Two centuries of shipbuilding by the Scotts at Greenock

Joiners' and Smiths' Shops. 103
shipbuilding yards, as well as the general work for two
other firms.
The joiners' and cabinet-makers' shop, as we have
already indicated, occupies two floors of a building 240 ft.
long and 52 ft. wide ; while the fourth floor is utilised for the
French polishing work, as well as for storing the completed
wood-work until the vessel is ready to receive it. Provision
is also made in the same building for the model-making
department, in which replicas of nearly all ships are pro-
duced; and, being works of art, because of their completeness,
accuracy, and beauty, have earned high awards at many
Exhibitions.
In the joiners' shops, illustrated by two engravings on
Plate XLVIL, adjoining this page, there is a complete
equipment of wood-working machines for sawing, turning,
planing, moulding, sand-papering, mortising, boring, tenon-
ing, dovetailing, dowelling and joining. These are electrically
driven, and are grouped at three places in the length of
the shop on each floor, with benches around them, so that
the joiners do not require to carry their jobs any distance
in order to have them machined. There is also in use in
connection with the department a portable electric circular
saw, which is specially useful for carpenters and joiners,
etc., on board the ship in the dock. An electric deck-
planer, of the lawnmower form, has proved serviceable in
reducing enormously the most laborious task experienced
by carpenters and joiners.
There are two large smithies convenient to the ship-
building berths, and in both cases the finishing department
adjoins. In one case there are fifty-four fires and eight
hammers ; in the other, forty fires, with five hammers,
ranging up to 15 cwt. The fires are operated by mechanical
blowers, and the smoke and waste gases are carried off by
overhead ventilating pipes. Extensive work is carried out
by the smiths. Die-stamping is largely adopted in con-