Tool Talk

Picture Forum => Picture Forum => Topic started by: Papaw on April 29, 2012, 09:09:00 PM

Title: Old Tools!
Post by: Papaw on April 29, 2012, 09:09:00 PM: Look at the tools these guys are posing with.
(http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_04275a.preview.jpg)

http://www.shorpy.com/ (http://www.shorpy.com/) <----Visit this link and search for Wheelwright Shop to see it larger.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: OilyRascal on April 29, 2012, 09:18:44 PM: ONE of my many questions - what would be the purpose of the tower I see in the background in 1862?

Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: OilyRascal on April 29, 2012, 09:29:40 PM: Great site! How about the blacksmith shop view in 1904

http://www.shorpy.com/node/12320

(http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p534/alphinde/Misc/SHORPY_Merchants_Despatch_Panorama_1.jpg)
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on April 29, 2012, 10:32:25 PM: In 1862, what brand of monkey wrench is the guy holding in the Wheelwright photo?
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Branson on April 29, 2012, 11:29:03 PM: Quote from: johnsironsanctuary on April 29, 2012, 10:32:25 PM
In 1862, what brand of monkey wrench is the guy holding in the Wheelwright photo?

Coes patent screw wrench. These were Gov't issue.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Branson on April 29, 2012, 11:34:37 PM: I have a number of photos like this from the Library of Congress collection. I downloaded them big, so I don't know if I can load them up here.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: skipskip on April 30, 2012, 08:17:57 PM: OSHA would have a stroke there!

How long you worked in the shop, Lefty?
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: rusty on May 01, 2012, 07:02:45 PM: >what would be the purpose of the tower I see in the background in 1862?

An interesting question, as it looks quite a bit like a radio tower...30+ years too early, for 1862....

And rather tall to be a fire or watch tower....
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Bus on May 02, 2012, 12:05:58 AM: Quote from: johnsironsanctuary on April 29, 2012, 10:32:25 PM
In 1862, what brand of monkey wrench is the guy holding in the Wheelwright photo?

Wrench with the threaded shaft adjustment is a Taft's pattern Railroad Wrench which was a refinement of Merrick's 1851 patent made by Bemis & Call. Around 1862 L. & A. G Coes (later A. G. Coes Co.) took over production from Taft. They made these into the early 1870's. So if the picture was taken in 1862 wrench could of been made by Taft or if was fairly new by Coes

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/message-board/wrench.jpg)
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Lump on May 09, 2012, 09:39:24 PM: That tower MIGHT have been a lightning rod, intended to keep lightning from striking a building and starting a fire. LOTS of buildings were destroyed that way in the 1800's, before professional firefighters and modern equipment came along. Thus, dealing with lightning was serious business back then.

Just my guess.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Branson on May 10, 2012, 08:01:45 AM: Quote from: Papaw on April 29, 2012, 09:09:00 PM
Look at the tools these guys are posing with.
(http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_04275a.preview.jpg)

http://www.shorpy.com/ (http://www.shorpy.com/) <----Visit this link and search for Wheelwright Shop to see it larger.

Notice the claw hammers, anyone? There are three shown, and every one is the pre-Maydole style, without the adz eye.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: oldtools on October 17, 2012, 06:18:41 AM: Great photos, I like the Blacksmith school with display boards..
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Branson on October 17, 2012, 07:52:25 AM: I see the dog brought his hammer, too. I notice the fellow on the far right is holding a broad hatchet. Used to be a common tool among house carpenters, but now you'd never know they were ever important in the building trades.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Papaw on October 17, 2012, 07:57:27 AM: Really like these old photos!
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Brophy on October 17, 2012, 07:26:23 PM: Can I add one?

...Rob
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Papaw on October 17, 2012, 07:34:14 PM: I guess they were building a laminated prop.
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Brophy on October 17, 2012, 07:40:54 PM: Quote from: Papaw on October 17, 2012, 07:34:14 PM
I guess they were building a laminated prop.

Yup, someone sent me that pic when I was doing the same thing...building a laminated prop using handtools for a production of 'Misalliance'. I don't know how many times folks passing by my bench took the time to point out I was making a 'prop prop'.

...Rob
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: anglesmith on October 17, 2012, 08:00:09 PM: Could the Tower be a shot tower (for making shotgun pellets)? I visited one in Hobart Tasmania, the lead forms perfect spheres as it falls into the water tank at the bottom.
Graeme
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: rusty on October 17, 2012, 08:50:18 PM: I'm kinda thinking the 'tower' is just a flagpole on the roof....

I can't figure out what tool the fellow in the white shirt left of the fellow with the wooden plane is holding...?
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Brophy on October 17, 2012, 08:54:47 PM: Quote from: rusty on October 17, 2012, 08:50:18 PM

I'm kinda thinking the 'tower' is just a flagpole on the roof....

I can't figure out what tool the fellow in the white shirt left of the fellow with the wooden plane is holding...?

Looks like a handsaw and a blindmans rule or a ships bevel.

...Rob
Title: Re: Old Tools!
Post by: Lostmind on October 18, 2012, 07:34:17 AM: Great photo of prop construction.There wouldn't be an unemployment problem if it still took two guys to build a prop.