High-quality black-and-white photographs of large old machines and tools

[marksbug]

spankey and the gang were off the day the pic was taken.

[Jon]

Mesta motor-driven slab shear.

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[IntheGroove]

With herringbone gear...

[Toolmaker51]

With railcar in background for scale...

[Jon]

Seamless hot mill. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation. Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

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[Toolmaker51]

We've a rolling mill here in Kansas City; in there one day, watched them run 8" square tube, about 1/2" wall. I'd swear it went 10 feet per second, if not more. Pulled flat stock from a spool, formed a tall U, closed the top, laying continuous submerged weld on the seam.


Seeing things like this always causes awe; starting with all the capital equipment to build such a plant. And not till after someone built those too.....
What on earth did we do to ourselves?
I have minimal 'respect' for endeavors passing for 'business' today.

[marksbug]

I totaly agree.

[Jon]

NACA Hydro-Tel machine. Original caption: "HYDROTEL IN BALDE SECTION OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICES BUILDING TSB". November, 1955.

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[marksbug]

were gonna need a bigger shop.....

[Toolmaker51]

Lol. Notice push button panel 11' feet up the ladder? MAN I miss running big machinery. Foot clutches, hand shift gear boxes, and built-in ladders!

In reference to Hydrotels, not certain if that's a machine trademark, retrofit or possibly both. Most Hydrotels are linked with Cincinnati.
Anyway, my trivia bit; Frank Pachmayr [as in trademark Pachmayr pistol grips, many firearms related products, and Los Angeles's coolest store ever], made a huge fortune buying up dirt cheap defense plant Hydro's, to run in new industry of commercial aircraft parts. Everybody else scrimped for individual Friden tape run NC machines, took years to catch up.
It takes money to make money. Yup. And a fast machine gets worked to death against multiple simple machines with powerful spindles. . .

BTW, next coolest? Weatherby's in South Gate. After that, Frederick's of Hollywood! Lingerie half off , whoohoo yeah let's go!
Imagine my disappointment, turned out merely a sale.
Even with side trip to Art's or Jerry's in Studio City for not so compensatory cheesecake. We lived in Lakewood; a truck and cash, heading for LA, returning with anything you needed, wanted or just liked. Angle iron. Engine parts. Machinery. Tool steel. Any Gr8 fastener imaginable. 10" gate valves. Chemicals, solvent, racing fuel. Plexiglass. First rate tools over the frickin counter Indestro, Plvmb, Proto.
Not any more.
Lets say 1985, 27 million Californians, 4th largest economy in the WORLD, literally. Now everything has a Cancer Warning sticker. But not 27 million cases, 30 years later!
done.