The Post-Standard from Syracuse, New York • Page 8

Section II THE POST-STANDARD Women's Financial SYRACUSE, N.Y., TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1967 11 II I Wood-Plastics STORES, shops and service centers are open as usual, despite the fire at Channel 9 The se 6 stores AND ONLY THESE are closed briefly to check smoke damage: OLD ERIE COFFEE HOUSE FANNY FARMER CANDIES (Plan to reopen tomorrow, if approved.) Me KAY SHOES HOWARD CLOTHES (Plan to reopen Thursday.) SAM'S HOBBY TOY CENTER (Plans to reopen later in week.) FLAH COMPANY CO. (Closed until further notice.) KALLET THEATRE Plans to reopen Friday with "THE SAND PEBBLES" All Other Stores Open! OPEN: to 9 P.M. SAT. 10A.M. to 6 P.M.

PLENTY OF UNRESTRICTED FREE PARKING Plenty of room to shop! 'hoppingtown Witt By; CONNIE MYER i i a now have a big boost to their straight-shooting, a research at the Slate University College of Forestry at Syracuse University. A pool cue which is warp- proof and splinter-proof is being manufactured by American Machine and Foundry Co. (AMF) Lowville plant, using a wood-plastic process developed by Dr. John A. Meyer, associate professor of forest chemistry at the college.

Dr. Meyer's process combines the aesthetic qualities of wood with the hardness and durability of plastic, accord- ing to Carl Golas, production manager at AMF's bowling division plant at Lowville. And the process is relatively inexpensive to perform, requiring only a treating cylinder, vacuum pump and oven, and vinyl plastic solutions. The Lowville plant has produced the wood-plastic billiard portable cues for about a year and has other new products in the research stage, Golas said. The AMF people explained their experience with the wood-plastic technique at a recent workshop at the College of Forestry.

Attending were about 25 other wood industry representatives, from plants as far away as Lynchburg, and Amarillo, Tex. The idea of the wood-plastic material basically is simple. The air is first removed from the void spaces in a piece of wood by placing the wood in a treating cylinder attached to a vacuum pump. After the air has been taken out tank is flooded with a methyl melhac- rylate monomer liquid containing a small amount of another chemical as a catalyst. "Vaxo" by DuPont is one of the catalysts which may be used.

As the vacuum is released, atmospheric pressure forces wr. ysy KwisSSv5Sr i i T- vV. 1 4 'Hard' Cue in the Making John Siau, research associate at State University College of Forestry, places pieces of wood into tank for treating with acrylic monomer, first step in new wood-plastic process. Siau worked on process for his graduate program at the college, under direction of Dr. John A.

Meyer. Control of Air Pollution Possibility een By MARGARET REYNOLDS The prospect for a Five- county approach to air pollution ''looks very good," according to Dr. Gunther Zweig of the Syracuse University Research Corp. who is preparing the second Onondaga County application for federal aid and an amendment to the four counties of Cortland, Cayuga, Madison and Oswego, said both applications should be ready to meet the April 15 deadline for funding priority. Although Ihe regional approach to air pollution has been much talked about for more than two years, this is the first lime the other four counties have been included in a program to combat the problem.

Last summer, Onondaga County asked for and received its first grant from the federal government to begin a survey of the air pollution problem in the county. Originally the other counties were to join with Onondaga but red tape and lack of time prevented it. Onondaga's application now in the works includes a budget of about $150,000 for the first year. Dr. Zweig said about $50,000 of this expense will a "a sophisticated trailer" with automated equipment which can be moved from one critical pollution site to another.

The Onondaga application will be for two years, but must be funded separately each year. Dr. Zweig said he did' not feel that money would be denied the second year if approval is given for this year. The second ear estimate is about $100,000. The application of the other counties will be submitted as one amendment to the Onondaga application.

However consideration of funding will be on an individual basis. The four-county amendment, involving about $50,000, would include a survey of air pollution in these counties, accomplishing much the same goal as Onondaga's study over the last year. Optimism was expressed about the future of the applications once in federal hands. Dr. Zweig noted that if the funds for the four counties are approved, "it will be the first time the regional approach has been successful." SEP OCT Do you have high expense periods every year? If you do, youll like i Take-a-Break Loans Christmas, vacation, summer or winter time.

Anytime cash is in short supply, TAKE-A- BREAK PERSONAL LOANS let you skip one or two monthly i payments each year An exclusive service of Marine Midland. NOV I DEC TRUST COMPANY OP CENTRAL. I4EW VORK KbtftAl. OtPCXlT INSUWANCC AVAILABLE AT ALL MARINE MIDLAND OFFICES the monomer into the wood cavities, a process which takes about an hour. After this, the wood is removed from the cylinder, quickly wrapped in aluminum foil to avoid evaporation and placed in an oven to for 24 hours at about 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the baking, the catalyst goes to work, starting a chemical reaction, causing the liquid to form into a solid plastic. Dr. Meyer describes the liquid monomer as "links in a chain, witK the catalyst as a 'pair of pliers' which brings them together." Making wood-plastic is not new, Dr. Meyer explained. He said the DuPont Co.

did something smiilar back in 1936, but it came to commercial attention. Since 1961, the wood-plastic process was done by atomic radiation, a costly process which requires a cobalt-60 unit or other radiation source. The heat-catalyst process developed by Dr. Meyer and John Siau, a college research associate, is much less expensive. Golas estimated AMF spent less than $200 in preparing equipment for its initial production of treated billiard cues.

"Today, more competitoin than ever between the plastics and wood industries," said Dr. Meyer. "If we combine the two, we retain the natural aesthetic proper- tics of wood with the hardness of plastic." The college staff has machine-lathed of the wood-plastic into decorative bowls, candle holders and cups. And several industries are experimenting with the material for such varied uses as knife handles and stairways. The wood-plasfic scratch easily and if burned can be buffed again to its original glowing finish.

Dyes can be inserted in the monomer to make various colors in the finished wood. The i i i a wood-plastic workshop is just the beginning, says Dr. Meyer. "We plan more workshops in the fall. It's part of our job to translate university research into processes industry can use." .1.

I I I I ft 4 I 1J 4 I FLAM'S SHOPP1NGTOWN STORE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED fairmount 4 1 i '-i 1 oming to life now, marvelously wearable cotton suits Cool, fresh, crisp cotton once again on the a because it's still unbeatable, still side-stepping cliche, still so capable at keeping up appearances. Two here, for accepting every $pur-of-the-moment invitation from now through Fall: leather belted longer jacket suit with cuff sleeve, $45. Double breasted harlequin design, navy or brown with white, $50, From a collection, 6 to 14, Hah Suit Salon, Second Floor, Downtown, Shoppingtown customers: We ate sorry to inconvience you. If you have any questions concerning merchandise, please.