Vintage shop equipment and tools....Who still uses it?

Not exactly vintage but I prefer old machines, my drill press is 1967 rockwell that I got for $100 delivered, I had to make those handles.. Didn't come with any!!! my miller dialarc is 1978.. Both older than me.. And I use them everyday ...


"The less you know, the more you think you know... The more you know, the less you think you know"

 

Many of the really old machine companies made very fine equipment that would last forever but the problem was not that their equipment was not the best but that it did not comply with today's OHSA and safety rules.

The number one reason many of the old time companies went out of business was to avoid any liability law suits from equipment they produced since the late 1800's since much of it did not have safety switches or guard or any of the other stuff you see on newer machinery.
There are a number of old companies that once they went out of business they started another new company other a different name.


I know of shops now that are located in out of the way place where no one is allowed inside the shop unless you are a family member. The doors are locked and there are no windows to look in through. When you knock at the door someone will come out to talk to you but under no conditions are you allowed inside.
They still run the old style machines which work perfectly but they are paranoid over any strangers, fire marshals, building inspectors and OHSA people sticking their nose into someone Else's business.

The work they perform is top notch in every way and they are great people to deal with so I completely understand the way they feel.

I might also add they do not advertise or having any signs hanging anywhere on the building. Their business is all word of mouth and that's how it been for almost 75 years.

Jimbo

 

I know how much you guys love pics. Don't ask how old this stuff is, I don't know. It was all bought before I was born, and most at auctions. But it all still works and gets used.

Brown & Sharpe Vertical Milling Machine No. 3



Hendley Machine Co. Lathe, not used much.



No idea what make this is, used more often.



Press. This isn't very old. Old to me though.



Invicta Shaper



Mechanics Machine Co Drill press.



Pattern Burner. I love this thing.



Our collection of old stick welders.



Hobart Welder



Hobart Mega mig. This is late 70's vintage or early 80s



Drill press and grinder



Homemade tool rack, made by my G'pa, so I guess that's vintage.



Kalamazoo Band saw, my G'pa made the table rollers for it.



Lots of stuff has been in and out of our shop and every tool had its purpose. I just wish I knew the guys that made their lives on these pieces of history.

 

I bought this old Pexto shear awhile back.....late 40's I think. Works like new!



Also have this old B&D valve grinder.....

 

I am an admitted arn addict, i spend alot of time with them and using them everyday is my source of income now;
1914 south bend 18 x 96" lathe
1947 south bend 14 1/2 x 42" lathe
1955 Index Super 55 vertical knee mill
1950's K&T 2CE horizontal
1967 Powermatic 81 (20") vertical bandsaw
1978 Tree 2UVR vertical knee mill
Bridgeport True Trace lathe attachment
Famco #3 arbor press
1968 Powermatic 30 sander/grinder 6x48 belt and 12" disc
killer 8" hand grinder older than dirt, heavy- i think it is lead in an aluminum case.

wood side is mostly 70's and 80's equip
Delta 12/14 tsaw
HolzHer vertical panel saw
powermatic 66 tsaw
delta RC51 20" planer
Ramco 37" wide belt sander
1985 Cehisa edgebander

1978 Datsun forklift

that's most of the big stuff

 

Anyone on this forum know of a sales connection for some of these old tools. Looking for a couple of items. Thanks.

 

I use a 50's Craftsman combo belt/disc sander. The motor, pulleys and belt are wide open and will eat errant fingers...

My MIG welder is a 1970 Miller and it still works great.

 

here is something cool i picked up today. old pexto roll forming system. machines dates are from 1915 and 1928

 

Most of my forming machines are old, but do have some new ones. 2 Double head Yoders and behind the Wood Cadillac frame is a double headed Pettingell that is being refurbished. On the other side of the cadillac is 2 pullmax.

 

Free is always great!
About a year ago I was driving to work when I saw a guy with two metal lathes on a trailer , I asked him if he had just goten them and was told they were going to the metal salvage-- he had been triying to sell them for a hundred for the pair and had no luck ! I told him I would gladly give him a hundred , he refused --said if I had gotten to him before he got them on the trailer he would have given them to me , but now he was going to scrap them just for spite!!
I still weep over that loss
!!

 

I have been told more than once by expert machinists that a lathe is the ONLY machine tool that could reproduce itself .

 

I remember having some parts for a 37 Buick Super transmission I was converting to open drive machined in a shop in Salt Lake City in the 60's by a shop that was still using a system whereby ALL the machines in the shop were driven by ONE electric motor driving a belt drive that ran overhead thru the whole shop.
There were a lot of other more modern machine shops in town but none of them would even try to rework the trans parts for me --- said that gears were too hard to be able to machine, not the "old School" shop -- they did it and the tranny worked great. It was by the way, the very first time I had ever taken a transmission apart.

 

I use this in my shop

 

Not the only. Just the first.

 

I like!

 

I like
x2

 

Love this thread.Old tools and eqp really wind my clock.Used to spend time at a friends machine shop.Made mostly very LARGE eqp for citrus groves,such as screw type irrigation pumps.From 8" up to 60" ID.Trued up the parts for the larger ones on an old 60" by 12 Foot bed lathe that was originally water wheel powered.That thing was a treat to watch in operation.IIRC that lathe was about
90 years old at that time.Mid 70`s.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.

 

here are a few more pics i found of some of my junk

a shot of my 40's Niagara 10 ft brake



my nibbler jr reciprocating hammer from the 50's



my old logan lathe from the late 50's



this is one of my 40's brake liner riveting machines i have 2 different styles but only one pic. sorry for the side ways pic, it wont let me rotate it



this one is an early ford rear drum puller from the 50's

 

I've got a Oberlan milling machine from the 20s I guess that was belt driven from a full length ceiling factory shaft. The machine has been checked repeatedly through the years and is still dead on. The mill now runs on an electric motor but is used alot. Also have 2 older lathes from the 50's that came out of my dads electric motor business and are as true as the day they were built. You have to read your calipers and dial indicaters but are great machines. No electronic readouts hear.

 

I still use this old Craftsman Commercial (re-branded Atlas) lathe a fair bit.



And I don't know if old tune-up equipment qualifies for this thread, but my old Sun machines work just fine for diagnosing and tuning up my 60s cars with points ignition:


Sun EET-1160 (on gantry) and V/A tester


Sun distributor machine (1945) and EET-1120 (1968).

 

Neat old machine...

the dumba$$ that did this to the bed of the mill should have to take it off the mill, hang it around his neck with a piece of roller chain and wear it for minimum of a month for having sinned against the machine-tool gods.

 

This is an Atlas 10" lathe that my Dad had bought (used) in the mid 60's. I don't know what year it was made, but getting parts for it was not a problem.

It had sat out on the farm for 35 + yrs and was in very sad shape. Dad passed away in '99 so I dragged the lathe out and completely rebuilt it. Added a heavy wood table too.

It was sold on the estate auction a few years later and brought $1100.

 

Long lost brothers

 

The old common shaft, belt drive machines have a hypnotic sound and rythm to them. Ive used hand cranked table saws and pedal powered latehes. You learn what rate of feed is in a hurry. You dont find a lot of old machines in Spfld. since they didnt have a manufacturing base after Springfield wagon closed right before WW2.

 

Man...I love those old Sun diagnostic machines!!!! Very nice!!!!!!!!!!

 

Here are my two newest toys. A Delta drill press and a Wellsaw band saw. Both from the early 40s I'm told. They both work like a charm.

 

Rotating is easy

 

The only vintage tools in my garage are some jack stands from the 50s or possibly earlier.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=24583&pictureid=289591 this is my lathe j.b. dawn use it as my primary lathe. You have to love the quality of tools made back then.

 

I just picked this old drill press at a local swap meet this afternoon. I don't know much about it but I plan to restore it and put it to work.

I didn't find any markings other than these:
PD 30
PD 30-1
PD 30-20-30-2

If anyone knows anything about it, I would appreciate it if you would pass it along.