J. di CRISTINA & SON, STAIR BUILDERS

Modern Stair Building Plant Corries on the Tradition and Fine \(orkmanship of Pioneers

One of the most interesting woodworking plants in Northern California is that of J. di Cristina & Son, stair builders, located at 350 Treat Avenue, San Francisco.

This business was founded in 1931 by J. di Cristina and his son, Charles di Cristina. Both had received a thorough training in the art of stair building in the plant of J. K. Stewart, pioneer stair builder, who came from Boston to San Francisco in the early 1900's and established his business there.

A few years later George and Edward di Cristina joined the firm. Their father passed away a little over a year ago. Charles is manager. George runs the mill, and Edward is outside estimator. Incidentally George had three years' service in the Army Air Force in World War II. He took part in the North African campaign, and the Sicilian and Italian invasions.

J. di Cristina & Son have a good crew of 45 stair builders. They are also training apprentices to carry on the tradition and fine workmanship established by their predecessor,

The new plant, completed two years ago, has an area of 23,000 square feet, and has frontage on Treat Avenue of 160 feet. There is a sprinkler system throughbut the mill and the lumber storage sheds.

The mill has the most modern machinery and equipment, with a total value of about $50,000 worth of machinery. The principal machines include the following: A new Mattison 6-inch electric moulder, a new X1 Moldmaster, a lZ-inch Yates-American moulder, a Jenkins glue joiner, a Hermance gang rip sarv. The glue room is also equipped with modern facilities.

The main operation is all on one floor, which is of concrete. The mezzanine area is reserved for a crew of five men who make circle stairs and stair railings. Here they have the necessary quietness to enable them to concentrate on their problems, some of which require knowledge of geometry.

All material is handled by hand trucks, special dollies built to receive lumber direct from carrier loads for transportation to either gang rip saw or moulders. This system, evolved by George di Cristina, works very smoothly.

The inventory carried includes the various hardwoods specified by architects, also Ponderosa and Sugar pine, and other softwoods. This inventory of selected woods usually amounts to about $50,000.

The volume of business has run $500,000 a year since 1940.

A considerable wholesale business in stair parts has been developed with mills that do not have a stair building department. Stair parts are also made to details and specifications.

The company specializes in the manufacture of special doors, standard mouldings, and mouldings for concrete forms.

If all pieces of lumber were straight grained and free of all blemishes as well as perfectly manufactured, there would be no need of grades or graders. This not being the case however, the lumber must be graded according to the characteristics or their equivalent permitted in the rules for these grades.