n the
carriage till wanted. This stop is also worked by steam. By letting
the steam into the cylinder which controls it, one log is rolled over
on the carriage and the next one held. The log on the carriage is at
once "dogged," that is, clamped tight by iron dogs, the carriage is
set for the proper cut, and moves forward to the saw which cuts
off the first slab. The carriage is then "gigged" or reversed. This
operation offsets the carriage one-eighth of an inch so that the log
returns entirely clear of the saw. In the same way two or three 1"
boards are taken off, the dogs are then knocked out, and the log
canted over half a revolution. This is done by means of the "steam
nigger," Fig. 40, a long, perpendicular toothed bar which comes up
thru the floor, engages the log, and turns it over till the sawn side
comes up against the knees of the carriage. The log is dogged again
and a second slab and several boards are taken off. The log or "stock"
as it is now called, is 10", 12", 14", or 16" thick; the "nigger" then
gives it a quarter-turn, leaving it lying on a sawn side. It is dogged
again, and all sawn up except enough to make a few boards. This last
piece is given a half-turn, bringing the sawn side against the knees,
and it is sawn up. Each board as it is sawn off is thrown by the
board-flipper or cant-flipper,[2] Fig. 41, on to the "live rollers,"
which take it to the next process. Another log comes on the carriage
and the process is repeated.

[Footnote 2: A "cant" is a squared or partly squared log.]

[Illustration: Fig. 40. The Steam Nigger. The toothed bar turns the
log over into the desired position.]

[Illustration: Fig. 41. Steam Cant-Flipper. This machine is used to
move cants, timber, or lumber from live rollers to gangs, band resaw
mills, or elsewhere. The timber is discharged upon skid rollers, as
shown, or upon transfer chains.]

[Illustration: Fig. 42. Log-Carriage, holding quartered log in
position to saw.]

The saw-carriage, Fig. 42, is propelled forward and back by a piston
running in a long cylinder, into either end of which steam can be
turned by the operator.

[Illustration: Fig. 43. Double Gang Edger. This machine trims off the
rough edges of the "waney" boards by means of the four saws in the
main frame of the machine.]

[Illustration: Fig. 44. Automatic Steam Transfer for Timber, Lumber
and Slabs. The boards are carried along by the cylinders, CCC, until
they hit the bumper, B. This