Overlooking Opportunities for Making Money of Plywood

By Chas. W. Buckner, Manager, Door, Panel & Industrial Lumber Dept. of Morrill & Sturgeon Lumber Company, Portland, Oregon.

About one year ago W. P. Fuller & Company of our city commenced making a few items of novelty furniture out of scraps, or small pieces of plywood which were not suited for use in making their cupboard doors. They did this with the idea of using up these small pieces of panels and getting them out of their way, and they had little idea of the new industrial line they were inaugurating.

The first few articles sold so rvell that they began systematic designing and manufacture of a large number of different items, consisting ol:- magazine racks, sewing cabinets, radio cabinets, book cases, end tables, children's desks, and numerous other articles which have been added from time to time. About the same time they began the one in charge to show people horv to paint this novelty furniture, also to decorate it in various ways. They have also added a line of stencils for stencilling the different designs.

In addition to selling this novelty furniture in their retail store at Portland they have been able to sell large quantities of it to the department stores in this city; also have been able to sell large quantities of it through their thirty odd stores that they have distributed over the Northwest.

In traveling about the larger cities of our country it is surprising to see how many planing mills, sash and door companies, and paint stores have failed to profit by the experience of this one progressive firm. What can be accomplished by W. P. Fuller & Company in a city of the size of Portland, Oregon can be accomplished in any city of a similar size, and to a very much greater extent in the larger cities, and even in some of the smaller cities immense quantities of this novelty furniture can be sold to good advantage and also carry rvith it the sale of a large additional amount of paint, varnishes, and stains.

14/. Bucbner manufacture of this furniture they adopted a slogan, "Paint it yourself," having in view the idea that the housewife would like to paint this small novelty furniture to suit or match the furnishings of the different rooms in which she was going to use same, and expecting at the same time they were selling their small pieces of plywood, made into furnittrre, that they would also be able to sell a few.extra cans of paint.

This business has grown until at the end of eight months they have used approximately 200,000 ft. of Fir plywood, and it is hard to estimate the number of extra cans of paint, stains, varnishes, and enamel that have been sold through this progressive firm through their campaign of "Paint it yourself ."

Since commencing this particular line of business they have established an educational department, having some-

How many progressive retail lumber yards are overlooking one of the best opportunities they have with them today for adding a new line that will be a money-maker? The small planing mill, the paint merchant, or the hardware store cannot afford to buy a car of plywood to be used in the manufacture of this furniture. Ffowever, the retail lumber yards can afford to carry it in carload lots and sell it in their city to the various planing mills and furniture plants which have facilities for cutting and shaping this plywood and setting it up. Even retail yards in cities that are not llarge enough to justify their buying carload lots can easily secure part cars with house doors, garage doors, or even finishing lumber.

In connection rvith this article are illustrations showing several different pieces of furniture that can be manufactured from plywood. First, I wish to call attention to Book and Curio Rack No. 16. The material required to make this particular piece of furniture is : two sides, 1Ox30', 3/8" thick; one back, 18x34", 3/8" thick; three shelves-one, 4x18/'-one 6x18"; making a total of a little less than 11' of. 3/8" plywood. This can be cut out with a small band saw in a very few minutes and can be put together with a few small brads or nails and a hammer.

The next illustration is No. 15, a Waste Paper-Basketsomething that is useful in every home and in every office. The material required to make this is as follows: two sides,

THE L. 'W. BLINN LUMBER COMPANY

l2xl8"; two sides, 10x18"; one bottom, 9x10"; all made f.rom 3/8" or l/4" rotary cut laminated panels. The actual material used to make this Waste Paper Basket is a fraction over 7t. 3-ply.

The next illustrations are No. 12 and No. 13, 'ivhich are I am thoroughly convinced thick; one back, l4x3O", 3/8" thick; and two pieces for partitions, 6x7", 3/8" thick. Total material required- f^or ihis Desk is approximately 12' ol3/4" S-ply, and 5' of.3/8" , yard, or that any live retail

CHILDSDESK ano CHAIR

DESK gO WrOe 35 HIGH sTooL ts" ,, ti ,, a Child's Desk and Stool. The material required to make the Stool (which is No. 13) is as follou,'s: one piece or top, l2x2O", 3/4" S-ply panel; tr,vo pieces for legs, 10x18"; and trvo pieces for braces, 4x8". A11 of this material should be 3/4" 5-ply so as to give it plenty of strength. This rrnounts to a little less than 6' of material. Desk No. 12 requires two pieces for ends or legs, each 14x37", 3/4" thick;one piece for the main shelf, 16x30", 3/4" thick:. one piece for a brace, 4x30"; one piece for top,8x3O",3/8"