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Thread: Museum tools

  1. #1

    Museum tools

    I usually post in the woodcarvers forum but after a recent visit to the National Industrial History Museum in Bethlehem Pa. I had to post these here.
    The museum was just fascinating and covered a wide range of industries besides the steel making of which Bethlehem is famous for. These restored vintage machines had to really be something to use in the day considering most were run by leather drive belts off a common shaft which stretched across the ceiling. Power for that shaft was supplied by a coal/wood fired steam boiler which they also had on display. Speed was changed by putting the belts on a variety of combinations of larger or smaller wheels.
    Tools being as dangerous as they are could only have been more so with these massive long belts flailing away out in the open.

    here is the steam pump drive engine ( enough for the whole factory). Table,scroll and shaper. Pedal lathe.
    Table saw. File display. Planer and large shaper. Drill press.
    Hope you enjoy. I certainly did. But there was so much more to see.
    The Woodworking Studio

  2. #2
    Wow, really cool! Thanks for posting!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Thanks Mark. That's the kind of place I could spend hours wondering around in.
    Please help support the Creek.


    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
    Andy Rooney



  4. #4
    Yep! Hard to get rid of that stuff

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Elmodel, Ga.
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    Thanks for sharing Mark. With all the sites in this country, why in the world would anyone want to go abroad? Of course not all people like stuff like this. I for one sure do. Thanks again. Looks like I may have to do some traveling soon.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  6. #6
    My pleasure guys. Wish I could show more. But this I was just amazed by. Bethelehem also had quite a few silk mills and they covered that as well. The looms they had were something. But this mechanism from the late 1800’s was an early version of computer punch cards! It could read the cards holes and translate that to the loom to create a repeat pattern for brocade material. Imagine designing and building this at that time! Wow . And interestingly enough this style of loom has made the draperies for the Whitehouse from I believe Cleveland up to Clinton. Get out of town!

    look close and you can see the pinch cards strung together. They also had a machine to make duplicate punch cards to replace these as they wore out.
    Huh! The beginnings of automated computer controlled machinery. I never would have imagined. 1800’s! I wouldn’t know where to begin let alone imagine how I’d feel seeing it actually work after designing and building it.
    And the paint , Guilding and pinstriping on the machines and some of the sewing machines had intricate abalone inlays decorating them. Just beyond what I would have guessed.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Mark Yundt; 02-20-2018 at 7:17 PM.
    The Woodworking Studio

  7. #7
    A lot went. The #2 machine shop ( largest building in its day) was 1800 ft long filled to the gills with machinery. The pattern making shop ( all wood mockups to cast from) was just immense. Let alone the 1700
    destroyers they built for the war and all the cannons and “big” guns. Staggering
    The Woodworking Studio

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    That looks like a neat place to visit, Mark. I'm going to have to check it out sometime. Kewel old machines!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Modesto, CA, USA
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    The old machines are interesting because you can see all the moving parts with no guards to block the sight lines. Nothing to prevent you from poking your fingers in to see how sharp the cutting edge is while the guard has his back is turned. (as stated by three fingered Sam)
    Bill D

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Honolulu, HI
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    Now I see where AT&T got some of the ideas for the Model 28 Teletype...

  11. #11
    Not a large museum but it’s set right in the heart of what was the steel plant . The blast furnaces and many buildings are still there and walkways get you very close.

    But safety? Around these tools? Probably like railroad workers who were considered “seasoned” by the fact they were missing fingers.
    OSHA back then probability stood for “Oh S*it, Happened Again.”
    The Woodworking Studio

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Carrollton, Georgia
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    What a fascinating display of rustless relics ! Thanks for sharing it.
    Last edited by Yonak Hawkins; 02-21-2018 at 3:25 PM.

  13. #13
    My pleasure
    The Woodworking Studio

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    Western PA
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    Boeing;s museum of flight has a mock up of the original shop with similar belt driven machines. I dont remember them looking as pristine and ornate.

  15. #15
    Thanks for posting this!

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