Vintage work crew photos

[Jon]

Alcoa 50,000 ton forging press, built by the now-defunct Mesta Machinery. The fullsize images linked below are over 3500px wide, and suitable for framing.

This beauty is a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. More: https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/medi...ging-Press.pdf

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...1_fullsize.jpg


Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...2_fullsize.jpg


If you are looking for a good entrance to a rabbit hole for enormous presses, just look up "heavy press program", and then take that route back to The Cold War. Then hang a left, and follow the path back to WWII and invading Soviet forces seizing German presses. From there, keep going back to WWII aviation, then back more to the origins of magnesium press forming. Finally, keep going on that same route, all the way back to the Treaty of Versailles. See ya in 100 hours!

[PJs]

An amazing accomplishment in engineering, materials and manufacturing. Some of the stats and systems are truly mind melting...like 9 foot, 12T check valves that some one designed, cast, machined and built. I'll be spending more time rabbit holing this and others because of my small part in a measly 50t forge press that was actually to be used for military aircraft engine parts with high cycle rates.

Funny too I noticed and remembered a couple of ASME Chiefs (Akers and Gaither) from 5 on the dedication PDF. They were kind of legendary by the time I joined but a great group over all and got a presidential letter and gift on my 10yr. Got quite a few certs, (lean, 6 sigma, etc.) from them over the years too and most in Chicago at MacCormic Place. ASME is a Great resource for information sharing too! Used to log in when stuck on something and get a response in an hour!

Thank You Jon...A real monument to cherish and share.

[Frank S]

I wonder what the bank would pay me to remove that 50,000 ton press from the facility? Maybe I could talk them into letting me have the salvage of the rest of the building as well.

[marksbug]

I visited a "machine shop" facility from a world long gone in ITALY last year under the Leonardo De' Vin... oops ...these that spelling thing again, well it was below his big museum in Milan.. well one of them. it was awesome!!! I saw how drawn over mandrill tubing was made long long ago and oh somuch more. I could of spent a month in there. it wasent in the basement it was in the dirt where it had always been and they built on top of it..I gotta go back again some day , I wanted to last april but time was short&never stopped in Milan that trip, we only had 2 weeks. I love ITALY!!!!

I did run some punch presses and other stuff years ago, but compared to that above they were booger squashers.

[Toolmaker51]

If that is ALCOA Los Angeles, I've been there. You can't even imagine scale or scope of parts, atmosphere, or the personal feeling of being so small. They'd haul billets and forge something like a linkage, roll and slit sheet, shear thick-ass aluminum...They machined too, but didn't spend time in there.

When I feel down about not running yet, that stuff; capital, overhead, maintenance, real estate, competition, even brand ™, ®,names of heavy hitters makes me feel WAY better.

Lol Mark. Didn't know booger squashing as industrial process.

[Below, I stole marksbug reply, and awesome typo]

it'snot industrial...

[marksbug]

it'snot industrial and the big presses I used were oh so tiny in comparison. but if that press were to squash a booger how far do you reckon it would splay out...

[Jon]

Pouring a crucible of steel. Colonial Steel Company. Pittsburgh, PA, 1912.



Also found an old PDF brochure from Colonial Steel Company.

[mklotz]

Thankfully, I'll never have to do that but, if I were to, I certainly wouldn't want to do it while standing on a wheeled cart secured in position only by two stalwarts who look ready to run if anything goes pear-shaped.

[Toolmaker51]

I'm convinced, not my occupation of choice either. Looks as if fellow in front is blocking wheel with foot while hands grab its rim. I bet cart perches man with loo-oong tong and crucible at brim of receptacle, I'll wager quite heavy full. That eases dispensing into ingot mold.

[mklotz]

Being above the receptacle is clearly an advantage. However, doing it from a wheeled platform just doesn't seem like a good idea. Kind of like changing the light bulb in the office ceiling light by standing on your roll-around desk chair.

I sure hope there isn't a big crucible of liquid iron behind him and the boys on the ground are wheeling him around to various molds so he can ladle it out.