The demand for efficient radiators for the up-to-date automobile has almost created a separate industry in itself. Cooling systems for automobile engines have developed to such a point that a large force of experts are employed in the work of improving such systems. There are a number of factories which employ hundreds of employees in the manufacture of radiators for the automotive industry. These factories use a large amount of steel, tin, copper, and brass. They have developed special machines for the purpose of making peculiarly shaped cores in an endeavor to increase the radiating surface without increasing the cost. Large punch machines are used in making these shapes, and these machines have been so perfected that practically all the operator has to do is to feed through the machine one continuous roll of metal and take away the shaped cores. The cores are sent to the assembly department where they are then placed in proper formation. They are then dipped in a molten bath of solder which closes the ends of the tubes or solders them together, and then go to the final assembly department where each core is incased in the proper shaped casing and the radiator pipe and hose connections are soldered on. The radiator is then ready for testing, which is done in a tank where compressed air is forced into the radiator. If there are any leaks, they will show by bubbles arising from them.
The work as done in these factories requires some experts and some novices. Some of it can be done by men who have been handicapped, and there is considerable demand for men capable of handling this particular branch of the work. Working conditions as found in the radiator factories are good and hours are reasonable.
The steering gear is one of the most important units of the automobile. A number of factories have been organized for the sole purpose of manufacturing a particular type of steering gear. In these factories we find ordinary drop-forging machines, machine-shop equipment, woodworking, and assembly work.
This work requires men who are able to move about freely and who have the free use of both hands. Some of the work is piecework (at least in some factories), and men must be able to come up to at least a reasonable production in order to qualify. The conditions as found in other manufacturing plants are found also in the steering-gear factories.
In the wheel factories, we find a number of special machines such as spoke machines, felloes machines, and trimming machines. These are practically automatic, the material being fed through them and the finished product coming out. After the parts have been made in their respective departments, they are ready for assembly. This requires a certain amount of handwork. The wheels must be assembled so that they will not loosen when they have been put into use. After they have been assembled, it is often necessary that a band be mounted on them. After a wheel has been assembled, it is put into a machine which trues and trims it, and it is then ready for the automobile manufacturer.
As the woodwork in the wheel factory is covered in the bulletin on woodworking, no further comments are made here.
With the increased production of automobiles, large manufacturers have seen fit to purchase their bodies from body manufacturers. This has encouraged the body manufacturers to increase their production which has brought increased activities in this particular branch of the work.
In the body factories are employed woodworkers, sheet-metal workers, sand blasters, painters, upholsterers, and top builders.
In the woodworking department the work is similar to that of cabinet making, only the men are building skeleton instead of closed-type work. After the frame or skeleton of the body has been built, the metal or covering is fitted and secured to the framework. The body is then sent to be sand-blasted to make it smooth and also to assist in making the paint cling to a shiny surface. It then goes to the painting department where it is given a priming coat, several filler coats, color coat rubbing, varnishing, and a final finishing coat.
The woodworking department requires men who are able to handle tools and who are able to move about freely. The sheet-metal department requires men who are capable of using screw drivers and who are able to drive nails. The sand-blast department requires men with a normal body who can wear a dustproof suit, and who can handle the sand-blast equipment. The paint department requires men who are capable of moving about freely and who have the free use of one hand.
In the upholstering department are found machines for sewing, and racks upon which the upholstering is built before being put into the body. A number of these operations are done sitting, so that a man without legs could very efficiently do this work.
The upholstering is first made upon racks or frames, and is then cut out and tacked to the body. In this way the work is much easier done than by building it upon the body itself. The machine operators should have the use of one foot. However, with special equipment, the loss of both legs could be overcome in some of the work. The work in the upholstery department is very desirable in that it is dry and quiet, and employment is steady. Pay is good, and hours are about the same as in any other factories.
The word “accessories” means extras or special pieces of equipment which are applied to the automobile. Under this heading are included wind shields, speedometers, clocks, indicators, horns, mirrors, spark plugs, and various other pieces of equipment. As this work inquires a great variety of machines, such as punches and presses, and a varied machine-shop equipment, no attempt will be made here to go into details. What has been said in preceding sections has covered the work carried on in these factories. For example, the work done in speedometer factories is somewhat similar to the work done in starting and lighting factories; and the work done in horn factories is somewhat similar to that done in ignition factories. Suffice it to say, that there are hundreds of occupations in the accessory departments and factories alone which offer employment to men who have met with accidents which prevent them from having the free use of every member of the body. There are a number of occupations which lend themselves particularly to men who are not able to do heavy work, as for instance, in the assembly of speedometers, clocks, and horns.
Conditions in these accessory factories are first class, wages are good, and hours are about the same as in the average manufacturing plant.
In passing through an up-to-date automobile factory, there are thousands of operations being carried out at one time. The foregoing account does not cover hundreds of minor operations, skilled and unskilled, which could be efficiently done by disabled men. Many of these operations are entirely suitable for individuals who have been slightly disabled.
The following tabulation classifies the principal occupations which have been mentioned, with reference to certain type disabilities. It will be understood that neither the list of disabilities nor the several lists of occupations specified under these disabilities are complete.
Total blindness. Folding cartons, counting parts, armature winding, bolts and nuts, inspector of packing of parts in cartons, inspecting and testing.
Loss of one eye. Almost any occupation that the man is otherwise qualified to work at.
Deafness, total or partial. Drafting clerk or checker, frame assembly, spring assembly, axle assembly, bearing assembly, transmission assembly, clutch assembly, engine assembly, bearing work, cam-shaft inspection, con-rod assembly, cylinder assembly, ring inspection, oil-pump assembly, carburetor assembly, coil winding, condenser assembly, coil assembly, coil testing, armature winding, generator assembly, magneto assembly, magneto test, general wiring, radiator assembly, wheel building, body building, upholstering, painting, many kinds of inspection work.
Stiff neck. Punch press and machine work, and occupations listed under deafness.
Injured spine. Drafting, inspection work, light assembly work, checking, timekeeping, messenger, gatekeeper, small electric machine operator, traveling-crane operator, heat treatment checker, employment department clerk.
Loss of one arm. Drafting, inspection, checker, foreman, timekeeper, gatekeeper, messenger, electrical machine operator, traveling-crane operator, heat treatment checker, light assembly work, armature winding, electrical testing, drop forge operator, punch press operator, machine shop work, employment department clerk.
Loss of both arms. Checking, gatekeeper, and other work in proportion as man becomes skillful in the manipulation of artificial appliances.
Loss of part of finger an one hand. Practically any work for which man is otherwise qualified, providing he has learned to use remaining fingers.
Stiff arm or shoulder, or partial loss of use of arm. Drafting, checking, inspecting, foreman, timekeeper, gatekeeper, information department, employment department, machine operator, lighter assembly work, magneto work, coil work, generator work, soldering, chipping and trimming, foundry (light work).
Loss of both legs. Upholstering, drafting, checking, inspecting, gatekeeper, timekeeper, clerk, information, employment department, machine operator, small assembly work, testing of electrical equipment, soldering, pyrometer checker in heat treatment department.
Loss of one leg. Drafting, checker, inspector, foreman, timekeeper, gatekeeper, employment department, practically any assembly work, painting, upholstering, salvage department, body work, soldering, foundry work, machine operator, tester, dynamometer tester. Loss of a leg should not be a serious handicap.
Shell shock and nervousness. Drafting, checker, inspector, timekeeper, gatekeeper, lighter assembly work, painting, upholstering, body work, soldering, coil work, generator assembly, magneto assembly, cut-out assembly, electrical testing.
Heart trouble and epilepsy. Drafting, checker, inspector, light assembly work, painting, upholstering, coil work, generator assembly, cut-out assembly, electrical testing.
Tuberculosis. Loading crew checker (outside), inspector, car clerk, yard stock keeper, special salvage department as found in some factories especially set aside for tubercular people, outside trucking.
Rheumatism. Drafting, checker, inspector, painting, upholstering, body mechanic, wheel assembly, general assembly work, salvage department, machine operator, ignition expert, soldering, coil work, magneto assembly, generator assembly, cut-out assembly, testing of electrical equipment, laboratory work.
Other disabilities, such as body wounds, etc., leaving patient in delicate condition. Drafting, checker, inspector, foreman, clerk, employment department, information department, gatekeeper, electrical machine operator, light assembly work, machine operator, upholstery, soldering, light inspection work, magneto assembly, generator assembly, stationary motor assembly, Bakelite machine operator; many other operations which require very little strength and skill.
This monograph was prepared by Edward Matteossian, Special Agent for the Federal Board for Vocational Education, under the direction of Charles H. Winslow, Chief of the Division of Research. Acknowledgment is due to Dr. John Cummings of the Research Division for editorial assistance.
He handles a torch, or blowpipe, at the tip of which a flame is produced by the burning of a mixture of two gases—acetylene and oxygen. A high degree of heat is produced by this flame, which can be concentrated at any point by proper handling of the torch.
The welder’s activities may be divided into two operations—welding and cutting.
In welding, metals, like or unlike, are joined together by melting them until they fuse, “adding material” being used where it is required. The welder also builds up worn parts or adds metal where it is lacking. Common metals which can be treated by this process include the following: Cast iron, steel, malleable iron, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, lead, and nickel. Precious metals also can be welded. Each metal has its peculiar characteristics and mode of treatment, and the welder who would turn out a good job must master the special technique for handling each metal.
Welding forms the larger part of the welder’s activities. It is much more difficult than cutting, and also has a wider field of application.
Cutting can be learned in a few hours. It is restricted in its scope, as it can be used only on steel and wrought iron. The cutting torch is similar to the welding torch with the difference that it is equipped with a special outlet for oxygen under pressure. The operator turns on his usual welding flame until the object is heated to a cherry red, and then presses a device which turns on the oxygen, causing the metal to burn away rapidly. The torch is then advanced slowly along the line of the cut to be made. By practice comes the knack of steadiness and of moving the torch at just the right speed to cut clear through the metal—not too fast for complete penetration, nor too slow, causing loss of oxygen.
Where the job can not be brought into the shop, welding and cutting are done out of doors, and may be carried on under all conditions of weather. Very commonly the process is used in cutting scrap, wreckage, and piling, and in welding piping and mains.
Inside work varies from shop to shop according as the shop is part of a manufacturing plant or of a foundry, or is purely a job welding shop.
Some account of the common uses of the processes in different industries is given in the section below on “Industrial Applications.” In steam and electric railway shops and yards, in shipbuilding, in the manufacture and repair of automobiles, in installing pipes and mains, in sheet-metal and metal plate work, in the manufacture of furniture, containers and other metal products, and in foundry work, welding and cutting is being extensively used to-day, and each day the welder’s field of operations is still further extended.
The answer is: All localities where industrial plants are located, or where street railways are operated, or where farm machinery and implements are made or repaired, or where automobiles are used or built. Such localities will probably include your own home town or some town not far away from home.
The numerous makes of torches on the market are of two general types—the medium, or positive, pressure torch; and the low pressure, or injector torch. Practically all the oxygen used comes in compressed form in cylinders. Acetylene is more commonly generated on the premises, owing to the cheapness of this method. It is piped into the buildings and is always readily accessible. Generators, like torches, are of various makes, but they vary in type to correspond to the two kinds of torches, i. e., pressure generators, and low-pressure generators. Generators are automatic in their action, being controlled by the flow of gas. Where the gas is not generated in the establishment, and especially in outdoor work, dissolved acetylene is used. This comes in cylinders which are filled with porous material and contain acetone, a liquid, in which the gas is dissolved under pressure.
Welding equipment varies according to circumstances. In general a welding unit includes welding and cutting torches; hose and connections; oxygen and acetylene regulators and gauges; a supply of various tips; filler rods; goggles; friction lighters; gloves; asbestos sheets; fluxes; hand tools, such as pliers, files, hammers and cold chisels; welding table; preheating arrangement; fire brick; carbon blocks; and V-blocks. It may include also, hand shear, anvil, hand forge, bench and pipe vises, emery grinders, drill press, hack saw, jigs, lathe, hoist, and work bench.
Practically all of the necessary equipment is furnished to the welder, sometimes with exception of goggles, gloves, and overalls or leather apron, which the welder may have to obtain for himself.
The aim of re-education is to turn out a good welder who has not only the manipulative skill, but who in addition is well-grounded in the necessary theoretical knowledge. It can not be too strongly pointed out, in the view of the highly unsatisfactory method of turning out welders obtaining in the past, that the course can not be too thorough. The need is for good welders, not for half-trained men. Really good welders in this country are not many, and there is in this field a splendid opportunity for the well-equipped man, but for him only. An employer will always be looking for a better man if he has a half-trained man on the job.
The question is not primarily one of the handicap, but rather of the man behind the handicap. It is not the exception, but rather the rule, that a partially handicapped person, endowed with ingenuity will, even though at a disadvantage, beat the sound man who does not possess any ingenuity. This is borne out by numerous instances of foreign experience in re-education.
This applies, of course, especially to the less serious disabilities and not at all to those which are manifestly debarring. In the case of a welder, the latter would include blindness or defective vision, paralysis, shell shock and nervous disorders, loss of both arms or hands, tuberculosis, ankylosis of the upper members, spinal trouble, stiff neck, and dizziness.
Ankylosis of the knee or wrist might be overcome to some extent. Amputation of one leg will simply limit the field of activities. Where both legs are gone it would still be possible to enter some specialized field where work at the bench is all that is required. In such cases, however, it might be advisable to take up soldering or electric resistance welding. Loss of limbs would be an embarrassing handicap for most jobs, and prohibitive for outside work which necessitates climbing, crawling, stooping, or getting into abnormal positions. Men who have trouble in getting about should not enter this field. Only physically sound men should undertake work in confined spaces, in a boiler for example. One partially amputated arm would probably not be deterrent. Indoor work is manifestly unsuited to men with weak lungs, as the air in the shop is generally more or less heated and vitiated. Outdoor work might be pursued with benefit. Men with weak backs would generally be at a disadvantage. Kidney or intestinal trouble might or might not be deterrent, depending on the gravity of the trouble and the degree to which physical stamina and general health are affected. Rupture would not be a handicap except where heavy work is to be done, and in that class of work there is usually a helper around. Impairment of efficiency due to loss of one eye, which may make difficult the acquirement of precision in distancing the flame from the material to be welded, may nevertheless generally be overcome.
The welder must have one good arm and hand with which to hold and manipulate the torch, and enough of a stump left in the other arm to be capable of using the filler rod and of puddling. Amputation, ankylosis, or paralysis of a finger or two are not prohibitive, so long as the proper grip and manipulation of the torch can be preserved.
Special “automatic pincers” are being used by French autogenous welders, to take the place of a missing hand, for those who have lost only part of the forearm. Drawings of this appliance are here given. The upper drawing shows the opening of the pincers through extension of the forearm, and the lower two drawings represent modification of the upper pincers for the use of welders.
Those who are incapable of using their hand through any cause are equipped with a special tool holder which is attached to the forearm.
Where the handicap consists of the loss of an arm, cutting may be taken up to advantage. There is restricted field of employment for disabled men in the operation of automatic welding or cutting machines.
As in other occupations, there are in welding, certain safety measures to be taken to avoid accidents. These are clearly defined and are made an integral part of the welder’s training until observance becomes automatic.
This applies, of course, to the man who is physically sound as well as to the disabled. In the case of the handicapped, the matter becomes one of ascertaining if the disability interferes with the carrying out of these safety measures; and if so, if the difficulty can be overcome. If not, some other occupation must be selected. In the welder’s case, however, these precautions are mostly “don’ts,” and do not present serious difficulties to be overcome.
Acetylene is not poisonous and the impurities in the gas which are poisonous are not present in sufficient quantity in the American carbide to be dangerous. The characteristic odor of the gas is a protection against fire, explosion, and suffocation. One cubic foot thoroughly mixed with 10,000 cubic feet of air can be detected.
In selecting any vocation, a man’s former occupation must be carefully taken into account, and particularly is this true in the case of welding. Previous experience, training, and education are such important factors in the student’s success or failure that particular attention should be paid to them. Experience as a blacksmith, machinist, boilermaker, patternmaker, sheet-metal worker, molder, electrician, and in kindred occupations will be in every case of great value.
All experience in handling metals, as well as all mechanical experience is a valuable asset. For a man who has had such experience, it will be comparatively easy to become a good all-round welder. It goes without saying that no disabled man should take up the course unless he feels an interest in the work or in some special branch of it. It is this interest coupled with ingenuity which will make it possible for the welder to handle new problems successfully and to devise better and more efficient ways of doing things.
In the case of a former welder who is capable of taking up his former vocation, a short course of training will suffice. A former welder whose handicap prevents him from taking up his old trade may, with the proper training and necessary qualifications, become an excellent teacher, a welding foreman, or a superintendent.
The process is of comparatively recent application, dating back to about the year 1904. Its growth has been extremely rapid, especially of later years, as regards development of technique, extension of its applications, and perfection of apparatus. Regardless of this progress, however, it is no exaggeration to state that the process is as yet in its initial stages, and that in the near future its field of utility will be greatly extended. As contrasted with the growth of oxy-acetylene welding, the supply of good welders has lagged far behind the demand. Unlike European countries, this country has only lately come to realize the importance of well-grounded, thorough, practical training for prospective welders. In view of these two factors—the remarkable expansion of the process and the shortage of welders—prospects look bright for the future.
In any occupation where the demand for labor is increasing rapidly, there is bound to be a demand for men to teach the processes and practice of the occupation. If you master the trade you yourself may qualify as a teacher.
In contemplating placement after training the following factors are to be taken into account:
Your choice of a field.
Your special fitness.
The industrial demand.
It is the disabled man’s privilege to decide what he will specialize in and he will be allowed the freedom of choosing which branch of welding he will take up, such choice being of course subject to the guidance of the vocational adviser.
Most welders will exhibit a tendency toward some special branch or type of welding, even while they are learning the art. The instructor will keep in constant touch with the pupil during the course to determine if there is such a trend in him, and if so to encourage it. Some take to one metal in preference to others; some to one operation in preference to others; some may give evidence of ability as all-round welders.
The demand for welders is so varied that knowing the demands in general it will in most cases be possible to satisfy preferences and special aptitudes. This will be the aim always.
If as a trained welder you desire to get started on your own hook, several questions will arise in your mind?
Where shall I be located?
What are the demands of the locality in which I shall live?
What is my fitness for the work?
How about the necessary equipment?
The locality should be such as to give you ample opportunity to make good. It might be hard for you to go against much competition at the start. Likewise, to act as a pioneer of the industry in some locality which knows nothing about the work, might not be desirable.
In placing retrained welders, local demands will be carefully considered to the end that no man shall be placed where he may have work coming in which he is not capable of handling efficiently.
You will not be a real welder; probably you will not get a chance to try your hand at manipulating the torch at all. If you do get a chance you may get hurt or hurt others trying to weld without training for the trade. Train for it, and then go to it, and if you fail come back for more training or for training in some other trade.
Some idea of the wide range of application of the oxy-acetylene processes may be gained from a brief survey of their uses in several industrial fields.
Oxy-acetylene welding is used in the shops of practically every railroad in the country as a means of reducing cost of repair and of reclaiming worn parts. Each craft usually does the welding of metals that originates in its department: Blacksmiths handle wrought iron and steel; boilermakers, boiler plates and flues; machinists, cast iron; coppersmiths, brass pipe work.
The process is generally used in the reclamation of broken engine frames, damaged cylinders, broken spokes in driver wheels, cracked valve chamber bushings, broken steam and exhaust pipes and air pump heads; in mending cracks, cutting out and welding patches on side sheets of fire boxes, flue sheets and door collars; in welding front end doors when damaged, engine truck frames and cradles, frame braces and brackets, tender bolsters, guides, and pedestals. The process is used to some extent also in building up worn diamond crossings and frogs. Both cutting and welding are used in the upkeep and repair of steel cars.
At the scrap yard the welder cuts up old boilers and other scrap for salvaging.
Applications of the process by electric railways are similar to those by steam railways. There are, however, more opportunities for doing welding at the table. Of such a nature are restoring of armature bearing housings and frame heads, worn axle seats for motors and axle caps, journal boxes, pinion seats and keyways, brush holders, trolley bases, and third-rail shoe castings. Heavy broken parts such as truck frames, drawheads, brake hangers and body bolsters are repaired. To some extent the process is used also in bonding rails and in welding steel trolleys. Most of the work is handled in the shop, where, however, electric welding is coming into more general use, owing to the availability and economy of electric power.
Extensive use is made of the process in cutting all kinds and shapes of steel plate. Hydrogen is very generally used, instead of acetylene, and welding machines have been introduced. Welding proper is more generally applied in reclamation work, damaged or broken parts of the ship and of its machinery and propellers being often welded by this process.
Electric arc welding is fast coming to the front in this field, except for cutting where the gas process can not be replaced.
Oxy-acetylene welding of automobile parts is not in general very difficult, but as in all other welding mastery of fundamentals is here also essential to success. The work is varied in character, including cast iron, aluminum, steel, and wrought iron welding.
The process is extensively used in the repair of automobiles, and to a lesser degree in their manufacture. Both the industry itself and the repair work provide excellent fields for the prospective welder.
Repair work is done generally in either a job welding shop, where a number of welders are employed and where all kinds of welding is carried on, or else in a garage or automobile repair shop where a welder is employed to do the necessary work. In small communities the welding shop is usually run by one man who owns it and who does all the welding. In the large welding shops acetylene is generated; in other cases dissolved acetylene is used. A welder who is expert in the welding of aluminum is particularly valuable in this work.
In manufacture, the work is done in the shop. It is often simple and well suited to workers who must elect a sedentary employment. The process is broadening its scope in this field.
Closely related to the automobile is the motorcycle. A number of its parts, such as handlebars, special jigs and muffler heads, are welded in manufacture. In repair work the scope is somewhat similar to that of automobile repairing.
In the welding of pipes and mains, the process is finding increased application and this field presents good prospects of expansion in the future. Extensive work in this country as well as in Europe, where it is more largely used, has demonstrated that welding is not only the most economical method but as well the most efficient in that leaky joints are eliminated. Welding does away with threaded joints, and thus makes possible the use of much lighter pipe, since there is no need for making allowance in thickness for threading. Moreover, joint couplings are dispensed with. The expense saved in maintenance alone is tremendous, as the joint is water-tight and there is therefore little likelihood of trouble arising from leaks. In making connections, Y’s, T’s, crosses and drips are made on the spot, being cut out of odd lengths of pipe and fitted together. This effects an economy in that these odd pieces are saved.
The process has its greatest application in the welding of gas, steam, air, oil, water and ammonia pipes and mains, and the work is chiefly outside work, although it is used to some extent on interior pipe connections. Special fittings or connections may be welded in the shop. Outdoors welding is generally performed on sections of pipe while above the ground, the whole section being finally lowered into the ditch. The welding of these several sections to each other has to be done in the ditch or trench, a pit being generally dug in order to give the welder sufficient room for carrying on the work. Obviously this work requires suppleness in the worker.
Where there is a large amount of welding, the apparatus most commonly used is a portable generator, with which is mounted a set of oxygen tanks. In other cases a small two-wheeled truck carrying one oxygen and one dissolved acetylene cylinder may suffice.
In this kind of work, the welder is generally assisted by one or two helpers who do the heavy work, placing, holding, and turning the pipes while the welder keeps on welding. Some overhead welding is done which forces the welder to assume a strained position.
Welding sheet metal is an important application of the process, which is superseding to a large extent riveting and soldering. Very careful work may be required but in the main the work is not particularly difficult, and it can be easily mastered if the training given is thorough. Electric resistance welding, however, is superseding oxy-acetylene in many manufacturing operations.
Extensive use of oxy-acetylene welding is made in the manufacture of metallic furniture and in kindred trades. Welding is an efficient and economical way of joining various parts together, as well as of making the parts themselves. The work may be more or less routine and much of it is done at the bench. This is a comparatively easy type of welding, in which a man can become proficient in a short time. It would be eminently suited to the welder who has trouble in going about or who is easily fatigued, and who would be better off in some sedentary work. The process is largely used in the manufacture of steel desks, chairs, filing cabinets, office safes, stepladders, and surgical, hospital and dental furniture.
Welding is fast superseding old methods in the manufacture of containers of various kinds out of sheet metal. In this class is included the manufacture of steel barrels, range boilers, kitchen utensils, light air tanks, and storage tanks. This kind of work needs a well-trained man on the job. Except in the case of larger objects, the work can be done at the welding table, and it is not of a straining nature.
Metal plate welding is quite similar in its scope to sheet metal work. It is largely used in the manufacture of ammonia and air receivers, vacuum driers, steam driers, and vats. The process is not used in boiler work to any extent, as the consequences of a faulty weld might be extremely serious.
In steel foundries the process is extensively used in cutting away risers, gates, and heads from castings. As compared with the old method of cutting with a saw, the gas process is much quicker and much more economical. This sort of cutting work is simple and does not require great dexterity. The welder should be capable of bending over or assuming more or less cramping positions, as he has to work on the castings in positions in which they have been left on the floor. Welding is almost universally used in the reclamation of defective castings, and by this process castings are saved which for some slight defect would have been consigned to the scrap heap. The process finds application also in the welding of blowholes, cold shuts, porous spots, and cracks. It is used to some extent in manufacture, two parts being cast separately and joined by welding.
This monograph was prepared by Capt. S. T. Dana, in the Forestry Service of the Department of Agriculture, under the direction of Charles H. Winslow, Chief of the Research Division of the Federal Board for Vocational Education. Acknowledgment is due to Dr. John Cummings of the Research Division for editorial assistance.
Forestry is the business, or the art, or the science, depending on the point of view from which you look at it, of handling forests for timber production or stream-flow protection. It does not, as is often mistakenly thought, have anything to do with fruit trees, or even with street and park trees. The care of these comes under horticulture and arboriculture. Forestry is distinct from either in that it has to do primarily with entire stands of trees, or forests, rather than with individuals. Forests are really nothing more nor less than tree societies, or communities, comparable in many ways with human communities, every member of which has an influence upon and in turn is influenced by its neighbors; and it is this fact that gives to forestry its distinctive character.
Forestry should also not be confused with lumbering. Lumbering has to do merely with harvesting the trees on any given area, with cutting them, transporting them to the mill, and converting them into lumber or other products. While the chief task of the forester is to manage forest lands, he has to do with the production of trees as well as with their utilization. Forestry is concerned fully as much with the future as with the present. Like agriculture it looks forward to keeping the land continuously productive by the growth of successive crops. Only in the case of forestry the crops instead of being wheat, or rye, or corn, are trees, which in turn can be converted into fuel, fence posts, telephone poles, railroad ties, wood pulp, lumber, and a host of other wood products. How much the forests mean to the economic development of a community through the crops which they produce and the employment which they offer is evidenced only too plainly by the desolation which has followed destructive lumbering in many a once prosperous forest region.
In addition to yielding crops which have a commercial value, forests in mountainous regions perform another important function which is none the less valuable because its benefits are difficult to measure in dollars and cents. By decreasing erosion and regulating stream-flow the mountain forests conserve water for domestic supplies, irrigation, power, and navigation, and at the same time help to lessen the damage caused by destructive floods. So far-reaching is this influence and so great is the population affected by it, that the treatment which such forests receive becomes a matter of vital interest to the general public. One of the primary concerns of forestry is to see that they are handled in such a way as to afford the maximum amount of protection, even if this involves, as it not infrequently does, the restriction or entire prevention of lumbering operations.
In order to handle to the best advantage the area under his charge there is a wide range of work which a forester may be called upon to do. He must be able to identify different kinds of trees and must know the uses to which each can be put and the sites to which they are best adapted. He must be able to map the area and to determine the amount and value of the timber upon it. He must be able to draw up a complete plan for protecting the forest from fire and to carry out the details involved in its execution. He must know how to control the attacks of destructive insects and fungous diseases. He must be able to handle the many details connected with the collection of seed and the production of young trees in forest-tree nurseries. He must know where and how to plant these, or how to sow the seed on areas where this is preferable. He must know whether any given stand is too dense, and if so, what and how many trees should be taken out to stimulate the growth of those that are left. He must be able to determine the rate at which trees are growing and the age at which they should be cut and to make plans for harvesting them in such a way as to secure natural reproduction. And finally, he must be able to draw up a “working plan” providing in detail for the handling of the entire forest in such a way as to keep it continually productive.
All of this obviously involves a good deal of office work in the formulation of plans, the maintenance of records, and the miscellaneous administrative work connected with any business enterprise. It also involves a good deal of practical out-of-door work. The average forester must take long walks and horseback rides. He must often camp out in a tent or with no shelter whatever. He must take his part in fighting forest fires, which means the liberal and energetic use of the axe, the mattock, and the shovel. He must run compass and transit lines, and make topographic maps. He must estimate the size and contents of standing trees by the use of calipers and height-measures, and must scale the fallen timber. He must mark, or blaze, the trees to be removed in lumbering and must see that the operations are carried out in accordance with the approved plans. He must collect tree cones, extract the seeds from these, sow them in the nursery, care for the young seedlings, and later set them out in the forest.
He must also do a hundred and one other things which are not strictly forestry but which are so closely connected with it that they must be handled by the forester along with his other work. Grazing is a good example of this, since most of the forest regions in the United States produce forage as well as trees. In order to utilize this to best advantage the forester must know how many stock the range will support and how they should be handled. In regions where mineral deposits occur he must be familiar with the mining laws and must have at least enough knowledge regarding mining to enable him to deal intelligently with prospectors and others. Since most of the forests occur in undeveloped regions he must know how to open these up by building ranger and lookout stations and by constructing such other permanent improvements as roads, bridges, trails, and telephone lines. In short, the average forester, particularly in pioneer regions, must be a veritable jack-of-all-trades.
Forestry is primarily an out-of-door occupation. Some indoor work in the formulation of plans, writing of reports, handling of correspondence, and other office routine, is of course necessary, particularly in the case of those charged with the administration of large areas. But the average forester must spend the bulk of his time in the open, in the forests for which he is caring. Sometimes his headquarters may be in a small town or sometimes in a more or less isolated situation in the woods themselves. In either case his daily work will ordinarily take him into the open in sunshine and in rain. Occasionally he may be absent from home for several weeks at a time carrying his bed and provisions on his back, or, if he is fortunate, on a pack animal.
So far as geographical location is concerned, opportunities for foresters have heretofore been mainly in the mountain regions of the West where the National Forests are located. As forestry comes to be practiced more and more on State Forests and on private lands, however, similar opportunities will develop in the East. There is no reason why large numbers of foresters should not eventually be employed wherever forests occur, and this means practically throughout the country except in the Great Plains and in the farming regions of the Central States and Middle West.
Generally speaking, a forester must be able-bodied and in good physical health. He must have a strong heart, sound lungs, and a constitution able to stand exposure to all kinds of wind and weather. Heart disease, tuberculosis, and other serious organic troubles are handicaps that point to the choice of another occupation.
On the other hand, there are certain disabilities, and particularly injuries of various sorts, that do not constitute any serious drawback. Injuries to the mouth, nose, ears, scalp, and other parts of the head, for example, do not disqualify unless they interfere to a dangerous extent with one’s eyesight or hearing. Some deafness is allowable provided it has not gone so far as to prevent communication or to endanger one from falling trees or other accidents. Even blindness in one eye is not a real handicap if the other eye is still sound. The loss of an arm or a leg incapacitates a man for the physical work required of most foresters, but minor injuries to these limbs, such as loss of a finger or a toe, do not disqualify one.
For certain specialized duties one can have sustained even more serious injuries and still be able to give satisfactory service. One may be badly crippled and yet be successful in research work provided he is able to move about more or less freely, has some use of his arms, and can handle a microscope. Men at fire-lookout stations need little more than good eyes and sufficient hearing to use a telephone. On the other hand, one would hardly wish to take up fire-lookout work as a permanent occupation, and unless his condition can be improved sufficiently to enable him to resume active physical work his chances for advancement are poor. Special appliances for handling tools are not necessary, as is the case with many industrial workers. The average forester must be able to turn his hand to a wide variety of activities and to use such homely implements as the axe, the hammer, the shovel, and the mattock.
The danger of further injury is no greater in forestry than in most other outdoor occupations. Accidents due to forest fires, bucking horses, falling trees, and rolling stones are always possible, but the proportion of those seriously injured in such ways as these is not large. Those employed by the National Government receive compensation in case of injury incurred in line of duty.
Forestry requires the services of three more or less distinct grades of workers—the professional forester, the forester ranger, and the forest guard. The professional forester handles the larger and more technical phases of forest management. He determines what the forest under his charge contains, how much it is worth, how fast it is growing, when and how it should be cut, what kinds of trees should be favored, and other questions of the same kind; and also exercises general supervision over the execution of whatever measures are decided upon. The forest ranger acts as a sort of semi-technical assistant to the professional forester. He does not need so thorough an education as the professional forester but must have sufficient technical knowledge to enable him to carry out intelligently the plans formulated by the latter. His work is to a large extent “practical” and involves the routine of fire protection and fire fighting, marking the trees to be removed in timber sales, scaling the felled logs, handling planting operations, surveying, building trails, running telephone lines, and doing other work connected with the administration of the forest. The forest guard is ordinarily a non-technical assistant who helps the forest ranger in those aspects of his work which require little or no knowledge of forestry. Forest guards are frequently appointed for short periods only to help the regular force during the busy season and particularly in the work of fire protection and fire fighting. Previous experience in the woods or in similar occupations such as lumbering and surveying constitutes a valuable, but not essential, preliminary training for foresters of all grades.
Twenty-five years ago the professional forester was almost unknown in this country and there was not a single educational institution at which he could secure the necessary training. To-day the profession is well recognized and there are more than 20 schools offering instruction of a grade similar to that required of civil engineers, doctors, lawyers, ministers, and other professional men. As a basis for the more technical phases of his education the man who desires to become a professional forester must have had courses of collegiate grade in botany, geology, organic chemistry, mathematics through trigonometry, plane surveying, mechanical drawing, economics, and either French or German, or preferably both. With these as a foundation he is ready to go ahead with the technical subjects such as dendrology, silvics, silviculture, forest mensuration, forest valuation, forest management, and forest regulation. Obviously a comprehensive training of this sort can not be obtained with less than four years of collegiate work, at least two of which must be devoted almost entirely to professional forestry subjects. If a man has already had a college education, however, he can readily prepare himself for the profession by two years of post-graduate work. The degree of bachelor of science in forestry is usually given on the completion of a four-year professional course, and of master of science in forestry, or master of forestry, on the completion of a five-year professional course or of two years of postgraduate work following four years of regular college work.
For the forest ranger no such intensive training is necessary. With a high school education as a background, one year of rather elementary training in such subjects as fire protection, surveying, timber estimating and scaling, nursery practice, methods of planting, range management, and report writing is sufficient to enable a man to qualify. In general, the course covers much the same ground as that taken by the professional forester, but in a much briefer and more elementary way. Those who have already had considerable practical experience along these lines can secure a sufficient foundation for their work in three or four months, although even for such men the longer course is preferable if time to take it can be found. Many of the forest schools of the country now offer courses of this sort and the opportunities for instruction are ample.
Since forest guards are engaged almost wholly on nontechnical work no particular course of training is necessary. No one with any ambition, however, would wish to remain a forest guard indefinitely when other opportunities are open to him merely by taking a free course of instruction. If one wishes to take up forestry, therefore, and is not in a position to take the professional course, he should by all means attempt to qualify as a forest ranger. Should lack of other openings then make it necessary for him to serve as a forest guard for the time being, he would be in a position to take advantage of the first opportunity for advancement.
Opportunities for employment for foresters may be classed as fairly good. The point has now been passed where the supply is totally inadequate to meet the demand, but at the same time the war has greatly depleted the ranks of foresters throughout the country, and there is no question that many new men will be needed during the process of reconstruction and afterwards. The National Forests already offer opportunities for the employment of many men and it can not be doubted that similar opportunities will soon be offered in State forests as well as in the case of forests still in the hands of private owners. With the steady decrease in the timber supply, the Nation will soon be face to face with the necessity of practicing forestry extensively as a national safeguard and unless private owners take upon themselves the task, there is little question but that the Federal and State Governments will take matters largely into their own hands.
Altogether it is a safe prediction that any one who desires to engage in forestry and who qualifies himself for the work will be able to find employment. The entering salary for forest guards in the national service averages about $900 a year and for forest rangers about $1,100 a year. Technically trained foresters ordinarily enter at approximately the same salary as forest rangers, $1,100 or $1,200 a year, but with greater opportunities for advancement later. In State and private work approximately the same entering salaries may be expected although some private owners may be unwilling to pay quite so much to forest guards and forest rangers at the start.
Chances for limited promotion are reasonably good. It should be recognized frankly, however, that one can not hope to get rich in the profession and that a comfortable living is all that can ordinarily be looked forward to. In exceptional cases unusually able and well qualified men will doubtless be able to draw salaries of $4,000 or $5,000 a year. The average professional forester, however, can hardly hope to advance much beyond $2,500 or $3,500 a year except by acquiring an interest in some lumber business or in the forest itself. For the forest ranger a salary of $1,500 or $1,600 may reasonably be looked forward to. Moreover, this salary often carries with it a ranger station which can be occupied as long as he stays in the service, and also an opportunity to produce some crops for his own use. Forest guards can hardly hope for more than $900 or $1,800 a year.
In other words, in forestry, as in all other professions, the better educated you are the better are your chances for promotion. Even at best, however, the chances for large salaries are small and those who are bent on getting rich should look elsewhere for an opportunity to do so. On the other hand, one who is satisfied to make a comfortable living, to spend a large part of his life in the open, to occupy a responsible and respected place in his home community, and to enjoy the satisfaction which comes from having an important share in a work of great public service, can not look for a more congenial or attractive occupation than forestry.
These lists have been compiled by the Forest Service to aid in answering inquiries as to institutions at which instruction in forestry may be obtained. While every effort has been made to avoid errors, the Forest Service does not vouch for the completeness of the lists, their accuracy, or the relative merits of the courses offered. More detailed information regarding opportunities for disabled soldiers and sailors to take training courses in forestry may be obtained from representatives of the Federal Board for Vocational Education.
University of California, College of Agriculture, Division of Forestry, Berkeley, Cal.—Two four-year courses, one in forestry and one in forest engineering, both leading to the degree of bachelor of science. Nineteen weeks of each of these courses are spent in camp, most of the time on a national forest. A five-year course combining the work of both courses leads to the degree of master of science in forestry, which is also granted on the completion of one year of graduate work in connection with either course.
Colorado State Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colo.—Four-year course in forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry.
Colorado College, Colorado School of Forestry, Colorado Springs, Colo.—Two-year course leading to the degree of forest engineer, open only to applicants who have completed two years of college work or an equivalent course of study. The fall and spring terms are spent at Manitou Park, the property of the school, near Woodland Park, Colo. A two-year course for graduate students leads to the degree of master of forestry.
New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University, Department of Forestry, Ithaca, N. Y.—Five-year course in professional forestry, leading after four years to the degree of bachelor of science and after one additional year to that of master of forestry. Field work includes five weeks in camp in the Adirondacks in the summer following sophomore year, 10 weeks each in the summers following junior and senior years, and three months of practical work in the forest in the fall term of senior year.
Georgia State College of Agriculture at University of Georgia, Georgia State Forest School, Athens, Ga.—Four-year professional course leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry. Considerable latitude for specialization is offered during junior and senior years. Eighteen weeks of the course are spent in field work in camp, and three months in practical work in specialization.
Georgia College of Forestry, Greensboro, Ga.—Three-year course of ten months a year leading to the degree of bachelor of science. Headquarters of the college are on a timber tract five miles from Greensboro. Trips are required to the hardwood region of northern Georgia and the long-leaf pine region of southern Georgia.
Harvard University, Department of Forestry, Bussey Institution, Jamaica Plain, Mass.—Graduate specialization and research leading to the degree of master in forestry. Special elective work is offered in dendrology, silviculture, forest management, wood technology, and (in cooperation with the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration) a two-year course in lumbering. The technical work is carried on at the Harvard Forest, the Arnold Arboretum, and the Bussey Institution.
University of Idaho, School of Forestry, Moscow, Idaho.—Two four-year collegiate courses, one in general forestry and one with special attention to lumbering, both leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry.
Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Department of Forestry, Ames, Iowa.—Four-year undergraduate course leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry; also a five-year course leading to the degree of master of science in forestry. Both courses include three months of work in summer camp, in addition to which all candidates for degrees must have at least three months of practical work. A five-year combined course in forestry and landscape gardening leads to the two degrees of bachelor of science in forestry and bachelor of science in horticulture.
University of Maine, Department of Forestry, Orono, Me.—Four-year undergraduate course in forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry. Special attention is given to forest management and forest engineering applicable to the northeastern United States.
Michigan Agricultural College, Department of Forestry, East Lansing, Mich.—Four-year course in forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science. Graduate courses leading to the degree of master of forestry are also offered. A summer term of seven weeks between the sophomore and junior years is held near Cadillac, Mich.
University of Michigan, Department of Forestry, Ann Arbor, Mich.—Four-year course leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry; also a five-year course leading to the degree of master of science in forestry. Graduates of other colleges of university rank require two years of graduate study.
University of Minnesota, Department of Agriculture, College of Forestry, University Farm, St. Paul, Minn.—Four-year course in forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science and offering three lines of specialization: Technical forestry, lumbering, and wood chemistry. Two months of freshman year, from June 1 to August 1, and four months of junior year, from April 15 to August 15, are spent at Itasca State Park. One year of graduate work leads to the degree of master of science.
University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, Department of Forestry, Columbia, Mo.—Five-year course in forestry leading to the degree of master of forestry. The degree of bachelor of science in forestry is conferred upon the completion of four years’ work. Field work includes a summer course of 10 weeks on the university forest of 50,000 acres in the Ozark Uplands.
University of Montana, Forest School, Missoula, Mont.—Two four-year courses, one in forestry and one in forest engineering, leading respectively to the degrees of bachelor of science in forestry and bachelor of science in forest engineering. The course in forestry aims to prepare men for the work of forest rangers and forest supervisors, and for such work with lumber companies, timber-owning corporations, and the like, as involves the administration, protection, and utilization of forests; that in forest engineering for work as scalers, cruisers, lumbermen, logging engineers, and in general all engineering work in the forest. A graduate course in forest engineering leading to the degree of forest engineer will be offered later.
Ohio State University, Department of Forestry, Columbus, Ohio.—Four-year undergraduate course in forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry. At least one summer of practical work in the woods is required before graduation. An optional fifth year is offered leading to the degree of master of science in forestry.
Oregon Agricultural College, School of Forestry, Corvallis, Oreg.—Two four-year courses, one in forestry and one in logging engineering, leading respectively to the degrees of bachelor of science in forestry and bachelor of science in logging engineering.
Pennsylvania State College, Department of Forestry, State College, Pa.—Four-year course in professional forestry leading to the degree of bachelor of science. Field work includes six weeks in camp at the end of freshman year, eight weeks at the end of sophomore year, and eight weeks during senior year. Opportunity is given for special study in lumbering.
Pennsylvania Department of Forestry, State Forest Academy, Mont Alto, Pa.—Three-year course in forestry of 48 weeks a year leading to the degree of bachelor of forestry. The course is maintained for the training of foresters for the State Forest Service. Appointments are made from a competitive examination open to residents of Pennsylvania between 19 and 25 years of age. The State supplies board, tuition, and quarters, and requires bond for the successful completion of the course and three years’ service on State forests.
New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, Syracuse, N. Y.—Four-year courses lending to the degree of bachelor of science. Five-year professional courses leading to the degrees of master of forestry and doctor of economics. Special opportunity is offered in lumbering, pulp and paper making, city forestry, forest entomology and botany, and forest pathology, and for research work at the State Forest Experiment Station.
State College of Washington, Department of Forestry, Pullman, Wash.—Four-year course leading to the degree of bachelor of science in forestry.
University of Washington, College of Forestry, Seattle, Wash.—Four and five year courses, arranged for specialization in general forestry, logging engineering, forest products, and the business of lumbering. At the end of the fourth year the student receives the degree of bachelor of science and at the end of the fifth year of master of science in forestry. Students who wish to specialize should take the five-year course.
Yale University, School of Forestry, New Haven, Conn.—Two-year graduate course leading to the degree of master of forestry. Field work includes 10 weeks at Milford, Pike County, Pa., in the summer term of junior year; three weeks at Union, Conn., and in the Adirondack Mountains in the spring term of junior year, and 12 weeks in the South in the spring term of senior year. Advanced work in dendrology, silviculture, forest management, forest products, and lumbering is open to those who have already had a general course in forestry. Special students are accepted in limited numbers provided their scholastic attainments are such that they can take the work to advantage.
Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Ala.—An elementary course in forestry covering seven weeks is given to senior students in the agricultural course. The work comprises a study of forest conditions in Alabama, care of woodlands, uses of the different southern woods, methods of preservation, etc.
Berea College, Berea, Ky.—A short course in the fundamental principles of forestry is given as part of the course in agriculture.
University of California, Berkeley, Cal.—Nonprofessional instruction in general forestry is given throughout the regular college year by means of two courses open to any student in the university.
University of Chicago, Ill.—The department of botany offers a course in forest ecology, dealing mainly with the life, activities, and death of trees; the structure and rôle of their various organs; and their relation to climate, soil, and their organic environment. Forest succession and its causes and the great forest formations of the United States and Canada are also taken up.
Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson, S. C.—A course in general forestry is required of all students in the agricultural course during the latter part of junior year.
Connecticut Agricultural College, Storrs, Conn.—A course in wood lot forestry covering one semester is required of all students in the regular four-year courses. The course is designed to give the student a working knowledge of the best methods of handling the farm wood lot with special reference to Connecticut conditions. The field work covers the identification of the economic species, measurement of growth and yield, improvement cuttings, and reforestation. A similar but less comprehensive course covering one semester is required of all students in the two-year course in the School of Agriculture.
Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.—Five elementary courses are offered for agricultural and other students in the university covering the farm wood lot, elements of forestry silviculture, mensuration, management, utilization, and conservation. Two other courses, the field of forestry and wood technology, are open to both general and professional students. General courses in forestry are also given in the summer school and in the short-term winter course.
Delaware College, Newark, Del.—An elementary course covering one semester is elective for juniors and seniors in agriculture. It deals with the elements of silvics, methods of silvicultural management, natural and artificial regeneration, forest protection, forest mensuration, wood utilization, lumbering, wood preservation, forest economics, forest finance, and a study of the characteristic lumber trees of the United States, their classification and identification.
University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.—A short course in farm forestry is required of seniors in agriculture, and an elementary course in wood lot forestry of one-year men in agriculture. A nature study during the summer, open to teachers, a vocational course in wood and its uses, and a correspondence course in farm forestry are also offered.
University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.—A course in general forestry is offered for students in the various departments of the university, and a short course in farm forestry for students in the College of Agriculture.
Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Ames, Iowa.—A course in farm forestry designed to meet the needs of the Iowa farmer is required of practically all agricultural students during their first year. It includes a discussion of windbreaks, shelter belts, and wood lots with respect to their value on the farm, and also a little work on dendrology, forest planting, silviculture, preservative treatment of timbers, and the utilization of forest products.
Kansas State Agricultural College, Manhattan, Kans.—Courses in farm forestry, silviculture, and dendrology are elective for all students in agricultural and general science courses during the winter term of junior year. A course in forest nursery practice is elective for students in the School of Agriculture during the spring term of the third year, and also, without credit, for all students in college courses in agriculture and general science.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.—A year’s course in general forestry is required of juniors in the teachers’ course in agriculture, and additional courses of one year each in forestry and in the propagation and care of ornamental and shade trees are elective for seniors. Courses in forestry covering two years and a course in the propagation and care of ornamental and shade trees covering one year are elective for juniors and seniors in the College of Agriculture. The aim is not to turn out trained foresters, but to teach forestry in connection with the agricultural courses, with special reference to the management of farm wood lots.
University of Maine, Orono, Me.—A course in general forestry is open to all students, and is required of all students in the College of Agriculture.
Maryland Agricultural College, College Park, Md.—A course in farm forestry comprising 20 lectures and 60 hours of demonstration work is given to seniors in agriculture and horticulture, and to the second-year men of the two-year courses in agriculture and horticulture. The course includes wood lot management, nursery practice, planting, forest botany, and estimating timber crops.
Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, Mass.—An elective major course is offered in the department of forestry during junior and senior years, which takes up such studies as dendrology, silviculture, forest mensuration, and allied subjects. During the winter several lectures are given by the State forester on “State Forest Policy.” The course is intended to give the students the same kind of education regarding true forest land that they receive concerning tillable land, and also to prepare students for the graduate schools of forestry. A lecture course dealing especially with wood lot management is offered to students of the short winter and summer schools.