 Scouring and Fulling Cotton Worsteds 
 
 Kindly give me the kind and quantity of 
 soap to be used in scouring and fulling cotton 
 worsteds of delicate colors. Ford (1328). 
 
 In order to get a fair idea of what kind of 
 soap to make for use in connection with these 
 cotton worsteds, it will be well to investigate the 
 constituents of soap, for what we may find 
 in it that will attack delicate colors by either 
 bleeding them (rub-off), changing their shade, 
 etc. This we will find to be either alkali or 
 free caustic. The latter, if present in any 
 quantity at all, is apt to make trouble for the 
 finisher, for which reason a perfectly neutral 
 soap should be used, and which will meet our 
 requirements in every particular. 
 
 Soaps for scouring and milling should be 
 quite free from uncombined caustic alkali, but 
 may with advantage contain a small amount 
 say 0.2 to 0.3 per cent, of free carbonate. They 
 should not contain resin, and are preferably 
 made from tallow, palm oil and olive oil. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 59 
 
 The presence of free caustic alkali in soap 
 may be recognized by drying a small sample 
 and then extracting with alcohol, which dis- 
 solves the soap and caustic alkali, but does 
 not dissolve any carbonated alkali which may 
 be present. The presence of caustic alkali is 
 therefore readily detected in the solution by 
 the production of a pink color on adding phenol 
 phthalein. 
 
 Free caustic alkali, if present, may be neutral- 
 ized by adding the necessary amount of free 
 oleic acid. 
 
 Resin may be detected by decomposing the 
 soap with the acid, dissolving the free fatty 
 and resinous acids in acetic anhydride, and 
 adding sulphuric acid, 100 degrees Tw., when, 
 if resin is present, a reddish violet coloration 
 will be produced. 
 
 The body of the soap should first be con- 
 sidered, as this has a very important bearing 
 upon its usefulness, and also from the point 
 of economy, since a soap which will not hold 
 its body, for any length of time, i. e. turn, will 
 be expensive at any cost. 
 
 In connection with either fulling or scourng 
 these cotton worsteds we must carefully avoid 
 any tendency for them to felt during these 
 processes, and as the body of the soap is closely 
 connected with the felting capacity of the wool 
 fabric it will be readily understood that it is 
 most important for the finisher to look carefully 
 after this item. The heavier the soap the more 
 
6o KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 its felting capacity, and therefore, it is important 
 that soap for cotton worsteds is made as light 
 as possible, consistent with good work, since 
 in connection with the construction of these 
 fabrics, the filling, and possibly only a very 
 small amount of the warp is wool, i. e., has 
 felting properties, the rest being cotton, and 
 this small amount of wool has got to be brought 
 out clear. From 1^^ to 2 ozs. of soap to the 
 gallon will as a rule be found sufficient, the 
 proper amount depending largely upon the 
 kind of soap we have to use. In connection 
 with a good palm oil soap, or a tallow soap, 
 having possibly enough body-making quality 
 in it, perhaps 1 oz. will be sufficient to the gallon; 
 however, cheaper grades of soap, like cottonseed 
 oil soap, or other grease soap of less consistency 
 than palm oil or tallow, will make the use of 
 13^ or perhaps 2 ozs. per gallon necessary. 
 Percentages quoted, however, must not be con- 
 sidered as a fast rule, the proper strength to 
 use being best determined by actual trial, for 
 the soap to be used in connection with these 
 fabrics should never be stiff, like common soft 
 soap, when perfectly cold, but should be liquid. 
 Adding from 1^^ to 2 lbs, of sal ammoniac to 
 every 50 gallons of such a scouring soap will be 
 found of value, both as to its body as well as 
 to its cleansing power. 
 
 Another important item to be determined by 
 the finisher is the proper amount of alkali to 
 put in the soap. This we will always find a 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 6 1 
 
 most difficult task for any finisher in connection 
 with a new style of fabrics, i. e., a range of 
 goods constructed on an entirely different basis 
 than he has ever dealt with. Cotton yarn 
 colored, is seldom fast to any large quantities 
 of alkaH, except if dyed with such colors as are 
 known and sold as "Fast to milling," and it is 
 for this reason important to use alkah sparingly, 
 sal-soda being well suited. Although the quan- 
 tity of it to be used may seem large, compared 
 with soda ash or ammoniated alkali, yet by 
 actual test it will be found that even a greater 
 strength of it may be used with less danger to 
 the colors of the fabric bleeding. 
 
 Sal-soda certainly is the better product to 
 use on dehcate colors, but if alkaH is necessary, 
 11^ ozs. should be amply sufficient, whereas 
 6 ozs. of sal soda to the gallon may be required. 
 Dissolve the soap first and then add alkali and 
 boil mixture at least for two hours, then fill 
 up tank with water, and allow soap to become 
 cold, after which add the sal ammoniac. Never 
 use warm soap or even warm water on cotton 
 worsteds with delicate colors, provided you 
 don't want them to run or rub off. 
 
 When with soap thus prepared, it should be 
 found during scouring that the goods do not 
 lather properly, it will show that the soap is 
 not taking hold freely, and that therefore it 
 will have to be made stronger; this, however, 
 will not often be the case. As soon as the 
 lather becomes dirty, it had best be drawn off 
 
62 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 and fresh soap applied, thus preventing the 
 staining of any colors in the fabric structure. 
 Handling cotton worsteds cold will also prevent 
 any colors from bleeding or getting stained; 
 however, in this case it is well and safe to add 
 another pail of soap to each piece, and let them 
 run five or ten minutes extra, when the gates 
 may be opened and the water turned on for 
 the rinsing. After rinsing the pieces for about 
 one-half hour, shut off the water and drain the 
 goods for a few minutes, then shut gates of the 
 washer, and give each piece two pailfuls of salt 
 water made by dissolving a peck of rock salt 
 in a barrel of water. Allow the goods to run 
 in this liquor for about five minutes, and then 
 take them out without opening the gates, and 
 hydro-extract, and dry them as soon as possible 
 thus preventing the colors from running, and 
 thus be the cause of cloudy fabrics. Provided 
 you ever meet with cotton worsteds, which will 
 not stand this procedure, then the use of fuller's 
 earth in place of soap is the remedy. M. D. 
 
 Bleaching Woolen Blankets 
 
 We cannot keep the rust spots from our 
 white woolen blankets. The goods are bleached 
 with sulphur, and the trouble occurs more fre- 
 quently in winter, and on the cotton warp 
 goods. Can you suggest a remedy? What 
 other methods of bleaching wool are used 
 besides the old sulphur process? Brimstone (78). 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 63 
 
 Rust spots are liable to be caused by presence 
 of iron in bleaching with sulphur. Iron such 
 as nail heads, etc., exposed in the bleach house, 
 might cause the trouble which "Brimstone" 
 complains of. If the presence of iron is thorough- 
 ly excluded during the bleaching process, we 
 are inclined to think that spots will not appear. 
 
 In addition to bleaching with sulphur, wool 
 may be bleached by means of a solution of 
 sulphurous acid, or bisulphite of soda. The 
 wool is steeped for about 20 hours in a strong 
 solution of sulphurous acid, then extracted and 
 washed. For bleaching with bisulphite of soda, 
 the scoured wool is steeped for about 12 hours 
 in a solution of bisulphite, at 32 degrees Tw. 
 The wool is then extracted and treated in a 
 6 per cent, sulphuric acid bath. During recent 
 years, peroxide of sodium has been employed 
 with most excellent results for bleaching wool. 
 
 Determining Shrinkage in Fulling 
 
 How do you determine the shrinkage 
 fulling in inches per yard ? Strafford 
 
 The average shrinkage of a woolen fabric in 
 finishing should be determined as nearly as 
 possible when the fabric is laid out. It is a 
 detail of construction which in connection with 
 the weight per yard from the loom and loss of 
 total weight in finishing determines the weight 
 of the finished cloth per yard. The shrinkage 
 
64 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 in length and width has much effect on the 
 appearance of the finished fabric, and this is 
 an additional reason why it should be decided 
 upon before the goods are manufactured. 
 
 The question as to how much a woven cloth 
 should be shrunk in length in finishing to weigh 
 a given number of ounces per yard depends on 
 the percentage of loss of the total weight in 
 finishing and on the weight per yard from the 
 loom. The loss of weight in finishing varies 
 widely with the stock in the goods and the 
 method of finishing. Worsted cloth made from 
 yarn containing but little oil or other foreign 
 substances may lose not more than 5 per cent, 
 or even less, while the loss in the case of kerseys 
 or beavers made from oily, dirty stock, some- 
 times reaches 25 per cent, or more. 
 
 The following example will illustrate the 
 method of calculation. The first piece of a 
 particular fabric before finishing measured 45 
 yards and weighed 26 ounces per yard from 
 the loom. When finished it measured 40 yards 
 and weighed 23 4-10 ounces per yard. What 
 is the percentage of total loss of weight in finish- 
 ing, and how should the shrinkage of woven 
 pieces be regulated that vary in weight per 
 yard from the trial piece, in order to bring the 
 finished pieces to weigh 23 4-10 ounces per yard? 
 
 The total weight of the woven piece was 
 (45X26) 1170 ounces. The total weight of the 
 finished piece was (40X23 4-10) 936 ounces. 
 Hence the loss in finishing was (1170 — 936) 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 65 
 
 234 ounces, or twenty per cent, of the woven 
 weight. 
 
 The proper shrinkage of pieces for different 
 woven weights per yard is more easily calculated 
 by assuming a woven length of 100 yards. For 
 example: How much should a piece of the 
 same fabric weighing 25 ^^ ounces per woven 
 yard be shrunk to weigh 23 4-10 ounces per 
 yard? 
 
 100 X 253^ = 2550 ounces, weight of woven piece. 
 
 2550 — 510 (20 per cent, loss) = 2040 ounces, 
 weight of finished piece. 
 
 2040 -- 23 4-10 = 87 2-10 yards finished. 
 
 100 — 87 2-10 = 12 8-10 per cent, shrinkage in 
 length for woven goods weighing 25 Yi ounces 
 per yard woven to give a weight of 23 4-10 
 ounces per finished yard. 
 
 The equivalents of the different percentages 
 in inches per yard are readily calculated. Taking 
 the example just given, one yard equals (36 
 inches X 12 8-10) 4 6-10 inches per yard as the 
 equivalent of 12 8-10 per cent. 
 
 These equivalents of the different percentages 
 in inches per yard are needed by the fuller as 
 the progress of the shrinkage in fulling is reg- 
 ulated at the fulling mill by placing two strings 
 one or more yards apart on the selvage and 
 noting the variation of this space from time to 
 time during the fulling operations. 
 
 By the method already given the shrinkage 
 for any woven weight per yard is calculated and a 
 table constructed for the fuller. Taking the 
 present example with a loss of total weight of 
 
66 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 20 per cent, and a desired finish weight of 23 4-10 
 ounces per yard, the table would be as follows: 
 
 Ounces Shrinkage in length 
 
 per woven yard. Per cent. Per yard, 
 
 27 7 7-10 2U 
 
 26 8-10 8 4-10 3 
 
 26 6-10 9 1-10 3}i 
 
 26 4-10 9 7-10 3J^ 
 
 26 2-10 10 4-10 3M 
 
 26 11 1-10 4 
 
 25 8-10 118-10 4M 
 
 25 6-10 12 5-10 41^ 
 
 25 4-10 13 2-10 4M 
 
 25 2-10 13 9-10 5 
 
 25 14 6-10 5H 
 
 A variation of 7 7-10 per cent, for 27 ounces to 
 14 6-10 per cent, for 25-ounce flannels is too 
 wide to give good results in finishing, conse- 
 quently it is better when the woven weight per 
 yard varies as much as this to vaijy the shrink- 
 age less and get a more uniform felt on the 
 goods, although this may result in greater 
 variation in the finished weight per yard. 
 
 When the goods are flocked variations in the 
 woven weights per yard can, within a limited 
 range, be equalized in the finished cloth by 
 varying the quantity of flocks appHed to the 
 goods. 
 
 Much better results are secured by keeping the 
 variations in the woven weights per yard within 
 narrow limits, thus avoiding any necessity for 
 wide variations in the flocks or shrinkage in 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 67 
 
 length. A clear understanding of the methods 
 of calculation just given will enable one to 
 compile a fulling table suitable for any grade 
 of goods. 
 
 Clothing on Nappers 
 
 How is it that the clothing at the sides of a 
 napping machine wears out at a different rate 
 from that in the centre? I find that sometimes 
 the cards get sharper at the ends than at the 
 middle and other times the reverse is the case. 
 Are the brushes at fault in this matter? 
 
 Wolfe (694) . 
 
 The trouble mentioned in this query arises 
 from the fact that the cloth hugs tighter in the 
 centre than at the sides. This is true of any 
 class of goods. As a result the clothing in the 
 centre of the machine does the most work and 
 consequently gets duller more rapidly. The 
 brushes should be set just close enough to clear 
 the workers. Henry Maine. 
 
 This difficulty may be overcome by keeping 
 the cloth at the proper tension and not allowing 
 it to sag on the sides nor in the centre. If it 
 is allowed to sag the brush will wear more on 
 the sides than in the centre. The brush should 
 be kept level at all times. Baker. 
 
 Hard Water in Finishing 
 
 It is impossible for me to get the results out 
 here that I used to get in Massachusetts mills. 
 With the same machinery and the same method 
 
68 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 my soap bills are greater and the cloth is not 
 right. I have decided there is a difference 
 between the water in Eastern and Western 
 mills and wish you would give me a simple test 
 and advise how to proceed. Milan (1421). 
 
 The effect of the lime or magnesia salts in 
 the water upon soap is well known. The latter 
 decomposes almost instantaneously by its contact 
 with these substances and forms a lime or 
 magnesia soap, a product injurious in every 
 way to the wool. Soap plays a two-fold 
 part in the fulling process; first, as detergent, 
 that is, for loosening the dirt and oil, as well as 
 for keeping open the serratures of the fibre, by 
 which at the same time the felting process is 
 promoted; and, secondly, as a protection of the 
 fibre against friction and heat, the latter espec- 
 ially making it rough and brittle. In the former 
 case the action is produced by the alkali with 
 its cleansing effect; in the latter, by the fat, 
 which keeps the fibre soft and pliable. 
 
 The cloth fulled with hard water will, as 
 experience shows, run dry oftener, part with 
 fibres more freely than it should, and require 
 frequent additions of lye. Besides this, the 
 lime soap precipitated upon the fibre cannot 
 entirely be removed in spite of washing, making 
 the cloth hard and slippery in feel. 
 
 If, in place of soap lye, water is occasionally 
 poured in towards the end of the fulling process, 
 because too much soap has already been added, 
 the evil becomes still greater. Economy is 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 69 
 
 never more dangerous than in just such a case. 
 By fulling with hard water a much larger quantity 
 of soap is needed, and the more it is stinted the 
 harder and rougher becomes the cloth. Besides 
 this, the more neutral and rich in fat is the soap, 
 the more injurious will be the effect of hard 
 water upon it, while soap of a more basic char- 
 acter decomposes less easily. The difference in 
 the qualities of water explains why it is that 
 a good fulling soap does not act at all times 
 with the same good effect. 
 
 Provided hard water is the only one at your 
 disposal, it should be first softened by the 
 addition of a strong solution of granulated 
 carbonate of soda, the amount required to be 
 added depending on the hardness of the water. 
 
 A chemist determines the degree of hardness 
 of water by the amount of soap the water will 
 destroy. An alcoholic solution of soap is dropped 
 carefully into a measured amount of distilled 
 water containing a known amount of a lime 
 salt. The value of a cubic centimeter being 
 determined, the soap solution is dropped from 
 the graduated tube into a measured amount of 
 the water to be tested, and when a permanent 
 lather is produced by shaking, the amount of 
 soap-solution is noted and the hardness of the 
 water calculated. 
 
 One grain of granulated carbonate of soda 
 will precipitate about one and a half grains of 
 sulphate of lime (soluble in water) as carbonate 
 of lime (insoluble in water) . Nearly all water 
 
70 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 contains some lime, and may have as much as 
 fifty grains to the gallon. It is therefore neces- 
 sary to experiment with the water to be used, 
 and discover the amount of granulated carbonate 
 of soda required to precipitate the dissolved 
 salts of lime and magnesia. 
 
 To test for the presence of lime and magnesia, 
 fill a clean tumbler with hot water and add a 
 few drops of a strong solution of granulated 
 carbonate of soda. A milky appearance fol- 
 lowed by a white precipitate shows their presence. 
 
 If water contains five grains of lime and 
 magnesia to the gallon, every 1,000 gallons will 
 destroy over ten pounds of neutral soap; and 
 if 10,000 gallons are used in a day, 100 pounds 
 of soap will have been used to kill the mineral 
 salts, when five and a quarter pounds of gran- 
 ulated carbonate of soda would have done the 
 same work and with no dangerous scum. Once 
 the scum is formed, no amount of soap, granu- 
 lated carbonate soda, or lye will get rid of it 
 again. The precipitate of the carbonates of 
 lime and magnesia will settle to the bottom of 
 the vat. Have a large tank of known capacity 
 provided with a steam pipe to bring the water 
 to a boil, add the proper amount of granulated 
 carbonate soda necessary to precipitate the 
 lime and magnesia, and allow to settle. Draw 
 from the tank several inches above the bottom, 
 for the supply to make up the soap-liquor, and 
 for washing and rinsing. H. C. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 7 1 
 
 London Shrunk 
 
 Will you give me some information regarding 
 the process of shrinkage known as "London 
 shrunk'" P. A. Scoag (720). 
 
 The recognized procedure is to fold dry cloth 
 between upper and lower layers of wet cloth, 
 to dry the cloth by natural means and sub- 
 sequently to give cold hydraulic pressure. 
 Some minor variations are made. A closely 
 woven cloth which has been well fulled and 
 shrunk at the mills and comes bone-dry from 
 the hot press is not treated with much moisture. 
 Its enclosing wrappers are not so damp that 
 they do much more than supply the normal 
 regain of 12^/^ per cent, of moisture that dry 
 wool naturally absorbs. Such a piece is en- 
 couraged to shrink but little in width and length. 
 The chief purpose is to be rid of the glaze and 
 the harshness and to substitute a pure, soft 
 handle and a somewhat deader appearance. 
 
 To suit some fabrics and some customers, 
 the shrinkers find it necessary to use hot press- 
 ing at times. It is certainly the case that the 
 exact procedure is not stereotyped, even at any 
 one shrinker's works. Some fabrics are given 
 a more thorough wetting and are dried by 
 circulation in a specially ventilated chamber. 
 One shrinker is said to replace the use of water 
 by low-pressure steam. When it happens that 
 goods in no need of shrinking are sent, it is 
 rumored that the shrinker's stamp and tickets 
 
72 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 are placed on pieces that have merely been 
 opened out and cramped in a cold press. But 
 merchants are able, by comparing the dimensions 
 before and after, to see how much the process 
 has done to fill up the cloths. Sometimes the 
 loss of length and width is considerable and at 
 other times quite slight. 
 
 The average charge for London shrinking is 
 one penny per yard of 6-4 width or,' more pre- 
 cisely, $2.16 per 100 yards. The process has 
 its undoubted uses, though in some- quarters it 
 is exalted as a fetish. James Strand. 
 
 Wet Finishing Worsteds 
 
 I would like a short outline of the processes 
 of scouring and wet finishing worsteds, including 
 piece dyes and goods woven colored. 
 
 Murray (1312). 
 
 It is important that during the scouring 
 process all foreign ingredients added to the 
 wool fibre to aid spinning, etc., be removed; this 
 should be done thoroughly, as otherwise the colors 
 will lack their proper brightness. Soap 'certainly 
 is the most important agent in this operation, 
 the body of which must be as light as possible, 
 and the alkali so weak that it cannot affect the 
 colors, yet strong enough to start and then re- 
 move the dirt and grease in the cloth. 
 
 The following example will give a fair idea of 
 the process: Put sufficient soap on the strings 
 
KIXKS FOR FINISHERS 73 
 
 of fabrics to be scoured to thoroughly wet 
 them and run them in this way for about twenty 
 minutes; then thin down with a httle lukewarm 
 water, and run for five minutes, after which 
 rinse completely. To give the goods previous 
 to this final rinse a fuller's earth solution at 
 the rate of a bucketful to four pieces, and to 
 run them in it for fifteen minutes will benefit 
 them considerable. It will be a good plan to 
 strain the fuller's earth solution before using 
 it. 
 
 Provided the colors in the goods are found 
 to be dull, a bath of acetic acid given them will 
 brighten them up. Afterwards rinse them 'well 
 and give a strong bath of common salt. Wash- 
 ing worsteds in the open width is considered 
 superior to the rope method, the cloth coming 
 out of the scouring process cleaner and this in 
 less time than by the rope method, besides a 
 softer feel will be the result, a feature which 
 certainly is an advantage. Again the forming 
 of creases is avoided, certainly another ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 In connection with piece dyes, a fabric not 
 properly scoured will make trouble at the 
 dyeing, neither will the fine lustre, so important 
 in the sale of certain goods come up to its stand- 
 ard. 
 
 The purpose of this wet finishing process is 
 to limit the shrinkage or felting capacity of the 
 wool fibers in the fabric as much as possible, 
 and at the same time lay the filling in its proper 
 
74 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 position in the texture. This prevents in a 
 measure the subsequent shrinkage of the fabric, 
 nior€ particularly in its width, and also its 
 drawing out of shape in the succeeding oper- 
 ations of scouring and dyeing. This process of 
 wet finishing is based on the fact that the wool 
 fibre becomes fixed by the heat, humidity and 
 pressure, and the wet finishing machine enables 
 the finisher to obtain this result. 
 
 Worsteds differ essentially with reference to 
 their finishing operations from woolen cloth. 
 With the latter, the aim of the finisher is to 
 preserve the vitality, or shrinking capacity of 
 the fibres, as long as possible, while in con- 
 nection with worsteds, all finishing operations 
 are designed with the point in view to eliminate 
 these natural tendencies of the wool fibre from 
 the very start. 
 
 This wet finishing machine consists of a series 
 of four tanks, of which the first three, as a 
 rule, contain hot water, and the last tank cold 
 water, each tank being equipped with guide 
 rollers, stretching rollers, and squeeze rollers, 
 for guiding, opening the fabric to its full width, 
 and squeezing it. The wool fibre thus softened 
 in the boiling water in the first three tanks, and 
 cooled evenly and thoroughly in the last tank, 
 retains its form in that position much more 
 readily in the cloth structure, losing at the same 
 time its felting capacity. Again all four tanks 
 of the machine may contain hot water, the 
 goods then, after leaving the machine, being 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 75 
 
 rolled up and left to cool while on the rolls, the 
 fibres in this manner retaining their position 
 (they being set we might say) more thoroughly 
 than if treated as before explained, they losing 
 in the latter instance all tendencies for a further 
 shrinking. 
 
 This machine by means of its most thorough 
 construction, treats the goods evenly all over, 
 every inch getting exactly the same treatment, 
 the boiling water and the squeeze rollers tend 
 to free the goods from soap, provided the goods 
 were fulled any, or from other foreign matter, 
 like size, starch, oil, dirt, dyestuffs, etc. The 
 chances for water marks, washer wrinkles and 
 cloudiness, are by the use of this machine re- 
 duced to a minimum. If preferred, the machine 
 may also be used after dyeing. 
 
 A deep lustre, with a soft agreeable handle 
 is thus obtained, which is all that can be desired. 
 Careful drying follows. Hayden. 
 
 Moisture in Drying Rooms 
 
 Please give me some information regarding 
 the latest and best methods of reducing moisture 
 in drying rooms. Suncook (1022). 
 
 Moisture is removed from drying rooms by 
 carrying the moist air out and introducing dry 
 air in its place by means of ventilating fans 
 of various types. Various methods of removing 
 the moisture by condensing it in order to save 
 the heat in the air have been tried but have 
 proved unsuccessful. 
 
76 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 Steaming Woolens and Worsteds 
 
 Why are goods steamed after finishing and 
 how is the work done properly? 
 
 Grimshaw (1347). 
 
 Steaming, in connection with pressing, by 
 means of the hydraulic as well as the rotary 
 press, is done for two reasons; it removes the 
 gloss on the fibres left by the heat and pressure, 
 and at the same time takes away the harsh, 
 hard feeling, given by this pressing process to 
 the cloth. During pressing, every fibre in the 
 fabric is simultaneously heated and pressed, 
 in consequence of which they lose portions of 
 their moisture and at the same time shrink in 
 themselves and thus to a certain extent become 
 glossy, hard and harsh, a feature not desirable 
 in connection with a great many finishes. 
 Steaming, either alone or in connection with a 
 light brushing, will remove the glaze, and at 
 the same time impart a softer feel to the fabric 
 thus treated after pressing, for the reason that 
 the dampening action of steaming swells the, 
 fibres back to their condition before pressing. 
 Care must be exercised not to overdo the matter, 
 nor too little, since in the latter instance the 
 object aimed at is not obtained, whereas too much 
 steaming will take hold not only of the fibre, 
 but of the structure, i. e., finish of the cloth, at 
 the same time, thus impairing the latter. The 
 proper process requires such a quantity of 
 steam as will just remove the glaze without 
 softening too much the finish. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 77 
 
 For perfect steaming, allow the cloth to 
 thoroughly cool down from the pressing process, 
 since a highly heated fibre will not only to a 
 considerable extent counteract the influence of 
 the moist steam but at the same time give rise 
 to the formation of electricity, a feature pre- 
 venting a uniform and even finish to the fabric 
 thus treated and which in turn in some instances 
 may ruin the finish of the fabric entirely. For 
 this reason be sure to allow the pressed fabric 
 to cool thoroughly so that the finish becomes 
 set or fixed before subjecting it to steaming, 
 i. e., that the fibres, which the hydraulic or rotary 
 press has made to assume new and unnatural 
 positions throughout the body, as well as the 
 face of the fabric, must have a chance to get 
 sufficiently set, so that they will retain their 
 new positions, and will not be influenced by 
 the after steaming. 
 
 The steaming may be done by means of what 
 is known as a steam box, the characteristics 
 of which are a uniform steam distribution, result- 
 ing in absolute even steaming. The cloth in its 
 passage over the box rests on the two application 
 rolls, the shafts of which rest in journals, which in 
 turn can be raised by means of suitable set 
 screws, thus regulating the application of the 
 cloth on the felt cover of the box. The ingenious 
 construction of the box compels the steam to 
 enter the lower and in turn the upper chamber, 
 in such a round-about way as to result in a 
 uniform escape of it, all over the surface of the 
 top of the box. 
 
78 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 When starting to operate the box, open the 
 drip valve, enter steam and wait until the 
 latter issues through the felt cover, and then 
 start the cloth. After the box is thoroughly 
 heated, close the drip valve. Leave the latter 
 open any time the box is not in use. 
 
 This steam box, besides used independently 
 as a machine, is also frequently found applied 
 to other finishing machinery, viz.: in connec- 
 tion with a brushing machine, and then the 
 combination machine is known as a steam 
 brush; in connection with a stretching machine, 
 and the combination machine is then known as a 
 steaming and stretching machine. It is also 
 applied to pumicing, polishing and sanding 
 machines. N. B. Y. 
 
 Cotton Warp Meltons 
 
 For years we have been manufacturing cotton 
 warp meltons, which have acquired a high 
 reputation in the market by reason of the well- 
 covered face. Some time ago the mill in which 
 these goods had been made was destroyed by 
 fire ; since then it has been rebuilt and equipped 
 with new machinery throughout. We now find 
 it impossible to make as good meltons in the 
 new mill as in the old; the face looks teethy 
 and our customers decline to accept the goods. 
 The new cloth is made of the same kind of 
 stock, the only change in the manufacture 
 being in the looms on which they are woven. 
 The old looms ran 60 and the new looms 90 
 picks per minute. Can you suggest a cause for 
 our difficulties? Walnut (352). 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 79 
 
 To obtain a well-covered face on a melton 
 it is necessary to "burst" the threads in fulling, 
 that is to say, to felt the goods so that the threads 
 will be matted so firmly together as to. form 
 practically one solid mass. This is more easily 
 effected when the threads are twisted soft. 
 Much softer filling can be run on a loom running 
 60 picks than on one running 90 picks per minute, 
 and we should not be surprised if Walnut would 
 find upon investigation that the spinner had found 
 it necessary to twist the filling harder in order to 
 make it weave on the fast running looms. This 
 would prevent the "bursting" of the threads in 
 finishing and would cause the teethy appear- 
 ance complained of. 
 
 Rolling of Goods on Finishing Machines 
 
 I would like to have you advise me as to the 
 cause and remedy for the rolling of our goods 
 in the washing and dyeing machines. I enclose 
 sample of the fabrics, which are broadcloths 
 weighing 8 3^ ounces; shrinkage, 7 per cent, in 
 length; fulled from 68 to 50 inches in width. 
 The warp is right twist, filling left twist, 38 
 picks per inch. We also make worsted broad- 
 cloths having 3,600 ends, 54 picks and woven 
 70 inches wide in the loom, finished 54 inches 
 with a mohair listing. We are having trouble 
 with all of these goods, but only at intervals. 
 Sometimes they will go all right and then 
 suddenly begin rolling to the size of your arm. 
 The filling is steamed three minutes. The 
 listing is woven with two threads in an eye. 
 
 Guide Eye (990). 
 
8o KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 The rolling of these goods is caused by the 
 listing threads not being sufficiently stayed 
 or spread wide enough apart to give them room 
 to lie in proper position during the process of 
 fulling, which on this class of goods is continued 
 to some extent in both the scouring and dyeing 
 processes after they leave the fulling mills. 
 When the goods begin to roll from this cause 
 it is impossible to remedy the difficulty in any 
 of the latter processes. They will be in bad 
 condition, especially after dyeing, as the rolling 
 with its accumulated felt will prevent the pene- 
 tration of the dye liquor. The reason for this 
 trouble only appearing at intervals, is that the 
 weaver will at times carelessly and improperly 
 draw more than the prescribed number of list- 
 ing threads through the single eye. The over- 
 seer of weaving should be made acquainted 
 with these facts and have the loom fixers and 
 weavers instructed to guard against this mistake. 
 
 Rigo. 
 
 I have been having the same difficulty with 
 my goods that "Guide Eye" complains of and 
 found the following to be of much service: 
 Be sure and soap evenly in the fulling. Tack the 
 pieces before fulling as close to the edge as 
 possible, leaving the tacking in until after they 
 are scoured. Roll them through hot water on 
 rolling machine well weighted down, letting 
 them stand over night on the roll. In the 
 morning reverse the roll end for end and let 
 stay for two or three hours. Then unroll and 
 nap, Housatonic. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 8 1 
 
 There are several causes for goods rolling. 
 One may be that the listing is too narrow, 
 which could be remedied by laying the list out 
 one-third wider. The listing may also be too 
 tight, or probably there is not enough space 
 between the cloth and the list. It is often 
 found that the list will full faster than the cloth. 
 
 Wilton. 
 
 Carbonizing White Blankets 
 
 In carbonizing our white blankets we run 
 them through a bath of oil of vitriol at about 
 10° Tw., then into a dryer at 200° to 220°, and 
 on any work except white we get good results. 
 The white blankets come out stained slightly 
 yellow, which the bleaching does not entirely 
 remove. Can you give us a method for carbon- 
 izing that will leave them pure white? We 
 would also like some other method of bleaching 
 than putting them in a sulphur house. 
 
 Gardner (851). 
 
 There are several things that might cause the 
 yellow effect mentioned, but probably the 
 principal one is a poor quality of oil of vitriol. 
 If it tinges the white a pale yellow it is an 
 evidence of a poor quality; probably it con- 
 tains a percentage of iron. Carbonizing the 
 goods too much will also cause it. This really 
 means that the goods have too strong a bath, 
 thus producing a yellow tinge, which is due 
 to over carbonization. If the stain results from 
 either of these things no amount of bleaching 
 will remove it and give a clear white. 
 
82 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 Again the temperature may be too high. If 
 "Gardner" will try the bath at 8° Tw. and not 
 have the dryer over 200° F., I think there will 
 be an improvement. If not, then the oil of 
 vitriol should be tested by an analyst to see if 
 it contains traces of iron. If it does, he should 
 get another supply that is free from it and try 
 again. 
 
 In regard to bleaching, the makers and sellers 
 of peroxide of sodium claim that it will bleach 
 a pure white without tendering the goods. 
 
 Henry Douglas. 
 
 Marking Woolen Cuts 
 
 We are making woolen and worsted cassimeres 
 and have difficulty in deciphering the numbers 
 on the cuts after the pieces are finished. What 
 is the best method of marking cuts? 
 
 Odd Number (421). 
 
 The piece number, loom number, yards and 
 ounces per yard should be sewed on the tail 
 end of the piece with yarn that will when 
 finished, be enough different from the piece in 
 color to enable the figures to be easily read. 
 Cotton yarn is usually used as it is not colored 
 in dyeing the wool. Much depends on the 
 manner in which the numbers are sewed on the 
 cloth. Experience and a natural aptitude are 
 required for this work. The figures should be 
 plain and as small as possible so as not to waste 
 cloth. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 83 
 
 In most woolen mills the pieces are numbered 
 in either the warping or weaving room. This 
 number is sewed on the end of the woven cut 
 and finally marked on the ticket -when the 
 piece is finished, providing it can be read on 
 the cut. Frequently the number is either torn 
 off or rendered illegible by rough usage in 
 finishing. In such case a new number is given 
 to the piece, with the resulting risk of having 
 duplicate piece numbers. 
 
 An excellent method consists in so numbering 
 the pieces in the warping room that the first 
 cut number of each warp will end with 1 . In 
 this way the final figure in the number of the 
 piece indicates the number of pieces woven 
 from the same warp. For example, the pieces 
 in four warps of 5, 7, 8 and 9 cuts respectively, 
 will be numbered as follows: 
 
 Warp No. 1 Xos. 1 to o 
 
 Warp No. 2 11 to 17 
 
 Warp No. 3 21 to 28 
 
 Warp No. 4 31 to 39 
 
 The object in so numbering the woven cuts 
 is to enable the operatives to know at once how 
 many cuts have been woven before the one 
 under observation. If, for instance, a wrong 
 draw is found in a cut numbered 23, it is prob- 
 able that the same imperfection will be found 
 in one or more of the succeeding cuts of the 
 warp, which are numbered from 24 to 28. 
 Cases are constantly arising in the finishing 
 department in which this method of numbering 
 
84 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 the cuts proves of great value in tracing defects. 
 It is specially adapted for woolen and worsted 
 mills in which the number of cuts in one warp 
 does not usually exceed 10. 
 
 Instead of retaining the old cut numbers, the 
 finished pieces are numbered consecutively as 
 they are measured and booked in the finishing 
 room. The old or woven cut number is also 
 booked to enable the piece to be traced back 
 into the mill if necessary, but the new or finished 
 piece number is the only one marked on the 
 cloth ticket. 
 
 Water Tanks 
 
 I am interested in the water pressure on 
 sprinklers and hydrants and would like to have 
 you explain how to make the calculation for 
 the following problem: We want to erect a 
 square tank to hold 3,000 gallons of water to 
 supply our mill sprinklers and hydrants. What 
 must be the size of this tank and what will 
 3,000 gallons of water weigh? Marin (343). 
 
 A gallon of distilled water weighs 8.34 lbs., 
 and a cubic foot of water weighs 62 3^ lbs. It 
 follows that the weight of the water and size 
 of the tank in the case cited by Marin are calcu- 
 lated readily as follows: 
 
 3,000 (gallons) X 8.34 (lbs. per gallon) = 
 25,020 lbs. (123^ tons). 
 
 25,020 (lbs.) ^623^ (lbs. per cu. ft.) = 400 
 cubic feet. 
 
 Cube root of 400 = 7.37 ft. (7 ft. 4}/^ in.) 
 size of tank. 
 
KINKS FOR FINISHERS 85 
 
 The difference in weight between distilled and 
 ordinary river water is so slight as to be negligible 
 in such calculations as these. The labor of 
 calculation consists mainly in the extraction of 
 the cube root, the determination of the weight 
 of water and cubic capacity tank requiring a 
 simple multiplication and division only. 
 
 Chafing of Boucle Dress Goods 
 
 We have large orders on boucle dress 
 goods and are troubled with the chafing of the 
 loops during finishing. The selling samples 
 were scoured by hand when finished and came 
 out perfect, the loop being uninjured. The 
 samples looked so well that we received large 
 orders, but now that we have come to finish 
 the pieces in the regular way we find that the 
 loop is almost entirely destroyed by the finishing 
 process. The result is that the goods are un- 
 merchantable. Can you give us any inform- 
 ation regarding the probable cause of this 
 trouble, which is a very serious one with us at 
 the present time? The goods are washed and 
 not fulled, and then piece dyed, rinsed, dried, 
 sheared and pressed. Capulet (351). 
 
 From the details given by our correspondent we 
 judge that the trouble is caused by chafing in 
 either the washing or piece dyeing kettle. As 
 the loops in boucle yarn are very tender it is 
 necessary to handle the goods with great care 
 during the finishing process, otherwise they will 
 be chafed and practically destroyed. Among 
 the causes of this trouble are a too high speed 
 
86 KINKS FOR FINISHERS 
 
 of the washer, or a difference in the circumfer- 
 ence of the washer rollers. A great many cloth 
 washers are running with rollers of different 
 sizes in the same machine, as a consequence of 
 which there is a continuous slipping where the 
 rollers come in contact. This will readily des- 
 troy the loops in boucle dress goods. Whether 
 the trouble lies in the washer or dye kettle can 
 easily be determined by examining the pieces 
 as they come from the washer and dye house. 
 An excessively high speed of the reel or dragging 
 over the rolls would also be likely to cause the 
 trouble. 
 
 Percentage of Cotton 
 
 How can I determine the proportion of cotton 
 and wool in mixed goods? Test (517.) 
 
 Weigh a sample of the mixed goods and then 
 boil for 20 minutes in a 10 per cent, solution of 
 caustic soda or potash which can be obtained 
 at any drug store. This treatment removes the 
 wool and a small proportion, possibly 5 per 
 cent., of the cotton. Rinse, dry and weigh the 
 cotton residue. Add 5 per cent, to obtain the 
 weight of the cotton. The difference between 
 this and the total weight is the weight of the 
 wool. It is well to enclose the sample in a 
 small sack of cotton cloth while boiling it to 
 prevent any loss of the material. 
 
INDKX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Acid Spots, Removing n 
 
 Alkali Spots, Removing ' H 
 
 Allowance for Stretch after Fulling 53 
 
 Amount of Water in Extracted Cloth . . '22 
 
 Analysis of Union Goods ' 86 
 
 Beavers, Lustre Finish on ' '37 
 
 Bleaching with Permanganate of Potash .... 17 
 
 Bleachmg Wool with Bisulphite of Soda 63 
 
 Bleaching Woolen Blankets 62 
 
 Boiling and Stretching " ' ' 33 
 
 Boucle Dress Goods, Chafing of .' 85 
 
 Brightening Colors on Worsteds 73 
 
 Brightening White Blankets .' '.'.■■.■ 8 
 
 Broadcloths, Lustre Finish on 37 
 
 Brushes on Shear ' 57 
 
 Brushing and Shearing '. . 14 
 
 Burr Dye for Wool, Worsted and Union Goods .23 
 
 Calculating Shrinkage in Fulling . . 63 
 
 Calculating Shrinkage to Give Specified Weight 42 
 
 Lalculatmg Water Pressure . . 84 
 
 Carbonizing White Blankets ' 81 
 
 Care in Shearing 57 
 
 Cause of Streaks .' 55 
 
 Chafing of Boucle Dress Goods 85 
 
 Charge for London Shrinking 72 
 
 Cloth Boards 36 
 
 Clothing on Nappers ." 67 
 
 Cockles, Origin of 20 
 
 Construction of Steaming and Stretching Machine ..... 34 
 
 Cost of Fmishing Kerseys 46 
 
 Cotton, Percentage of ."^ 86 
 
 Cotton Warp Meltons ' 78 
 
 Cotton Warp Worsteds, Sponging '. 12 
 
 Cotton Worsteds, Soap for Scouring and Fulling 58 
 
 Cracks m Worsted Goods 44 
 
 Crimps in Worsted Cloths ' 6 
 
 Crow's Feet Crimps 7 
 
 Cure for Watermarks ' ' 54 
 
 Defect in Crabbing ' 54 
 
 Defective Seams, Effect of ' ... 57 
 
 Defects After Sponging Low-Grade Woolens 49 
 
 Detection of Resin in Soap 59 
 
 Determining Hardness of Water 69 
 
 Determining Shrinkage in Fulling 63 
 
 87 
 
66 INDEX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Dewing Process 30 
 
 Different Aims in Finishing Woolens and Worsteds .... 74 
 
 Difficulty in Fulling 5 
 
 Effect of Hard Water on Soap 68 
 
 Effect of Temperature in Fulling 52 
 
 Face Finish 36 
 
 Finished Weight of Woolen Goods 42 
 
 Finishing Fancy Cassimeres 13 
 
 Flannels, Wrinkles in 19 
 
 Flocking Fancy Cassimeres 13 
 
 Fuller's Earth on Worsteds 73 
 
 Fulling Cotton W^orsteds 59 
 
 Fulling Cotton Worsteds 58 
 
 Fulling, Difficulty in 5 
 
 Fulling in Length and Width 5, 53 
 
 Fulling Meltons 79 
 
 Fulling with Hard Water 68 
 
 Gigging and Steaming 57 
 
 Gigging Fancy Cassimeres 14 
 
 Gigging for Face Finish 39 
 
 Gum or Dyestuff on Press Cylinder 32 
 
 Hard Water in Finishing 67 
 
 Hard Water, Test for 69, 70 
 
 Help Required in Finishing Blankets 57 
 
 Hydro-Extractor, Test of 21 
 
 Iron Rust in Water Pipes 16 
 
 Kerseys, Lustre Finish on 37 
 
 Labor Cost of Finishing 45 
 
 London Shrunk Process 30, 71 
 
 Loom and Finished Weights of Woolen Goods 42 
 
 Loss in Weight in Fulling 14 
 
 Machinery Required in a Blanket Mill 57 
 
 Marking Woolen Cuts 82 
 
 Meltons, Cotton Warp 78 
 
 Mercerized and Worsted Fabrics, Cockling in Steaming. 30 
 
 Mixed Filling, Effect of 21 
 
 Mixing Burr Dye 25 
 
 Moisture Added in London Shrunk Process 71 
 
 Moisture in Drying Rooms 75 
 
 Mold Spots, Removing H 
 
 Muddy Water 8 
 
 Nappers, Clothing on 67 
 
 Neutralizing Free Caustic Alkali 59 
 
 Object of Numbering Cuts 83 
 
 Object of Wet Finishing 73 
 
 Off-Shade Goods 40 
 
 Oil Spots, Removing 10 
 
 One-Dip Dye on Cotton Warp Worsted 12 
 
 Open- Width Scouring Machines 8 
 
 Paper Cloth Boards 36 
 
 Percentage of Cotton 86 
 
 Perforated Rolls for Steaming Cloth 18 
 
 Permanganate of Potash 17 
 
INDEX S9 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preventative of Streaks and Creases 55 
 
 Preventing Crimps in Worsteds 7 
 
 Recipe for Burr Dye 23, 24, 28 
 
 Reducing Moisture in Drying Rooms 75 
 
 Remedy for Rolling of Goods 80 
 
 Remedying Off-Shade 40 
 
 Removal of Spots on Worsted Goods 9 
 
 Result of Imperfect Listing 80 
 
 Rinsing After Burr Dyeing 29 
 
 Rinsing Cotton Worsteds 62 
 
 Rolling of Goods on Finishing Machines 79 
 
 Rotary Press, Slipping of Cylinder on 31 
 
 Rough Lap Boards 36 
 
 Rust Spots on White Woolen Goods 15 
 
 Rust Spots, Removing 9 
 
 Rust Spots on Wool Blankets 62 
 
 Rusting Press Cylinder 32 
 
 Scouring and Fulling Cotton Worsteds 58 
 
 Scouring Cassimeres 14 
 
 Scouring Soap for White Goods 8 
 
 Scouring Worsteds 72 
 
 Shrinkage in Fulling 63 
 
 Sizes of Perforated Rolls for Steaming 18 
 
 Slipping of the Cylinder of a Rotary Press 31 
 
 Soap for Delicate Colors 58 
 
 Soap for Worsteds 45, 72 
 
 Soaping 13 
 
 Sponging Cotton Warp Worsted 12 
 
 Sponging Low-Grade Woolens 49 
 
 Spots on Worsted Goods 9 
 
 Squantum Paste, Use of 35 
 
 Stains, Removing 11 
 
 Steaming 77 
 
 Steaming and Gigging for Face Finish 38 
 
 Steaming and Sponging Cotton W^arp Worsted 12 
 
 Steaming and Stretching 33 
 
 Steaming Cloth, Rolls for 18 
 
 Steaming Woolens and Worsteds 76 
 
 Streaks in Woolen Goods 54 
 
 Strength of Burr Dye 26 
 
 Stretch in Fulled Goods 5, 50 
 
 Stretching and Steaming 33 
 
 Stripes in Cotton Warp Worsted 12 
 
 Sulphur Bleaching 63 
 
 Sulphur Bleaching, Rust Spots in 15 
 
 Table of Percentage of Water in Extracted Cloth 23 
 
 Table of Shrinkage in Fulling 66 
 
 "Teethy" Appearance on Meltons 78 
 
 Temperature in Carbonizing 82 
 
 Tender Fulled Goods 51 
 
 Tension of Cloth on Nappers 67 
 
 Test for Free Caustic Alkali 59 
 
 Test of Hydro-Extractor 21 
 
90 INDEX 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Tight Listing, Effect of 20 
 
 Tight Threads after Sponging 49 
 
 Unclean Goods 40 
 
 Union Dress Goods, Wrinkles in 19 
 
 Union Goods 28 
 
 Union Goods, Bleaching . 18 
 
 Variation in Loom Weight 44 
 
 Watermarks on Worsteds 53 
 
 Waterproofing Woolen Goods 34 
 
 Water Softener 69 
 
 Water Tanks 84 
 
 Wet Finishing Worsteds 72 
 
 Why Fulled Goods Stretch Lengthwise 50 
 
 Worn Clothing on Nappers 67 
 
 Wrinkles in Worsted Goods 44 
 
 Wrinkling of Woolen Goods 19 
 
 Yellow Stain on Carbonized White Blankets 81 
 
Evan Arthur Leigh 
 
 232 SUMMER STREET. BOSTON, MASS* 
 
 IMPORTER OF " 
 
 Textile Machinery 
 
 Etc. 
 
 SOLE AGENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FOR 
 
 PLATT BROS. & CO., Ltd. 
 
 Oldham, England 
 
 BUILDERS OF THE HIGHEST GRADE OF 
 
 FRENCH DRAWING and PREPARING MACfflNERY and 
 
 WORSTED MULES for all classes of Yarns—from 
 
 Hosiery to the Finest Dress Goods. 
 WORSTED and WOOLEN CARDING ENGINES— Special 
 
 Designs. 
 IMPROVED LOW-PRESSURE STEAM BACKWASHING 
 
 MACHINES. 
 SPECIAL MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE of 
 
 Imitation Woolen Yarns from Cotton Waste on 
 
 Piatt's Patent Barchant System. 
 RUBBING LEATHERS, PARCHMENT and other Supplies 
 
 kept in stock. 
 
BIRCH 
 BROTHERS 
 
 BiRcirTREE. ALBERT BIRCH, Treas. -TRcTTpir 
 Somerville Machine Works 
 
 SOMERVILLE, MASS 
 
 Orig-inal Inventor and Maker of the 
 UNIVERSALLY ADOPTED 
 
 CONTINUOUS CRABBING MACHINES 
 
 STEAM FINISHING MACHINES 
 
 CRABBING MACHINES 
 
 Single— Double— Triple 
 
 OPENING and FOLDING MACHINES 
 
 "CORONATION" SEWING MACHINES 
 
 TACKING MACHINES 
 
 SINGEING MACHINES, etc. 
 
 NO CONNECTION WITH ANY OTHER CONCERN 
 
 Please address your Inquiries to SOMERVILLE, MASS. 
 
Books That Help 
 
 Barker — Introduciion to Study of Textile 
 
 Design '. $2.50 
 
 Beaumont — Color in Woven Design . . . 7.50 
 Bradbury — Calculations in Yarns and Fab- 
 rics 1.25 
 
 Herzfeld — Technical Testing of Yarns and 
 
 Fabrics 3.50 
 
 Hurst — Textile Soaps and Oils 2.50 
 
 Kastanek — Manual of Weave Construction 1.03 
 
 Simplex Tables 50 
 
 Watt— Art of Soap Making 3.00 
 
 Beaumont — Woolen and Worsted Manu- 
 facture 2.00 
 
 Brown — Practice in Wool Carding 50 
 
 Buckley — Cone Drawing 50 
 
 Buckley — Worsted Overlooker's Handbook .50 
 Greene -Practice in Finishing Woolens 
 
 and Worsteds • 50 
 
 Priestman — Principles of Woolen Spinning 2.50 
 Priestman — Principles of Wool Combing . 1.50 
 Priestman — Principles of Worsted Spinning 2.50 
 Reiser — Faults in the Manufacture of 
 
 Woolen Goods and their Prevention . . 2.50 
 Timmerman — Woolen and Worsted Fin- 
 ishing 3.00 
 
 Beech — Dyeing of Woolen Fabrics . . . . 3.50 
 
 Hummel — Dyeing of Textile Fabrics . . 1.75 
 
 We prepay Postagre or Express Chargres. 
 
 LORD & NAGLE COMPANY 
 
 BOSTON, MASS. 
 
 SEND FOR COMPLETE CATALOG 
 
NOV 22 1909 
 
 GURUS k MUBIE iCHl GO. 
 
 WORCESTER, MASS. 
 
 CLOTH FINISHING WACHINERY 
 
 ...FOR... 
 
 WOOLEN WORSTED COTTON GOODS 
 
 CARPETS PLUSHES 
 
 VELVETS, Etc. 
 
 Improved 
 Double Cutter Shearing Machines 
 
 On divided frames, with Plain or List Saving Rests 
 
 SINGLE CUTTER SHEARS BRUSHING MACHINES 
 
 TEASEL GIGS WIRE NAPPERS 
 
 GAS SINGEING MACHINES 
 
 STEAM FINISHING MACHINES 
 
 DOUBLING AND TACKING MACHINES 
 DEWING MACHINES 
 
 WORSTED PUMIQNG MACHINES 
 
 GESSNER and MILLER ROTARY CLOTH PRESSES 
 
 CLOTH FOLDERS SEWING MACHINES 
 
 Etc. Etc. Etc. 
 
 PICKING, MIXING and BURRING MACHINERY 
 STEEL RING BURR CYLINDERS 
 
 and FEED ROLLS FOR CARDS 
 
 frorv nPt TO CAT D'V. 
 
 DECi 2 ,1909 
 
Preparation 
 
 and 
 
 Wet Finishing: 
 
 Machinery 
 
 for 
 
 Woolens 
 
 and] 
 
 Worsteds 
 
 James Hunter 
 Machine Company 
 
 North Adams, Mass., U. S. A. 
 
liififili .i 
 
 015 870 919 3 %