back in the early 1970's when a lot of old machine shop where shut down and they where selling the lot off as scrap. I got to see a few of the old shops as they where wrecking and removing the old machines. save a few small items. got a maple board from one such shop. rock hard stuff, over 15 inches wide and 12 feet long. made a workbench top out of it it still in use today. gave the workbench to the guy 2 doors up from me. as he had a few kids and was trying to make stuff I sure the bench will out last him as well. never saw a board that big without any knots before and I don't think I will again either. the sad part is , I don't think we ever get that level of skill back in this country again. men back then used their heads, slide rules and pencils and they made almost anything and made it look easy too. hell, we do not have anyone left to teach those skills anymore. a very sad state of the country today.
I've been in places like that to repair the motor controls on the "Prime Mover". The control panel looked like something from a Frankenstein movie; Big Knife switches, surface mount panel meters, open frame relays and contactors, oil-filled dashpots, and more! All mounted on a 2" thick slate panel, with brass studs and hardware for tie points and interconnects.
And it looked brand-new! The place was a 100 year old monument engraving company/stone finishing operation that was family run, and Grandpa, who started the company, insisted that all the equipment be kept spotless.
Amazing place, from a time when we could barely make a reliable three-phase motor.
I can take you to several machine and wood working shops near me ran by the Amish that look real close to that one . Some have gas and some diesel power . When you can't buy either what you gonna do ?
It amazes me that with equipment like this, they could keep the tolerances to make even more precise machines. Folks are capable of so much more than they know...
In Nashville Tn., the Marathon Motor Works building has a bunch of belt drive machine tools on display. What was once car factory is pretty much a mall/office building. But someone was smart enough to preserve some of the machines. I'd like to see what else is stashed away behind the scenes...
the sad part is when they got rid of all those old wonderful tools that could be powered by a water mill, is something we might all wish we had the foresight to save. best thing about water power is they can not tax it like they can electric or gas power. but we need to make a better way to lace the belts if we are going to try this again. another thing, those machines where better made than anything built today. I have a south bend lathe that runs rings around a whole lot of newer lathes, granted it takes more time to change gears. run out is not something I have to worry about.
At 19, in 1968 I got a job working in the parts department at my hometown Chevrolet dealership in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. I was mainly a parts runner, but also dealt with checking in and shelving special order parts, both for customers and the dealership needs. Another thing was to go the the nearly-only machine/fabrication shop in town for various needs of the dealership. I had never seen or heard of such a method of powering serious tools. It seemed historic, even Idustrial Revolution stuff, as I recall. Good times. WAAAAAAY better than today, it seems.
That's not exactly a new idea. I have seen period art of a medieval armor shop with crude grinding and polishing machines hooked to a central shaft by belts and being run by a water wheel.
back in the early 1970's when a lot of old machine shop where shut down and they where selling the lot off as scrap.
ReplyDeleteI got to see a few of the old shops as they where wrecking and removing the old machines. save a few small items.
got a maple board from one such shop. rock hard stuff, over 15 inches wide and 12 feet long. made a workbench top out of it
it still in use today. gave the workbench to the guy 2 doors up from me. as he had a few kids and was trying to make stuff
I sure the bench will out last him as well. never saw a board that big without any knots before and I don't think I will again either. the sad part is , I don't think we ever get that level of skill back in this country again.
men back then used their heads, slide rules and pencils and they made almost anything and made it look easy too.
hell, we do not have anyone left to teach those skills anymore. a very sad state of the country today.
Amen.
Delete-rightwingterrorist
Another amen!
DeleteIt always amazes me seeing older machines, would sering who built it, how were the pieces made, and who used it.
Not a bit of CNC equipment in sight or even a pocket calculator but the work those craftsmen did in those days Was nothing short of magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI've been in places like that to repair the motor controls on the "Prime Mover". The control panel looked like something from a Frankenstein movie; Big Knife switches, surface mount panel meters, open frame relays and contactors, oil-filled dashpots, and more! All mounted on a 2" thick slate panel, with brass studs and hardware for tie points and interconnects.
ReplyDeleteAnd it looked brand-new! The place was a 100 year old monument engraving company/stone finishing operation that was family run, and Grandpa, who started the company, insisted that all the equipment be kept spotless.
Amazing place, from a time when we could barely make a reliable three-phase motor.
Back when men were men and women were nervous.
ReplyDeleteA shop like this situated next to a decent sized stream with a water wheel could function just fine after TEOTWAWKI.
ReplyDeleteI used to sell used machine tools. I would have enjoyed talking to that owner about what pieces he'd want to sell. Or buy. You never know.
ReplyDeleteI can take you to several machine and wood working shops near me ran by the Amish that look real close to that one . Some have gas and some diesel power . When you can't buy either what you gonna do ?
ReplyDeleteI can almost smell this room, well oiled iron, wood and elbow grease.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that with equipment like this, they could keep the tolerances to make even more precise machines. Folks are capable of so much more than they know...
ReplyDeleteTo see a shop like that, visit the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn Michigan.
ReplyDeleteDon in Oregon
Old skool that will become new skool soon
ReplyDeleteIn Nashville Tn., the Marathon Motor Works building has a bunch of belt drive machine tools on display. What was once car factory is pretty much a mall/office building. But someone was smart enough to preserve some of the machines. I'd like to see what else is stashed away behind the scenes...
ReplyDeleteI can hear y'all DROOLING...
ReplyDeletethe sad part is when they got rid of all those old wonderful tools that could be powered by a water mill, is something we might
ReplyDeleteall wish we had the foresight to save. best thing about water power is they can not tax it like they can electric or gas
power. but we need to make a better way to lace the belts if we are going to try this again.
another thing, those machines where better made than anything built today. I have a south bend lathe that runs rings around
a whole lot of newer lathes, granted it takes more time to change gears. run out is not something I have to worry about.
Those shops were the impetus for what became known as Surround Sound.
ReplyDeleteI can still feel my ear hair vibrating.
Looks like you could make some stuff in there.
ReplyDeleteAt 19, in 1968 I got a job working in the parts department at my hometown Chevrolet dealership in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. I was mainly a parts runner, but also dealt with checking in and shelving special order parts, both for customers and the dealership needs. Another thing was to go the the nearly-only machine/fabrication shop in town for various needs of the dealership. I had never seen or heard of such a method of powering serious tools. It seemed historic, even Idustrial Revolution stuff, as I recall. Good times. WAAAAAAY better than today, it seems.
ReplyDeleteThat's not exactly a new idea. I have seen period art of a medieval armor shop with crude grinding and polishing machines hooked to a central shaft by belts and being run by a water wheel.
ReplyDelete