| Antique Machinery did not start out as a dusty collection of memorabilia you just walk past. |
| It began as reaction to the lack of established museum's focus on our industrial machine shop heritage, and also my wife's questioning... |
| "Whyyyyy.....What are you going to do with all this junk?" |
R.P.S Enterprises,
Antiques Reproduced
from a Photograph,
Antiques Repair Parts
made, Custom services
Antiques Reproduced
from a Photograph,
Antiques Repair Parts
made, Custom services
| WANTED $$: Antique old Flat belt drive Machine Shop Machinery & Parts, Tools, found, bought, traded, used repaired, help & Information Collectors Network Website by Richard Spens. (also antique Woodshop, Woodworking Machine, Machines) |
Click here for PAUL
SPENS family genology
PAUL W.
SPENS family
genology
SPENS family genology
PAUL W.
SPENS family
genology
| ANTIQUE AND OLD MACHINERY WANTED,TRADED REPAIRED. I'm trying to recreate an ca.1870/1920 Historical Overhead Flat Belt Lineshaft Metalworking &Woodworking shop Recreation. My goal is to help keep alive our machine shop heritage and industrial History that has built, and still builds much of our life today.. .........But I Need Your Help!!!.... I'm looking to purchase pre. 1925 flat belt driven wood working or metal working Machinery for this collection and for working, But there is more to this than acquiring... This shop will be non-profit, and not just for show but for hands on demonstrations and real metal working. Children especially enjoy the movement they can see and generate and easily see with the hand wheels, shafts, gears ect. on these old machines. They should learn how this built their grandparents lives and still supports their lifestyle. y. I'm also interested in trading information and networking with other collectors were interested in woodworking and metalworking machines. There are lots of machines offered at nearly scrap that can be used by a hobbyist. I have planned this web site to be a place people with similar trades crafts interests and hobbies can share their obsession and share information, to get help for the machines that they want themselves, or to refer to others who are looking for that machine for their collection, or just a low cost machine tool to build and fix things with. (provided they are willing to give up a little space and use a winch, rollers, trailer and pry bar to get it home. I buy the best and most unique machines I can get at the time, when a better surfaces I get that one, and can then show a progression of technology, or trade it if I must to someone who wants it more for their collection or use. I don't sell, but do refer Machines available to someone who is looking for one at no advantage to myself in order to save a machine and give it a home. Sharing information with others helps keep our HISTORY from being melted down by the scrap yards. I trade and buy when the opportunity to upgrade to older/more complete Antiques, or to complete an area I'm trying to represent (ESPECIALLY GEAR CUTTING and GRINDING Machinery). I'm looking to purchase pre. 1925 flat belt driven wood working or metal working machines. I'm especially looking for very old or ornate machines ,Grinding machines, Gear cutting machines and the more uncommon machines, like vertical slotters 4-6 spindle automatics, and machines made by Brown and Sharpe, Hendy, Potter & Johnson, Sloan & Chase, Newark, Winton, Gould & Everhart. I would be glad to pay a 15% finder's fee for information leading to the purchase of the above mentioned machines please pass my name along to someone who may have a shop, barn, yard or garage with one or more of these machines for possible sale trade or just to show them off. As I said before I'd like all of us interested in trading information and networking with other collectors to use this as sort of a loose club of Antique Woodworking and Metalworking machines collectors and related trades & crafts. I will be glad to give free advice, help to those finding examining, buying, transporting, repairing, using, antiques or machines that they have or want. I can be reached at. e- mail : richspens@rocketmail.com Richard Spens 28515 W. 7 Mile Rd. Or Please call me at (248)-474-2799 Livonia, MI 48152-3501 (My shop is not in Livonia) . Antique,Used,Old, Machine Shop & Parts, Tools, Woodshop Machinery Collector's / User's Exchange of Information & Network. |
(Site updated
1-17-2018)
Where to how to
save your
Grandfathers
machine
1-17-2018)
Where to how to
save your
Grandfathers
machine
I'm trying to re-create an overhead Flatbelt lineshaft
driven metal and wood shop. Help me save our
machine shop heritage that built American Industry.
This shop will be for show, demonstration and
working. I'm looking to purchase pre-1925 Flat-belt or
lineshaft driven woodworking or metalworking
machines. 1'm especially looking for ornately cast or
decorated machines, GEAR CUTTING MACH. a Horz.
Boring Mill; Vert. Boring MIll; Vert. Slotter; 1 to 4
Spindle Automatics; Drop Hammer; Radial arm Drill.
Also Brown and Sharpe or Hendy brand machines, and
various grinding mach. .
.......If you have heard of some I will be glad to pay
20% finders fee for information leading to the
purchase of the above machine.
......Please save this request and pass my name along
to someone who may have a shop, barn, garage, or
yard with any of these machines for purchase or just
looking at.
driven metal and wood shop. Help me save our
machine shop heritage that built American Industry.
This shop will be for show, demonstration and
working. I'm looking to purchase pre-1925 Flat-belt or
lineshaft driven woodworking or metalworking
machines. 1'm especially looking for ornately cast or
decorated machines, GEAR CUTTING MACH. a Horz.
Boring Mill; Vert. Boring MIll; Vert. Slotter; 1 to 4
Spindle Automatics; Drop Hammer; Radial arm Drill.
Also Brown and Sharpe or Hendy brand machines, and
various grinding mach. .
.......If you have heard of some I will be glad to pay
20% finders fee for information leading to the
purchase of the above machine.
......Please save this request and pass my name along
to someone who may have a shop, barn, garage, or
yard with any of these machines for purchase or just
looking at.
Click here for the
top ten most
WANTED
(by me at least)
ANTIQUE
MACHINE TOOLS.
top ten most
WANTED
(by me at least)
ANTIQUE
MACHINE TOOLS.
Click here for some
miscellaneous pictures of
Antique Machine shop &
Woodshop Machinery I
would love to have
miscellaneous pictures of
Antique Machine shop &
Woodshop Machinery I
would love to have
Click here to help find a date your antique machine was made using patent dates, methods of manufacture ect.. The newest patent date
cast on the machine base or printed on an attached brass plate tells you the machine could not have been made before that date.
cast on the machine base or printed on an attached brass plate tells you the machine could not have been made before that date.
See above for the links to all pictures and descriptions of machine tools
Some great old Machine tool makers are;
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co. of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Fine Machinery, Tools of Precision; The Gordon & Maxwell Co. of Hamilton, Ohio
manufacturer of Steam Driven Pumps and Water Works Machinery; The Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. of Stamford, Conn. manufacturer of Steam Driven Self-Propelled or
Locomotive Cranes; Lodge, Davis & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Shapers & Drills; Gould & Eberhardt of Newark, New Jersey manufacturer
of Shapers, Gear Cutters and other Special Machinery; E.E. Garvin & Co. of New York, NY. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools, Including Milling Machines, Hand
Lathes, Drill Presses, ect.; The Pratt & Whitney Co. of Hartford Connecticut manufacturer of Precision Machinist Tools and Special Machinery; The Billings & Spencer
Co. of Hartford, CT. manufacturer of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Warner & Swasey Machine Tools of Cleveland, Ohio manufacturer of Engine, Spinning Lathes
and other Special Machinery; Pond Machine Tool Co.(Successors to David W. Pond) of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Radial Drills, Planers, ect.;
Geo. W. Fifield of Lowell, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn.; Geo. B. Grant of Boston, Mass.
maker of Gear Wheels and Gear Cutting; W.P. Davis of Bloomfield, NY. manufacturer of Key Seating Machines & Drills; The G. A. Gray Co. of Cincinnati, O.
manufacturer of 17" & 20" Lathes; Pratt & Letchworth Proprietors of Buffalo Steel Foundry of Buffalo, N.Y. offering Steel Castings; Stiles & Parker Press Co. of
Middletown, Conn. manufacturer of Punching Presses, Dies, Drop Hammers, Drop Forgings and other Tools for the Manufacture of all kinds of Sheet Metal Goods; J.M.
Carpenter of Pawtucket, R.I. manufacturer of Taps & Dies; WM Sellers & Co., Inc. of Philadelphia, PA. manufacturer of High Speed Power Traveling Cranes; The Long
& Allstatter Co. of Hamilton, Ohio manufacturer of Double, Single, Angle-bar, Gang, Horizontal, Twin, Boiler, Spacing, Gate, Multiple, Belt and Steam-Driven
Punches & Shears also Power Cushioned Hammers; Russell & Co. of Massillon, Ohio builders of Automatic Engines, Boiler .
see above for the links to all pictures and descriptions of machine tools
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co.of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Fine Machinery, Tools of Precision; The Gordon & Maxwell Co. of Hamilton, Ohio
manufacturer of Steam Driven Pumps and Water Works Machinery; The Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. of Stamford, Conn. manufacturer of Steam Driven Self-Propelled
or Locomotive Cranes; Lodge, Davis & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Shapers & Drills; Gould & Eberhardt of Newark, New Jersey
manufacturer of Shapers, Gear Cutters and other Special Machinery; E.E. Garvin & Co. of New York, NY. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools, Including Milling
Machines, Hand Lathes, Drill Presses, ect.; The Pratt & Whitney Co. of Hartford Connecticut manufacturer of Precision Machinist Tools and Special Machinery;
The Billings & Spencer Co. of Hartford, CT. manufacturer of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Warner & Swasey Machine Tools of Cleveland, Ohio manufacturer
of Engine, Spinning Lathes and other Special Machinery; Pond Machine Tool Co.(Successors to David W. Pond) of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine
Lathes, Radial Drills, Planers, ect.; Geo. W. Fifield of Lowell, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of Hartford,
Conn.; Geo. B. Grant of Boston, Mass. maker of Gear Wheels and Gear Cutting; W.P. Davis of Bloomfield, NY. manufacturer of Key Seating Machines & Drills;
The G. A. Gray Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of 17" & 20" Lathes; Pratt & Letchworth Proprietors of Buffalo Steel Foundry of Buffalo, N.Y. offering Steel
Castings; Stiles & Parker Press Co. of Middletown, Conn. manufacturer of Punching Presses, Dies, Drop Hammers, Drop Forgings and other Tools for the
Manufacture of all kinds of Sheet Metal Goods; J.M. Carpenter of Pawtucket, R.I. manufacturer of Taps & Dies; WM Sellers & Co., Inc. of Philadelphia, PA.
manufacturer of High Speed Power Traveling Cranes; The Long & Allstatter Co. of Hamilton, Ohio manufacturer of Double, Single, Angle-bar, Gang, Horizontal,
Twin, Boiler, Spacing, Gate, Multiple, Belt and Steam-Driven Punches & Shears also Power Cushioned Hammers; Russell & Co. of Massillon, Ohio builders of
Automatic Engines, Boilers, ect.(Complete Power Plants Furnished); J.E. Lonergan & Co. of Philadelphia, PA. manufacturer of Patent Oilers; R.A. Beldon Co. of
Danbury, Conn. manufacturer of Power Hammers; Castle Engine Works of Indianapolis, Ind. manufacturer of The Castle Steam Engine; The Muller Machine Tool
Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of 17" Engine Lathes; H. Bickford of Lake Village, N.H. manufacturer of Boring & Turning Mills; L.S. Starrett of Athol, Mass.
manufacturer of Fine Machinist Tools; Osgood Dredge Co. of Albany, New York manufacturer of Dredges, Excavators, Ditching Machines, Derricks, ect.; The
Newark Machine Tool Works of Newark, N.J. manufacturer of Planners, Lathes, Slotters, Boring Machines, Presses, ect.; Bement, Miles & Co. of Philadelphia,
PA. builders of Metal-Working Machine Tools for Railroad Shops, Locomotive & Car Builders, Machine Shops, Rolling Mills, Steam Forges, Ship Yards, Boiler
Shops, Bridge Works, ect.; Detrick & Harvey Manufacturers of Baltimore, Md. manufacturer of Corliss Engines; Chester Steel Castings Co. of Chester, PA.; The
Phosphor Bronze Smelting Co., Limited of Philadelphia, Pa. Original Manufacturers of Phosphor Bronze & Owners of the U.S. Patent; Tallman & McFadden of
Philadelphia, Pa. manufacturer of Milling Machines, Planners, Drills, ect.; The John T. Noye Mfg. Co. of Buffalo, N.Y. manufacturer of Rice Automatic Cut-Off
Engines (Gold Medal Winner Cincinnati Exposition, 1884); Shipman Engine Co. of Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Oil Engines for Printers, Steam Yachts,
pumping water, sawing wood, ect; The Skinner Engine Co. of Erie, PA. manufacturer of Portable & Stationary Engines & Boilers; Korting Gas Engine Co., LD. of
New York, N.Y. manufacturer of Korting Gas Engines; William Tod & Co. of Youngstown, Ohio manufacturer of Porter-Hamilton Engines; S.L. Holt & Co. of Boston,
Mass offering Portable & Stationary Steam Engines & Boilers, Steam Power Drainage Pumps, Saw Mills, Shafting, Pulleys, Hangers and Belting; Kensington
Engine Works, Limited of Philadelphia< Pa. manufacturer of the Tangye Buckeye Automatic Cut-Off Engines; Albany Steam Trap Co. of Albany, NY manufacturer
of Blessing's Water Circulator & Purifier; Frick Company Builders of Waynesboro, Pa. manufacturer of Eclipse Corliss Engines; The "Otto" gas Engine Works -
Schleicher, Schumm & Co. of Philadelphia, PA. & Chicago, Ill. manufacturer of Otto Gas Engines; The Armstrong Mfg. Co. of Bridgeport, Conn manufacturer of
Water, Gas & Steam Fitters' Tools; James Brandon Co. of New York, N.Y. manufacturer of Brandon's Piston Ring Packing; E.P. Bullard of New York, NY
manufacturer of Machine Tools; The Watts, Campbell Co. of Newark, NJ manufacturer of Improved Corliss Steam Engines; The Hewes & Phillips Iron Works of
Newark, N.J. manufacturer of Improved Corliss Engines, Tubular Boilers; The Fishkill Landing Machine Co. of New York, New York manufacturer of The
Improved Fishkill Corliss Engines; Robert Whitehill of Newburgh, NY manufacturer of the Improved Corliss Engine, Slide Valve Engines, Stationary Boilers,
General Machinery and Brass & Iron Castings; Stearns M'F'G. Company of Erie, Pa. manufacturer of Engines, Boilers, Saw Mills and General Machinery; John
McLaren of Hoboken, N.J. builder of Corliss Engines, Air Compressors and Boilers; Hill, Clarke & Co. of Boston, Mass. sellers of Iron-Working Machinery;
Adams & Richards Machine Co. of New Brunswick, N.J. manufacturer of Fuel, Crude Petroleum or Kerosene Engines; The Babcock & Wilcox Co. of New York,
NY manufacturer of Water-Tube Boilers; Bridgeport Boiler Works of Bridgeport, Conn. manufacturer of The Lowe Boiler; WM T. Bate & Son of Conshohocken,
Penn. sole manufacturer of the Bate Steam Generator; The Wainwright M'F'G. Company of Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Corrugated Tube Exhaust Feed-Water
Heaters; Fossil Meal Co. of New York manufacturer of Meal Composition Non-Conducting Covering for Steam Pipe & Boilers; Gesswein Machine Co. of New
York manufacturer of Positive Pressure or Blast Blowers; Palmer, Cunningham & Co., L'd. of Philadelphia, Penn. manufacturer of Tools for Mechanics including
Chucks, Drills, Reamers, Screw-Plates, Railroad Supplies, ect.; Evansville Spar Mining Co. of Evansville, Ind. Producers of Flour Spar Foundry Flux; Universal
Radial Drill Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of Radial Drilling Machines; Hilles & Jones of Wilmington, Del. manufacturer of Horizontal Flange Punches;
Jenkins Bros. of New York manufacturer of The Original Unvulcanized Packing; Westcott Chuck Co. of Oneida, N.Y. manufacturer of Lathe & Drill Chucks; Pond
Engineering Co. of St. Louis, MO. manufacturer of Steam Boilers; The E. Horton & Son Co. of Windsor Locks, Conn. manufacturer of the Horton Lathe Chuck;
Watson & Stillman of New York manufacturer of Hydrostatic Machinery, Presses, Pumps, Punches, Accumulators, Jacks, Valves, Fittings, Vault Elevators, ect.;
Hoggson & Pettis M'F'G. Co. of New Haven, CT. manufacturer of The Sweetland Chuck; T.R. Almond of Brooklyn, N.Y. manufacturer of the Almond Drill Chuck;
Worcester Machine Screw Co. of Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Set, Cap & Machine Screws, Studs, ect.; The Cushman Chuck Co. of Hartford, Conn.
manufacturer of "Cushman" Chucks; Coffin & Leighton of Syracuse, N.Y. manufacturer of Machinists' Scales; Sterling Emery Wheel Co. of West Sterling, Mass.
manufacturer of the Sterling Patent Emery Wheel; Standard Tool Co. of Athol, Mass. manufacturer of Fine Machinists' Tools; Buffalo Forge Co. of Buffalo, N.Y.
manufacturer of Buffalo Cupola & Forge Blowers; I.P. Richards of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Punches and Dies; The National Pipe Bending Co. of New
Haven, Conn. offering Coils & Bends of Iron, Brass and Copper; John S. leng of New York manufacturer of Weldless Cold Drawn Steel Tubes & Quick Opening
Gate Valves; Pedrick & Ayer of Philadephia, Pa. manufacturer of Cylinder Boring & Facing Machines; Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company of New Bedford,
Mass. manufacturer of Solid & Shell Reamers, Beach's Patent Self-Centering Chuck, Bit Stock Drills, Drill Grinding Machines, Mill Cutters and Special Tools;
Simonds Rolling-Machine Co. of Fitchburg, Mass. manufacturer of Steel Balls for Anti-Friction Bearings; VanDuzen & Tift of Cincinnati, Ohio makers of Complete
Steam Pumps; Rollstone Machine Co. of Fitchburg, Mass. manufacturer of Wood - Working Machinery for Chair, Furniture & Cabinet Factories, Box Shops,
Planing Mills, Pattern Makers' Use, ect.; S. Elliot of Newton, Mass. manufacturer of Drill Presses, Tap Drill Guages & Special Machinery Tools; F.E. Reed of
Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Hand Lathes, Foot Lathes, Upright Drills & Milling Machines; S. Ashton Hand Mfg. Co. of Toughkenamon, Pa.
manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Boynton & Plummer of Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Shaping Machines for Hand & Power; Bickford Drill Co. of Cincinnati,
O. manufacturer of Upright Drills; Springfield Glue & Emery Wheel Co. of Springfield, Mass. manufacturer of Emery & Curundum Wheels, Emery Wheel machinery
and Flint Papers; Pancoast & Maule of Phil., Pa. makers of Improved Steam Glue Heaters; Jos. Dixon Crucible Co. of Jersey City, N.J. manufacturer of Dixon's
Silica Graphite Boiler-Front & Smoke Stack Paint; New Haven Manf'g Co. of new Haven, Conn. manufacturer of Iron-Working Machinery; L.W. Pond Machine Co.
of Worcestor, Mas. manufacturer of Iron Working Machinery; J. Wyke & Co. of E.Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Fine Machinists' Tools; Cary & Moen of New York
City manufacturer of Steel Wire & Springs; William Barker & Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of Iron & brass Working Machinery; Toledo Machine & Tool Co. of
Toledo, Ohio manufacturer of Presses, Dies & Special Machinery; D. Sounders' Sons of Yonkers, N.Y. manufacturer of Steam & Gas Fitters hand Tools; Acme
Machinery Co. of Cleveland, O. manufacturer of "ACME" Single & Double Automatic Boltcutters; Stow Manfg. Co. of Binghampton, N.Y. manufacturer of Flexible
Shafts, Reaming Machines, Portable Drills & flexible Boring Machines; John Steptoe & Co. of Cin., Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Iron Planers, Shapers &
Drills; The Hoppes Mfg. Co. of Springfield, O. manufacturer of Live Steam Feed-Water Heater & Lime Extractors; Energy MFG. Co. of Phil., Pa. manufacturer of
Drill Guides & Steady Rests; Eagle Anvil Works of Trenton, N.J. manufacturer of the Fisher Double Screw Leg Vise & the Eagle Anvil; Charles Murray of New
York Engraver of Wood; S.W. Goodyear of Waterbury, CT. manufacturer of Machinery for Reducing & Pointing Wire; The Laidlaw & Dunn Co. of Cin., Ohio
manufacturer of Pumping Machinery; Chas. A. Strelinger & Co. of Detroit, Mich. manufacturer of Fine Tools; Powell Planer Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer
of Iron Planers; P. Blaisdell & Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools; Curtis & Curtis (Successors to Forbes & Curtis) of Bridgeport, Ct.
manufacturer of the Forbes Pat. Die Stock, Pipe Cutting & Threading Machinery; Brehmer Bros. of Phil., PA. manufacturer of Bevel Gears; The Mason Regulator
Co. of Boston manufacturer of Reducing Valves; Niagara Stamping of Buffalo, N.Y. makers of Presses, Dies and Special Machinery; Consolidated Machine &
Tool Works of Hastings, mich. & Chicago, Ill. manufacturer of Presses, Dies and Canning Machinery; Bradley & Co. of Syracuse, N.Y. manufacturer of Cushioned
Hammers, Heating Forges, ect.; The Deane Steam Pump Co. of Holyoke, Mass. manufacturer of Water Works Engines & Steam Pumping Machinery; The Hendey
Machine Co. of Torrington, Conn. manufacturer of Lathes; Miller, Metcalf & Parkin, Crescent Steel Works of Pittsburgh, PA. suppliers of Die Steel in Bars or
Blocks; Tower & Lyon (Successors to Melvin Stephens) of New York manufacturer of Stephens Vises; Sebatian, May & Co. of Cin., O. manufacturer of Foot &
Power Lathes, Drill Presses, Shapers, Band, Circular & Scroll Saws, Tools & Supplies; John W. Hudson- Madison Manufacturing Co. of Madison, Wis.; Guild &
Garrison of Brooklyn, N.Y. manufacturer of Steam, Vacuum and Filter Press Pumps & Air Compressors; Montgomery & Co. of New York manufacturer of Tools,
Supp;ies & Machinery; W.C. Young & Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine, Hand & Foot Lathes; Chas. F. baker of Minneapolis, Minn. manufacturer of
Common Sense Oil Filters; Thos. H. Dallett & Co. of Phila., Pa. manufacturer of Patent Portable, Hand, Boiler-Shell & Multiple Drills; The Tanite Company of
Stroudsburg, PA. manufacturer of Tanite Emery Wheels & grinding Machines; Cooke & Co. of New York manf'r. of The Binghampton Water Motor; U. Baird
Machinery Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. manuf'r of Machinists', Pattern Makers' & Boiler Makers' Tools and Supplies; John Wiley & Sons of N.Y. Publishers of Industrial
and Scientific Works; Beecher & Peck of New Haven, Ct. manufacturer of Peck's Pat. Drop Press & Drop Forgings of Iron & Steel; Muller Machine Tool Co. of
Cincinnati, O. manuf'r of Engine Lathes, Planers, Shapers & Drill Presses; Betts Machine Company of Wilmington, Del. Builder of Drills & Metal Working Machine
Tools; Knowles Steam Pump Works of N.Y. & Boston manf'r of Improved Pumping Machinery; Niagar Machine & Tool Works of Buffalo New York builders of
Presses, Shears & other Special Mach.; Chas. Parker Co. of Meriden, Ct. manufacturer of Guns, Gun Parts, Vises, Tools, ect.; J.H. Williams & Co. of Brooklyn,
N.Y. makers of Wrenches, Tools and other Quality Drop Forgings; Gage Machine Works of Waterford, N.Y. Manuf'r of Fox Turret & speed Lathes and Brass
Finishers' Tools; E.W. Bliss Co. of Brooklyn, New York World's Largest Manufacter of Presses, Dies, Shears, Mills,Canning Equipment and other Special Tools;
Nicholson File Co. of Providence, R.I. manuf'r of Files & Rasps; Nathan Manufacturing Co. of New York manuf'r of "Gresham" Patent Automatic Re-Starting
Injector; Cleveland Twist Drill Co. of Cleveland, O. manuf'r of Drills & Reamers; National Pulley Covering Co. of Baltimore, Md. manuf'r of Friction Pulley Covers;
Fitchburg Machine Works of Fitchburg, Mass. manuf'r of Metal Working Machines; Henry Carey Baird & Co. of Phil., Pa. Industial Publishers, Booksellers &
Importers; Volney W. Mason & Co. of Providence, R.I. manuf'r of Friction Pulleys, Clutches & Elevators; P.H. & F.M. Roots of Connersville, Ind. manuf'r of Force
Blast Rotary Blowers for Foundries, Smith Shops, Pneumatic Tubes, Ventilation, ect.; Beaudry & Co.(formerly of Beaudry's Upright Power Hammer) of Boston,
mass. manuf'r of Presses, Shears, Punches & Hard Coal Heating Forges; C.F. Richardson of Athol, Mass. manuf'r of Nickel Plated Pocket Levels; Henderson
Bros. of Waterbury, CT. manuf'r of Exhaust Tumbling Barrels; C.W. LeCount of South Norwalk, Conn. manuf'r of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Park Mfg. Co.
of Boston manuf'r of Injectors, Ejectors & Jet Apparatus; T. Shriver & Co.'s Iron Foundry of N.Y.; The Volker & Felthousen M'F'G. Co. of Buffalo, N.Y. manuf'r of
Steam Pumps; Pulsometer Steam Pump Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Steam Pumps; Hall Steam Pump Co. of N.Y. builders of Steam Pumps; Jas. Hunter & son of North
Adams, Mass. manuf'r of Clutch Pulleys & Cutt-Off Couplings; Union Stone Co. of Boston manuf'r of Emery Wheels, Grinding Mach., Polishing & Plating Goods
and Tools; Edwards Meeks of Phil. - Publisher; Gage Tool Co. of Vineland, N.J. manuf'r of Planes & Hand Tools; Henry R. Worthington of N.Y. manuf'r of
Independent Condensers; Niles Tool Works of Hamilton, Ohio manuf'r of Machine Tools; Buckeye Engine Co. of Salem, Ohio manuf'r of engines; The Garvin
Machine Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Machines & Machine Tools; Manning, Maxwell & Moore of N.Y. manuf'r of Railway and Machinists' Tools & Supplies; Lexington
Gear Works of Lex., Mass. makers of Gears; M.C. Bullock of Chicago, Ill. manuf'r of Bullock-Corliss Engines, Diamond Drills for Prospecting, Band Friction
Hoists & Mining Mach.; The Lane & Bodley Co. of Cin., Ohio manuf'r of Corliss Engines; G.S. Woolman of New York manuf'r of Drawing Instuments; The D. Frisbie
Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Frisbie Friction Pulleys & Clutches; The Ball & Wood Co. of Elizabeth, N.J. manuf'r of Ball Automatic Cut-Off Engines; Lackawanna
Lubricating Co. of Scranton, PA. manuf'r of Grease Cups; The De Lamater Iron Works of N.Y. manuf'r of General Machinery; Henry Warden Manufacturer of Phil.,
PA. manuf'r of Atkinson Cycle Gas Engines; The Hilles & Jones Co. of Wilmington, Del. manuf'r of Machine Tools; Bement, Miles & Co. of Phil., Pa. manuf'r of
Metal-Working Mach. Tools; William Sellers & Co. of Phil., Pa. manuf'r of Machine Tolls for Working Iron & Steel; The New Process Raw Hide Co. of Syracuse,
N.Y manuf'r of Raw Hide Gears; Southwark Foundry & Machine Co. of Phil., Penn. manuf'r of Boileers, Steam Hammers, Blowing & Reversing Engines,
Centrifugal Pumps, Steam Pumps & Heavy Castings; The Norton & Jones Machine Tool Works of Plainville, Conn. manuf'r of Machine Tools & Special machinery;
The Champion Blower & Forge Co. of Lancaster, Pa.; J.D. wright & Sons of Brooklyn, N.Y.; The Cincinnati Milling Machine Co. of Cincinnati, O.; N.P. Bowsher of
South Bend, Ind.; J.E. snyder of Worcester, Mass.; Edison General Electric Company; American Gas Furnace Co. of N.Y.; Landis Bros. of Waynesboro, Pa.;
Trump Bros. Machine Co. of Wilmington, Delaware; R.D. Nuttall & Co. of Allegheny, PA.; Giant Key-Seater Co. of East Saginaw, Mich.; Light Drill Presses of
Hartford, Conn.; J.E. Lonergan & Co. of Phila., Pa.; Harrison Safety Boiler Works of Phil., Pa.; T.M. Foote Regulator Co. of Boston; Adriance Machine Works of
Brooklyn, N.Y. manuf'r of Gang Slitters, Automatic Screw Machines and Double Seamers; Samuel C. Rogers & Co. of Buffalo; Alfred Box & Co. of Phila., Pa.; Van
Duzen Gas & Gasoline Engine Co. of Cincinnati, O.; Capitol Mfg. Co. of Chicago; M.T. Davidson of Brooklyn, N.Y.; The States Machine Co. of Newark, N.J.; L. & R.
Wister & Co. of Phila., PA.; John Royle & Sons of Paterson, N.J.; Penberthy Injector Co. of Detroit, Mich.; A.J. Wilkinson & Co. of Boston; William Jessop & Sons,
L'd. of Sheffield, England; Crescent Steel Co. of pittsburgh, Pa.; .
See above for the links to all pictures and descriptions of machine tools
Some great old Machine tool makers are;
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co. of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Fine Machinery, Tools of Precision; The Gordon & Maxwell Co. of Hamilton, Ohio
manufacturer of Steam Driven Pumps and Water Works Machinery; The Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. of Stamford, Conn. manufacturer of Steam Driven Self-Propelled or
Locomotive Cranes; Lodge, Davis & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Shapers & Drills; Gould & Eberhardt of Newark, New Jersey manufacturer
of Shapers, Gear Cutters and other Special Machinery; E.E. Garvin & Co. of New York, NY. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools, Including Milling Machines, Hand
Lathes, Drill Presses, ect.; The Pratt & Whitney Co. of Hartford Connecticut manufacturer of Precision Machinist Tools and Special Machinery; The Billings & Spencer
Co. of Hartford, CT. manufacturer of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Warner & Swasey Machine Tools of Cleveland, Ohio manufacturer of Engine, Spinning Lathes
and other Special Machinery; Pond Machine Tool Co.(Successors to David W. Pond) of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Radial Drills, Planers, ect.;
Geo. W. Fifield of Lowell, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn.; Geo. B. Grant of Boston, Mass.
maker of Gear Wheels and Gear Cutting; W.P. Davis of Bloomfield, NY. manufacturer of Key Seating Machines & Drills; The G. A. Gray Co. of Cincinnati, O.
manufacturer of 17" & 20" Lathes; Pratt & Letchworth Proprietors of Buffalo Steel Foundry of Buffalo, N.Y. offering Steel Castings; Stiles & Parker Press Co. of
Middletown, Conn. manufacturer of Punching Presses, Dies, Drop Hammers, Drop Forgings and other Tools for the Manufacture of all kinds of Sheet Metal Goods; J.M.
Carpenter of Pawtucket, R.I. manufacturer of Taps & Dies; WM Sellers & Co., Inc. of Philadelphia, PA. manufacturer of High Speed Power Traveling Cranes; The Long
& Allstatter Co. of Hamilton, Ohio manufacturer of Double, Single, Angle-bar, Gang, Horizontal, Twin, Boiler, Spacing, Gate, Multiple, Belt and Steam-Driven
Punches & Shears also Power Cushioned Hammers; Russell & Co. of Massillon, Ohio builders of Automatic Engines, Boiler .
see above for the links to all pictures and descriptions of machine tools
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co.of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Fine Machinery, Tools of Precision; The Gordon & Maxwell Co. of Hamilton, Ohio
manufacturer of Steam Driven Pumps and Water Works Machinery; The Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. of Stamford, Conn. manufacturer of Steam Driven Self-Propelled
or Locomotive Cranes; Lodge, Davis & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Shapers & Drills; Gould & Eberhardt of Newark, New Jersey
manufacturer of Shapers, Gear Cutters and other Special Machinery; E.E. Garvin & Co. of New York, NY. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools, Including Milling
Machines, Hand Lathes, Drill Presses, ect.; The Pratt & Whitney Co. of Hartford Connecticut manufacturer of Precision Machinist Tools and Special Machinery;
The Billings & Spencer Co. of Hartford, CT. manufacturer of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Warner & Swasey Machine Tools of Cleveland, Ohio manufacturer
of Engine, Spinning Lathes and other Special Machinery; Pond Machine Tool Co.(Successors to David W. Pond) of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine
Lathes, Radial Drills, Planers, ect.; Geo. W. Fifield of Lowell, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of Hartford,
Conn.; Geo. B. Grant of Boston, Mass. maker of Gear Wheels and Gear Cutting; W.P. Davis of Bloomfield, NY. manufacturer of Key Seating Machines & Drills;
The G. A. Gray Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of 17" & 20" Lathes; Pratt & Letchworth Proprietors of Buffalo Steel Foundry of Buffalo, N.Y. offering Steel
Castings; Stiles & Parker Press Co. of Middletown, Conn. manufacturer of Punching Presses, Dies, Drop Hammers, Drop Forgings and other Tools for the
Manufacture of all kinds of Sheet Metal Goods; J.M. Carpenter of Pawtucket, R.I. manufacturer of Taps & Dies; WM Sellers & Co., Inc. of Philadelphia, PA.
manufacturer of High Speed Power Traveling Cranes; The Long & Allstatter Co. of Hamilton, Ohio manufacturer of Double, Single, Angle-bar, Gang, Horizontal,
Twin, Boiler, Spacing, Gate, Multiple, Belt and Steam-Driven Punches & Shears also Power Cushioned Hammers; Russell & Co. of Massillon, Ohio builders of
Automatic Engines, Boilers, ect.(Complete Power Plants Furnished); J.E. Lonergan & Co. of Philadelphia, PA. manufacturer of Patent Oilers; R.A. Beldon Co. of
Danbury, Conn. manufacturer of Power Hammers; Castle Engine Works of Indianapolis, Ind. manufacturer of The Castle Steam Engine; The Muller Machine Tool
Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of 17" Engine Lathes; H. Bickford of Lake Village, N.H. manufacturer of Boring & Turning Mills; L.S. Starrett of Athol, Mass.
manufacturer of Fine Machinist Tools; Osgood Dredge Co. of Albany, New York manufacturer of Dredges, Excavators, Ditching Machines, Derricks, ect.; The
Newark Machine Tool Works of Newark, N.J. manufacturer of Planners, Lathes, Slotters, Boring Machines, Presses, ect.; Bement, Miles & Co. of Philadelphia,
PA. builders of Metal-Working Machine Tools for Railroad Shops, Locomotive & Car Builders, Machine Shops, Rolling Mills, Steam Forges, Ship Yards, Boiler
Shops, Bridge Works, ect.; Detrick & Harvey Manufacturers of Baltimore, Md. manufacturer of Corliss Engines; Chester Steel Castings Co. of Chester, PA.; The
Phosphor Bronze Smelting Co., Limited of Philadelphia, Pa. Original Manufacturers of Phosphor Bronze & Owners of the U.S. Patent; Tallman & McFadden of
Philadelphia, Pa. manufacturer of Milling Machines, Planners, Drills, ect.; The John T. Noye Mfg. Co. of Buffalo, N.Y. manufacturer of Rice Automatic Cut-Off
Engines (Gold Medal Winner Cincinnati Exposition, 1884); Shipman Engine Co. of Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Oil Engines for Printers, Steam Yachts,
pumping water, sawing wood, ect; The Skinner Engine Co. of Erie, PA. manufacturer of Portable & Stationary Engines & Boilers; Korting Gas Engine Co., LD. of
New York, N.Y. manufacturer of Korting Gas Engines; William Tod & Co. of Youngstown, Ohio manufacturer of Porter-Hamilton Engines; S.L. Holt & Co. of Boston,
Mass offering Portable & Stationary Steam Engines & Boilers, Steam Power Drainage Pumps, Saw Mills, Shafting, Pulleys, Hangers and Belting; Kensington
Engine Works, Limited of Philadelphia< Pa. manufacturer of the Tangye Buckeye Automatic Cut-Off Engines; Albany Steam Trap Co. of Albany, NY manufacturer
of Blessing's Water Circulator & Purifier; Frick Company Builders of Waynesboro, Pa. manufacturer of Eclipse Corliss Engines; The "Otto" gas Engine Works -
Schleicher, Schumm & Co. of Philadelphia, PA. & Chicago, Ill. manufacturer of Otto Gas Engines; The Armstrong Mfg. Co. of Bridgeport, Conn manufacturer of
Water, Gas & Steam Fitters' Tools; James Brandon Co. of New York, N.Y. manufacturer of Brandon's Piston Ring Packing; E.P. Bullard of New York, NY
manufacturer of Machine Tools; The Watts, Campbell Co. of Newark, NJ manufacturer of Improved Corliss Steam Engines; The Hewes & Phillips Iron Works of
Newark, N.J. manufacturer of Improved Corliss Engines, Tubular Boilers; The Fishkill Landing Machine Co. of New York, New York manufacturer of The
Improved Fishkill Corliss Engines; Robert Whitehill of Newburgh, NY manufacturer of the Improved Corliss Engine, Slide Valve Engines, Stationary Boilers,
General Machinery and Brass & Iron Castings; Stearns M'F'G. Company of Erie, Pa. manufacturer of Engines, Boilers, Saw Mills and General Machinery; John
McLaren of Hoboken, N.J. builder of Corliss Engines, Air Compressors and Boilers; Hill, Clarke & Co. of Boston, Mass. sellers of Iron-Working Machinery;
Adams & Richards Machine Co. of New Brunswick, N.J. manufacturer of Fuel, Crude Petroleum or Kerosene Engines; The Babcock & Wilcox Co. of New York,
NY manufacturer of Water-Tube Boilers; Bridgeport Boiler Works of Bridgeport, Conn. manufacturer of The Lowe Boiler; WM T. Bate & Son of Conshohocken,
Penn. sole manufacturer of the Bate Steam Generator; The Wainwright M'F'G. Company of Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Corrugated Tube Exhaust Feed-Water
Heaters; Fossil Meal Co. of New York manufacturer of Meal Composition Non-Conducting Covering for Steam Pipe & Boilers; Gesswein Machine Co. of New
York manufacturer of Positive Pressure or Blast Blowers; Palmer, Cunningham & Co., L'd. of Philadelphia, Penn. manufacturer of Tools for Mechanics including
Chucks, Drills, Reamers, Screw-Plates, Railroad Supplies, ect.; Evansville Spar Mining Co. of Evansville, Ind. Producers of Flour Spar Foundry Flux; Universal
Radial Drill Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of Radial Drilling Machines; Hilles & Jones of Wilmington, Del. manufacturer of Horizontal Flange Punches;
Jenkins Bros. of New York manufacturer of The Original Unvulcanized Packing; Westcott Chuck Co. of Oneida, N.Y. manufacturer of Lathe & Drill Chucks; Pond
Engineering Co. of St. Louis, MO. manufacturer of Steam Boilers; The E. Horton & Son Co. of Windsor Locks, Conn. manufacturer of the Horton Lathe Chuck;
Watson & Stillman of New York manufacturer of Hydrostatic Machinery, Presses, Pumps, Punches, Accumulators, Jacks, Valves, Fittings, Vault Elevators, ect.;
Hoggson & Pettis M'F'G. Co. of New Haven, CT. manufacturer of The Sweetland Chuck; T.R. Almond of Brooklyn, N.Y. manufacturer of the Almond Drill Chuck;
Worcester Machine Screw Co. of Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Set, Cap & Machine Screws, Studs, ect.; The Cushman Chuck Co. of Hartford, Conn.
manufacturer of "Cushman" Chucks; Coffin & Leighton of Syracuse, N.Y. manufacturer of Machinists' Scales; Sterling Emery Wheel Co. of West Sterling, Mass.
manufacturer of the Sterling Patent Emery Wheel; Standard Tool Co. of Athol, Mass. manufacturer of Fine Machinists' Tools; Buffalo Forge Co. of Buffalo, N.Y.
manufacturer of Buffalo Cupola & Forge Blowers; I.P. Richards of Providence, R.I. manufacturer of Punches and Dies; The National Pipe Bending Co. of New
Haven, Conn. offering Coils & Bends of Iron, Brass and Copper; John S. leng of New York manufacturer of Weldless Cold Drawn Steel Tubes & Quick Opening
Gate Valves; Pedrick & Ayer of Philadephia, Pa. manufacturer of Cylinder Boring & Facing Machines; Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company of New Bedford,
Mass. manufacturer of Solid & Shell Reamers, Beach's Patent Self-Centering Chuck, Bit Stock Drills, Drill Grinding Machines, Mill Cutters and Special Tools;
Simonds Rolling-Machine Co. of Fitchburg, Mass. manufacturer of Steel Balls for Anti-Friction Bearings; VanDuzen & Tift of Cincinnati, Ohio makers of Complete
Steam Pumps; Rollstone Machine Co. of Fitchburg, Mass. manufacturer of Wood - Working Machinery for Chair, Furniture & Cabinet Factories, Box Shops,
Planing Mills, Pattern Makers' Use, ect.; S. Elliot of Newton, Mass. manufacturer of Drill Presses, Tap Drill Guages & Special Machinery Tools; F.E. Reed of
Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Hand Lathes, Foot Lathes, Upright Drills & Milling Machines; S. Ashton Hand Mfg. Co. of Toughkenamon, Pa.
manufacturer of Engine Lathes; Boynton & Plummer of Worcestor, Mass. manufacturer of Shaping Machines for Hand & Power; Bickford Drill Co. of Cincinnati,
O. manufacturer of Upright Drills; Springfield Glue & Emery Wheel Co. of Springfield, Mass. manufacturer of Emery & Curundum Wheels, Emery Wheel machinery
and Flint Papers; Pancoast & Maule of Phil., Pa. makers of Improved Steam Glue Heaters; Jos. Dixon Crucible Co. of Jersey City, N.J. manufacturer of Dixon's
Silica Graphite Boiler-Front & Smoke Stack Paint; New Haven Manf'g Co. of new Haven, Conn. manufacturer of Iron-Working Machinery; L.W. Pond Machine Co.
of Worcestor, Mas. manufacturer of Iron Working Machinery; J. Wyke & Co. of E.Boston, Mass. manufacturer of Fine Machinists' Tools; Cary & Moen of New York
City manufacturer of Steel Wire & Springs; William Barker & Co. of Cincinnati, O. manufacturer of Iron & brass Working Machinery; Toledo Machine & Tool Co. of
Toledo, Ohio manufacturer of Presses, Dies & Special Machinery; D. Sounders' Sons of Yonkers, N.Y. manufacturer of Steam & Gas Fitters hand Tools; Acme
Machinery Co. of Cleveland, O. manufacturer of "ACME" Single & Double Automatic Boltcutters; Stow Manfg. Co. of Binghampton, N.Y. manufacturer of Flexible
Shafts, Reaming Machines, Portable Drills & flexible Boring Machines; John Steptoe & Co. of Cin., Ohio manufacturer of Engine Lathes, Iron Planers, Shapers &
Drills; The Hoppes Mfg. Co. of Springfield, O. manufacturer of Live Steam Feed-Water Heater & Lime Extractors; Energy MFG. Co. of Phil., Pa. manufacturer of
Drill Guides & Steady Rests; Eagle Anvil Works of Trenton, N.J. manufacturer of the Fisher Double Screw Leg Vise & the Eagle Anvil; Charles Murray of New
York Engraver of Wood; S.W. Goodyear of Waterbury, CT. manufacturer of Machinery for Reducing & Pointing Wire; The Laidlaw & Dunn Co. of Cin., Ohio
manufacturer of Pumping Machinery; Chas. A. Strelinger & Co. of Detroit, Mich. manufacturer of Fine Tools; Powell Planer Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer
of Iron Planers; P. Blaisdell & Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Machinists' Tools; Curtis & Curtis (Successors to Forbes & Curtis) of Bridgeport, Ct.
manufacturer of the Forbes Pat. Die Stock, Pipe Cutting & Threading Machinery; Brehmer Bros. of Phil., PA. manufacturer of Bevel Gears; The Mason Regulator
Co. of Boston manufacturer of Reducing Valves; Niagara Stamping of Buffalo, N.Y. makers of Presses, Dies and Special Machinery; Consolidated Machine &
Tool Works of Hastings, mich. & Chicago, Ill. manufacturer of Presses, Dies and Canning Machinery; Bradley & Co. of Syracuse, N.Y. manufacturer of Cushioned
Hammers, Heating Forges, ect.; The Deane Steam Pump Co. of Holyoke, Mass. manufacturer of Water Works Engines & Steam Pumping Machinery; The Hendey
Machine Co. of Torrington, Conn. manufacturer of Lathes; Miller, Metcalf & Parkin, Crescent Steel Works of Pittsburgh, PA. suppliers of Die Steel in Bars or
Blocks; Tower & Lyon (Successors to Melvin Stephens) of New York manufacturer of Stephens Vises; Sebatian, May & Co. of Cin., O. manufacturer of Foot &
Power Lathes, Drill Presses, Shapers, Band, Circular & Scroll Saws, Tools & Supplies; John W. Hudson- Madison Manufacturing Co. of Madison, Wis.; Guild &
Garrison of Brooklyn, N.Y. manufacturer of Steam, Vacuum and Filter Press Pumps & Air Compressors; Montgomery & Co. of New York manufacturer of Tools,
Supp;ies & Machinery; W.C. Young & Co. of Worcester, Mass. manufacturer of Engine, Hand & Foot Lathes; Chas. F. baker of Minneapolis, Minn. manufacturer of
Common Sense Oil Filters; Thos. H. Dallett & Co. of Phila., Pa. manufacturer of Patent Portable, Hand, Boiler-Shell & Multiple Drills; The Tanite Company of
Stroudsburg, PA. manufacturer of Tanite Emery Wheels & grinding Machines; Cooke & Co. of New York manf'r. of The Binghampton Water Motor; U. Baird
Machinery Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. manuf'r of Machinists', Pattern Makers' & Boiler Makers' Tools and Supplies; John Wiley & Sons of N.Y. Publishers of Industrial
and Scientific Works; Beecher & Peck of New Haven, Ct. manufacturer of Peck's Pat. Drop Press & Drop Forgings of Iron & Steel; Muller Machine Tool Co. of
Cincinnati, O. manuf'r of Engine Lathes, Planers, Shapers & Drill Presses; Betts Machine Company of Wilmington, Del. Builder of Drills & Metal Working Machine
Tools; Knowles Steam Pump Works of N.Y. & Boston manf'r of Improved Pumping Machinery; Niagar Machine & Tool Works of Buffalo New York builders of
Presses, Shears & other Special Mach.; Chas. Parker Co. of Meriden, Ct. manufacturer of Guns, Gun Parts, Vises, Tools, ect.; J.H. Williams & Co. of Brooklyn,
N.Y. makers of Wrenches, Tools and other Quality Drop Forgings; Gage Machine Works of Waterford, N.Y. Manuf'r of Fox Turret & speed Lathes and Brass
Finishers' Tools; E.W. Bliss Co. of Brooklyn, New York World's Largest Manufacter of Presses, Dies, Shears, Mills,Canning Equipment and other Special Tools;
Nicholson File Co. of Providence, R.I. manuf'r of Files & Rasps; Nathan Manufacturing Co. of New York manuf'r of "Gresham" Patent Automatic Re-Starting
Injector; Cleveland Twist Drill Co. of Cleveland, O. manuf'r of Drills & Reamers; National Pulley Covering Co. of Baltimore, Md. manuf'r of Friction Pulley Covers;
Fitchburg Machine Works of Fitchburg, Mass. manuf'r of Metal Working Machines; Henry Carey Baird & Co. of Phil., Pa. Industial Publishers, Booksellers &
Importers; Volney W. Mason & Co. of Providence, R.I. manuf'r of Friction Pulleys, Clutches & Elevators; P.H. & F.M. Roots of Connersville, Ind. manuf'r of Force
Blast Rotary Blowers for Foundries, Smith Shops, Pneumatic Tubes, Ventilation, ect.; Beaudry & Co.(formerly of Beaudry's Upright Power Hammer) of Boston,
mass. manuf'r of Presses, Shears, Punches & Hard Coal Heating Forges; C.F. Richardson of Athol, Mass. manuf'r of Nickel Plated Pocket Levels; Henderson
Bros. of Waterbury, CT. manuf'r of Exhaust Tumbling Barrels; C.W. LeCount of South Norwalk, Conn. manuf'r of Lathe Dogs & other Drop Forgings; Park Mfg. Co.
of Boston manuf'r of Injectors, Ejectors & Jet Apparatus; T. Shriver & Co.'s Iron Foundry of N.Y.; The Volker & Felthousen M'F'G. Co. of Buffalo, N.Y. manuf'r of
Steam Pumps; Pulsometer Steam Pump Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Steam Pumps; Hall Steam Pump Co. of N.Y. builders of Steam Pumps; Jas. Hunter & son of North
Adams, Mass. manuf'r of Clutch Pulleys & Cutt-Off Couplings; Union Stone Co. of Boston manuf'r of Emery Wheels, Grinding Mach., Polishing & Plating Goods
and Tools; Edwards Meeks of Phil. - Publisher; Gage Tool Co. of Vineland, N.J. manuf'r of Planes & Hand Tools; Henry R. Worthington of N.Y. manuf'r of
Independent Condensers; Niles Tool Works of Hamilton, Ohio manuf'r of Machine Tools; Buckeye Engine Co. of Salem, Ohio manuf'r of engines; The Garvin
Machine Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Machines & Machine Tools; Manning, Maxwell & Moore of N.Y. manuf'r of Railway and Machinists' Tools & Supplies; Lexington
Gear Works of Lex., Mass. makers of Gears; M.C. Bullock of Chicago, Ill. manuf'r of Bullock-Corliss Engines, Diamond Drills for Prospecting, Band Friction
Hoists & Mining Mach.; The Lane & Bodley Co. of Cin., Ohio manuf'r of Corliss Engines; G.S. Woolman of New York manuf'r of Drawing Instuments; The D. Frisbie
Co. of N.Y. manuf'r of Frisbie Friction Pulleys & Clutches; The Ball & Wood Co. of Elizabeth, N.J. manuf'r of Ball Automatic Cut-Off Engines; Lackawanna
Lubricating Co. of Scranton, PA. manuf'r of Grease Cups; The De Lamater Iron Works of N.Y. manuf'r of General Machinery; Henry Warden Manufacturer of Phil.,
PA. manuf'r of Atkinson Cycle Gas Engines; The Hilles & Jones Co. of Wilmington, Del. manuf'r of Machine Tools; Bement, Miles & Co. of Phil., Pa. manuf'r of
Metal-Working Mach. Tools; William Sellers & Co. of Phil., Pa. manuf'r of Machine Tolls for Working Iron & Steel; The New Process Raw Hide Co. of Syracuse,
N.Y manuf'r of Raw Hide Gears; Southwark Foundry & Machine Co. of Phil., Penn. manuf'r of Boileers, Steam Hammers, Blowing & Reversing Engines,
Centrifugal Pumps, Steam Pumps & Heavy Castings; The Norton & Jones Machine Tool Works of Plainville, Conn. manuf'r of Machine Tools & Special machinery;
The Champion Blower & Forge Co. of Lancaster, Pa.; J.D. wright & Sons of Brooklyn, N.Y.; The Cincinnati Milling Machine Co. of Cincinnati, O.; N.P. Bowsher of
South Bend, Ind.; J.E. snyder of Worcester, Mass.; Edison General Electric Company; American Gas Furnace Co. of N.Y.; Landis Bros. of Waynesboro, Pa.;
Trump Bros. Machine Co. of Wilmington, Delaware; R.D. Nuttall & Co. of Allegheny, PA.; Giant Key-Seater Co. of East Saginaw, Mich.; Light Drill Presses of
Hartford, Conn.; J.E. Lonergan & Co. of Phila., Pa.; Harrison Safety Boiler Works of Phil., Pa.; T.M. Foote Regulator Co. of Boston; Adriance Machine Works of
Brooklyn, N.Y. manuf'r of Gang Slitters, Automatic Screw Machines and Double Seamers; Samuel C. Rogers & Co. of Buffalo; Alfred Box & Co. of Phila., Pa.; Van
Duzen Gas & Gasoline Engine Co. of Cincinnati, O.; Capitol Mfg. Co. of Chicago; M.T. Davidson of Brooklyn, N.Y.; The States Machine Co. of Newark, N.J.; L. & R.
Wister & Co. of Phila., PA.; John Royle & Sons of Paterson, N.J.; Penberthy Injector Co. of Detroit, Mich.; A.J. Wilkinson & Co. of Boston; William Jessop & Sons,
L'd. of Sheffield, England; Crescent Steel Co. of pittsburgh, Pa.; .
See above for the links to all pictures and descriptions of machine tools
Richard Spens
Or Please call me at (248)-474-2799
My shop is not in Livonia
| times since 01/29/02. |
Richard
Spens
Spens
My MENTOR T. A. Edison (no, this is not me)
Ask me a question about antique machine tools
Call me at 248 474 2799
Please leave me a message and your phone number If you can, when
asking a question about antique machine tools at :
Click here to e-mail me.
E-mail me send me pictures so I can identify date and maybe apx value
your Old, Vintage, antique and help to find a safe home for them
at richspens@rocketmail.com
If He Builds It, Will They Come?
An article in Gear Magazine about Richard Spens collecting vintage machines.
He Builds It, Will They Come?
Richard Spens has been purchasing and rebuilding antique machine tools for nearly a decade. He is drawn to the ornate architecture and
fascinated by the open design that allows you to see a machine as it operates. Of course, this interest is nothing new. "Working with machines
has been a lifelong thing with me," said Spens, now a design engineer. "I started building steam engines when I was 10 years old." What he's
working on now, however, is bigger than any steam engine or machine tool.
In the Township of Cohoctah Michigan, Spens is working on converting an old dairy barn into an accurate recreation of a turn-of-the-century,
belt-driven gear shop. It's an outgrowth of his interest in antique machine tools and, he feels, a way to stem the tide that is costing America so
many manufacturing and skilled trade jobs.
"I see America losing its industrial base and hands-on skill, said Spens. "I think it's important to keep up the interest in the young people." He is
hoping that his antique gear shop will be able to do just that by introducing children to machine tools that they can see into, watch in operation,
and even operate themselves. Ideally, they could create something that they could take away as a souvenir. It was an idea Spens got while
visiting the Henry Ford Museum's machine shop exhibit. "People were lined up to take a turn making a little candlestick at a turret-lathe they
had set up. A machinist-an old timer-would take them through the procedure, and they came away with the candlestick they made themselves.
I thought it was great."
The skills of that "old timer" are another thing Spens sees falling away from Americans today. "It used to be that the people operating these
machine tools had to be artists," he said. "Things were made by skilled hands. Then the technology improved and the art was taken out of
making things
like a gear set." You still had to be skilled, to know what you were doing, but the process was more scientific, centered more around operating
the machine than around making the gears. Spens sees this as a tragedy, and he is hoping that his antique gear shop can someday help turn that
around. In their heyday, these were the machines of artists.
According to Spens, one of the jewels of his collection, and the most operational gear machine he has, is a Chase and Sloane machine built in
the 1880s. A tabletop machine with its own motor, it was used to cut the tiny gears that went into the foot-powered dental drills of the day. "It
has two levers for feed control-one horizontal and one vertical-and cuts one tooth at a time," explained Spens. "It was one of the most accurate
gear cutters of its time. To make the drill as quiet as possible, it had to be."
Some of the other gear machines that will one day adorn his shop include another Chase and Sloane, this one with a three-spindle head that
gashes, rough-cuts and finishes the tooth before the manual index moves the blank to its next position. There are also a pair of Adams gear
hobbers (circa 1910) with fully open architecture and several smaller gear cutters used for watch making. Spens is also restoring an interesting
pair of Gould and Eberhardt vertical hobbers, dated 1909 and 1912 respectively. These machines demonstrate the changes in machine
architecture that G&E implemented during that time.
The project itself has been a long and difficult one right from the start, with humidity problems encouraging rust as well as problems with
powering his shop. His long-term goal is to erect a hit-or-miss single piston gas engine to operate the belt. This, in turn, would power the belts
going to the machines. However, those machines that already have motors, such as the gear machines, will not be converted in order to keep
them operational. Other machines will be belt-driven to give visitors a taste of what a belt-driven factory was like. "There was a finite amount of
power to go around in these shops," said Spens. "You had to work around that. Sometimes, machines would have to sit idle so that higher
priority jobs could be done."
So, once he finishes his belt-driven gear shop, will it be open to the public? Yes, he answers, but at first only on a limited basis. "It'll start out
as a kind of private exhibit people can visit on a one-on-one basis. My ultimate goal, however, is to make it a hands on museum to educate
teens and young adults of how the machines of the past built the better life we know today.
In his words
Museums today seem to be straying from the need to show history both an interesting and tangible way using real Artifacts, large descriptive
human interest photos, and hands on related machine movement.
The early principals of mechanics and electrics support today comparably easy life. Currently there is such a focus on high technology that those
students who dont have such good grades but have a lot of other abilities are left behind in poverty. There is a need especially to provide the
segment of the population that is not college bound with a skill and employment. Those Students need a place to go, and that place has
traditionally been in manufacturing. I want to interest them in careers in industry; industry today requires a certain amount of college level
classes, but not an advanced degree
Public use issues that go along with the creation of a museum proper are simply cost prohibitive", But almost anyone short of an inspector can
become an instant friend and come over and see that things worked surprising well for what the old boys had to work with technology speaking.
If you think you can help, Spens would love to hear from you. If you have an antique machine for sale, or you'd like to donate one, please write
to him at the address below. Also, if you are interested in acquiring antique machine tools, he would be happy to point you in the right direction.
Write to him at:
Richard Spens
28515 W. 7-Mile Rd.
Livonia, MI 48152-35010
Call at 248- 474-2799
________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Second article
Nov. 12, 2002
A Man and His Mania for Machines
Richard Spens has a hobby that leads him onto the Internet, through magazines, to auctions and into farmers’ back yards.
It’s a hobby that he succeeds at through obsessive-compulsive behaviorâ€â€his joking description of his persistent interest,
and the way he uses to solve his problems at work, because he never gives up .
He says he looks everywhere and all the time for what he wants, to the limit of what his walletâ€â€and his wifeâ€â€can stand.
Richard Spens collects antique machinery. About six years ago, his hobby led him to a McDonald’s parking lot near Midland, MI,
to meet a woman taking her daughter to college in Michigan’s upper peninsula. The woman’s SUV was carrying
Spens’ latest acquisitions.
One of those acquisitions was a hand-operated gear-cutting machine that may be as many as 116 years old.
That age is based on the company name on the machine: Sloan, Chance and Co. That business was organized in 1886 as a partnership
between Charles T. Sloan and George E.O. Chance. Sloan originally founded the business in the 1870s. The 1886 partnership later became
Sloan and Chance Mfg. Co. All three versions of the business made small bench lathes, small bench milling machines and small gear-cutting
machines.
Spens knows little else about the business and that much he learned from one of its lathe catalogs and from American Lathe Builders:
1810–1910, a history by Kenneth L. Cope.
That day at McDonald’s in 1996, Spens used 2 x 6s to slide his new acquisition from the woman’s SUV to the back of
his pickup truck, along with a second antique machine and some collets and attachments. Spens’ total bill: $350 for the machines
and other parts, $40 for the delivery service.
Now in his basement workshop, Spens’ hand-operated gear-cutting machine can be used to make spur, face and straight bevel
gears. The gears can be brass, cast-iron or steel, can have teeth as fine as 24 DP, and can be as much as 4" in pitch diameter. Also, the
teeth can be accurate to 0.002" of tooth-to-tooth error and 0.005" of total composite error on larger gears. According to Spens, the
machine is more accurate when cutting smaller gears.
“For its time, that was pretty good,†he says of the machine’s accuracy, “especially on that larger size
gear.â€Â
Spens himself has cut a brass spur gear with a 0.920" outside diameter and 24 DP to a quality level that he equated with AGMA Q7.
Spens explains that the machine cuts each type of gear based on the position of its arbor. The arbor can be moved anywhere along an arc
radius just below and ahead of the gear-cutting tool. If the arbor is in a horizontal position, the machine cuts spur gears. If in a vertical
position or at the arc’s bottom, the machine cuts face gears. If at an angle, it cuts straight bevel gears in two or three passes.
The arbor and indexing adjustment can be finely adjusted downward to create gears of different diameters. The depth of cut can be
adjusted by placing shim stock under the feed stop.
Also, the machine has a vice that can be placed anywhere along the arc. The vice has a feed adjustment that can be moved in thousandths
of an inch.
Spens thinks the vice and feed adjustment were used to make racks, cutting one tooth at a time, then advancing the blank the proper
distance and cutting the next tooth.
Spens has more than 40 antique machines in his collection and wants more, including other gear-making machines. Currently, he’
s looking for what he terms the “elusive†1900–1920s Gleason bevel gear planer.
He explains that the planer’s operation is very complex and quite interesting: The planer uses its single cutting tool like a shaper
cutter, but it cuts gears by tracing an involute template or other tooth form template. He adds that the planer planes its tooth forms to any
pressure angle on any size blank up to the machine’s capacity.
Specifically, he’s looking for the planer model that can cut blanks with outside diameters up to 24".
Given his interest, Spens’ reaction to finding that model or another antique machine that interested him, can be easily predicted:
“I’d buy it, ifâ€â€you knowâ€â€it was affordable; and I’d probably come out and get it.â€Â
Second article
Nov. 12, 2002
A Man and His Mania for Machines
Richard Spens has a hobby that leads him onto the Internet, through magazines, to auctions and into farmers’ back yards.
It’s a hobby that he succeeds at through obsessive-compulsive behaviorâ€â€his joking description of his persistent interest,
and the way he uses to solve his problems at work, because he never gives up .
He says he looks everywhere and all the time for what he wants, to the limit of what his walletâ€â€and his wifeâ€â€can stand.
Richard Spens collects antique machinery. About six years ago, his hobby led him to a McDonald’s parking lot near Midland, MI,
to meet a woman taking her daughter to college in Michigan’s upper peninsula. The woman’s SUV was carrying
Spens’ latest acquisitions.
One of those acquisitions was a hand-operated gear-cutting machine that may be as many as 116 years old.
That age is based on the company name on the machine: Sloan, Chance and Co. That business was organized in 1886 as a partnership
between Charles T. Sloan and George E.O. Chance. Sloan originally founded the business in the 1870s. The 1886 partnership later became
Sloan and Chance Mfg. Co. All three versions of the business made small bench lathes, small bench milling machines and small gear-cutting
machines.
Spens knows little else about the business and that much he learned from one of its lathe catalogs and from American Lathe Builders:
1810–1910, a history by Kenneth L. Cope.
That day at McDonald’s in 1996, Spens used 2 x 6s to slide his new acquisition from the woman’s SUV to the back of
his pickup truck, along with a second antique machine and some collets and attachments. Spens’ total bill: $350 for the machines
and other parts, $40 for the delivery service.
Now in his basement workshop, Spens’ hand-operated gear-cutting machine can be used to make spur, face and straight bevel
gears. The gears can be brass, cast-iron or steel, can have teeth as fine as 24 DP, and can be as much as 4" in pitch diameter. Also, the
teeth can be accurate to 0.002" of tooth-to-tooth error and 0.005" of total composite error on larger gears. According to Spens, the
machine is more accurate when cutting smaller gears.
“For its time, that was pretty good,†he says of the machine’s accuracy, “especially on that larger size
gear.â€Â
Spens himself has cut a brass spur gear with a 0.920" outside diameter and 24 DP to a quality level that he equated with AGMA Q7.
Spens explains that the machine cuts each type of gear based on the position of its arbor. The arbor can be moved anywhere along an arc
radius just below and ahead of the gear-cutting tool. If the arbor is in a horizontal position, the machine cuts spur gears. If in a vertical
position or at the arc’s bottom, the machine cuts face gears. If at an angle, it cuts straight bevel gears in two or three passes.
The arbor and indexing adjustment can be finely adjusted downward to create gears of different diameters. The depth of cut can be
adjusted by placing shim stock under the feed stop.
Also, the machine has a vice that can be placed anywhere along the arc. The vice has a feed adjustment that can be moved in thousandths
of an inch.
Spens thinks the vice and feed adjustment were used to make racks, cutting one tooth at a time, then advancing the blank the proper
distance and cutting the next tooth.
Spens has more than 40 antique machines in his collection and wants more, including other gear-making machines. Currently, he’
s looking for what he terms the “elusive†1900–1920s Gleason bevel gear planer.
He explains that the planer’s operation is very complex and quite interesting: The planer uses its single cutting tool like a shaper
cutter, but it cuts gears by tracing an involute template or other tooth form template. He adds that the planer planes its tooth forms to any
pressure angle on any size blank up to the machine’s capacity.
Specifically, he’s looking for the planer model that can cut blanks with outside diameters up to 24".
Given his interest, Spens’ reaction to finding that model or another antique machine that interested him, can be easily predicted:
“I’d buy it, ifâ€â€you knowâ€â€it was affordable; and I’d probably come out and get it.â€Â
____________________________________________________________ My want list
ANTIQUE MACHINERY WANTED!!!
~ ~ ~DEAD OR ALIVE $$$
I'm trying to re-create an overhead Flatbelt lineshaft driven metal and wood shop. Help me save our machine shop heritage that built American
Industry. This shop will be for show, demonstration and working. I'm looking to purchase pre-1925 Flat-belt or lineshaft driven woodworking
or metalworking machines. 1'm especially looking for ornately cast or decorated machines, GEAR CUTTING MACH. a Horz. Boring Mill;
Vert. Boring MIll; Vert. Slotter; 1 to 4 Spindle Automatics; Drop Hammer; Radial arm Drill. Also Brown and Sharpe or Hendy brand
machines, and various grinding mach. . .....If you have heard of some I will be glad to pay 20% finders fee for information leading to the
purchase of the above machine. ......Please save this request and pass my name along to someone who may have a shop, barn, garage,
or yard with any of these machines for purchase or just looking at.
Also see me website in progress at
antiquemachinery.com
My Mailing address is
Richard Spens or call me at: . . 28515 W. Seven Mile Rd. (248)-474-2799 . Livonia, MI
48152-3501
Please Leave a message if I'm not there.
________________________________________________________________________________
ANTIQUE MACHINERY WANTED!!!
~ ~ ~DEAD OR ALIVE $$$
I'm trying to re-create an overhead Flatbelt lineshaft driven metal and wood shop. Help me save our machine shop heritage that built American
Industry. This shop will be for show, demonstration and working. I'm looking to purchase pre-1925 Flat-belt or lineshaft driven woodworking
or metalworking machines. 1'm especially looking for ornately cast or decorated machines, GEAR CUTTING MACH. a Horz. Boring Mill;
Vert. Boring MIll; Vert. Slotter; 1 to 4 Spindle Automatics; Drop Hammer; Radial arm Drill. Also Brown and Sharpe or Hendy brand
machines, and various grinding mach. . .....If you have heard of some I will be glad to pay 20% finders fee for information leading to the
purchase of the above machine. ......Please save this request and pass my name along to someone who may have a shop, barn, garage,
or yard with any of these machines for purchase or just looking at.
Also see me website in progress at
antiquemachinery.com
My Mailing address is
Richard Spens or call me at: . . 28515 W. Seven Mile Rd. (248)-474-2799 . Livonia, MI
48152-3501
Please Leave a message if I'm not there.
________________________________________________________________________________
He Builds It, Will They Come?
Richard Spens has been purchasing and rebuilding antique machine tools for nearly a decade. He is drawn to the ornate architecture and fascinated by
the open design that allows you to see a machine as it operates. Of course, this interest is nothing new. "Working with machines has been a lifelong thing
with me," said Spens, now a design engineer. "I started building steam engines when I was 10 years old." What he's working on now, however, is bigger
than any steam engine or machine tool.
In the Township of Cohoctah Michigan, Spens is working on converting an old dairy barn into an accurate recreation of a turn-of-the-century, belt-
driven gear shop. It's an outgrowth of his interest in antique machine tools and, he feels, a way to stem the tide that is costing America so many
manufacturing and skilled trade jobs.
"I see America losing its industrial base and hands-on skill, said Spens. "I think it's important to keep up the interest in the young people." He is hoping
that his antique gear shop will be able to do just that by introducing children to machine tools that they can see into, watch in operation, and even operate
themselves. Ideally, they could create something that they could take away as a souvenir. It was an idea Spens got while visiting the Henry Ford
Museum's machine shop exhibit. "People were lined up to take a turn making a little candlestick at a turret-lathe they had set up. A machinist-an old timer-
would take them through the procedure, and they came away with the candlestick they made themselves. I thought it was great."
The skills of that "old timer" are another thing Spens sees falling away from Americans today. "It used to be that the people operating these machine tools
had to be artists," he said. "Things were made by skilled hands. Then the technology improved and the art was taken out of making things
like a gear set." You still had to be skilled, to know what you were doing, but the process was more scientific, centered more around operating the
machine than around making the gears. Spens sees this as a tragedy, and he is hoping that his antique gear shop can someday help turn that around. In
their heyday, these were the machines of artists.
According to Spens, one of the jewels of his collection, and the most operational gear machine he has, is a Chase and Sloane machine built in the 1880s.
A tabletop machine with its own motor, it was used to cut the tiny gears that went into the foot-powered dental drills of the day. "It has two levers for
feed control-one horizontal and one vertical-and cuts one tooth at a time," explained Spens. "It was one of the most accurate gear cutters of its time. To
make the drill as quiet as possible, it had to be."
Some of the other gear machines that will one day adorn his shop include another Chase and Sloane, this one with a three-spindle head that gashes,
rough-cuts and finishes the tooth before the manual index moves the blank to its next position. There are also a pair of Adams gear hobbers (circa 1910)
with fully open architecture and several smaller gear cutters used for watch making. Spens is also restoring an interesting pair of Gould and Eberhardt
vertical hobbers, dated 1909 and 1912 respectively. These machines demonstrate the changes in machine architecture that G&E implemented during that
time.
The project itself has been a long and difficult one right from the start, with humidity problems encouraging rust as well as problems with powering his
shop. His long-term goal is to erect a hit-or-miss single piston gas engine to operate the belt. This, in turn, would power the belts going to the machines.
However, those machines that already have motors, such as the gear machines, will not be converted in order to keep them operational. Other machines
will be belt-driven to give visitors a taste of what a belt-driven factory was like. "There was a finite amount of power to go around in these shops," said
Spens. "You had to work around that. Sometimes, machines would have to sit idle so that higher priority jobs could be done."
So, once he finishes his belt-driven gear shop, will it be open to the public? Yes, he answers, but at first only on a limited basis. "It'll start out as a kind
of private exhibit people can visit on a one-on-one basis. My ultimate goal, however, is to make it a hands on museum to educate teens and young adults
of how the machines of the past built the better life we know today.
In his words…
“Museums today seem to be straying from the need to show history both an interesting and tangible way using real Artifacts, large descriptive
human interest photos, and hands on related machine movement.â€Â
The early principals of mechanics and electrics support today’s comparably easy life. Currently there is such a focus on high technology that
those students who don’t have such good grades but have a lot of other abilities are left behind in poverty. There is a need especially to provide
the segment of the population that is not college bound with a skill and employment. Those Students need a place to go, and that place has traditionally
been in manufacturing. I want to interest them in careers in industry; industry today requires a certain amount of college level classes, but not an advanced
degree
Public use issues that go along with the creation of a museum proper are simply cost prohibitive", But almost anyone short of an inspector can become an
instant friend and come over and see that things worked surprising well for what the old boys had to work with technology speaking.
If you think you can help, Spens would love to hear from you. If you have an antique machine for sale, or you'd like to donate one, please write to him at
the address below. Also, if you are interested in acquiring antique machine tools, he would be happy to point you in the right direction. Write to him at:
Richard Spens
28515 W. 7-Mile Rd.
Livonia, MI 48152-35010
Call at 248- 474-2799
Richard Spens has been purchasing and rebuilding antique machine tools for nearly a decade. He is drawn to the ornate architecture and fascinated by
the open design that allows you to see a machine as it operates. Of course, this interest is nothing new. "Working with machines has been a lifelong thing
with me," said Spens, now a design engineer. "I started building steam engines when I was 10 years old." What he's working on now, however, is bigger
than any steam engine or machine tool.
In the Township of Cohoctah Michigan, Spens is working on converting an old dairy barn into an accurate recreation of a turn-of-the-century, belt-
driven gear shop. It's an outgrowth of his interest in antique machine tools and, he feels, a way to stem the tide that is costing America so many
manufacturing and skilled trade jobs.
"I see America losing its industrial base and hands-on skill, said Spens. "I think it's important to keep up the interest in the young people." He is hoping
that his antique gear shop will be able to do just that by introducing children to machine tools that they can see into, watch in operation, and even operate
themselves. Ideally, they could create something that they could take away as a souvenir. It was an idea Spens got while visiting the Henry Ford
Museum's machine shop exhibit. "People were lined up to take a turn making a little candlestick at a turret-lathe they had set up. A machinist-an old timer-
would take them through the procedure, and they came away with the candlestick they made themselves. I thought it was great."
The skills of that "old timer" are another thing Spens sees falling away from Americans today. "It used to be that the people operating these machine tools
had to be artists," he said. "Things were made by skilled hands. Then the technology improved and the art was taken out of making things
like a gear set." You still had to be skilled, to know what you were doing, but the process was more scientific, centered more around operating the
machine than around making the gears. Spens sees this as a tragedy, and he is hoping that his antique gear shop can someday help turn that around. In
their heyday, these were the machines of artists.
According to Spens, one of the jewels of his collection, and the most operational gear machine he has, is a Chase and Sloane machine built in the 1880s.
A tabletop machine with its own motor, it was used to cut the tiny gears that went into the foot-powered dental drills of the day. "It has two levers for
feed control-one horizontal and one vertical-and cuts one tooth at a time," explained Spens. "It was one of the most accurate gear cutters of its time. To
make the drill as quiet as possible, it had to be."
Some of the other gear machines that will one day adorn his shop include another Chase and Sloane, this one with a three-spindle head that gashes,
rough-cuts and finishes the tooth before the manual index moves the blank to its next position. There are also a pair of Adams gear hobbers (circa 1910)
with fully open architecture and several smaller gear cutters used for watch making. Spens is also restoring an interesting pair of Gould and Eberhardt
vertical hobbers, dated 1909 and 1912 respectively. These machines demonstrate the changes in machine architecture that G&E implemented during that
time.
The project itself has been a long and difficult one right from the start, with humidity problems encouraging rust as well as problems with powering his
shop. His long-term goal is to erect a hit-or-miss single piston gas engine to operate the belt. This, in turn, would power the belts going to the machines.
However, those machines that already have motors, such as the gear machines, will not be converted in order to keep them operational. Other machines
will be belt-driven to give visitors a taste of what a belt-driven factory was like. "There was a finite amount of power to go around in these shops," said
Spens. "You had to work around that. Sometimes, machines would have to sit idle so that higher priority jobs could be done."
So, once he finishes his belt-driven gear shop, will it be open to the public? Yes, he answers, but at first only on a limited basis. "It'll start out as a kind
of private exhibit people can visit on a one-on-one basis. My ultimate goal, however, is to make it a hands on museum to educate teens and young adults
of how the machines of the past built the better life we know today.
In his words…
“Museums today seem to be straying from the need to show history both an interesting and tangible way using real Artifacts, large descriptive
human interest photos, and hands on related machine movement.â€Â
The early principals of mechanics and electrics support today’s comparably easy life. Currently there is such a focus on high technology that
those students who don’t have such good grades but have a lot of other abilities are left behind in poverty. There is a need especially to provide
the segment of the population that is not college bound with a skill and employment. Those Students need a place to go, and that place has traditionally
been in manufacturing. I want to interest them in careers in industry; industry today requires a certain amount of college level classes, but not an advanced
degree
Public use issues that go along with the creation of a museum proper are simply cost prohibitive", But almost anyone short of an inspector can become an
instant friend and come over and see that things worked surprising well for what the old boys had to work with technology speaking.
If you think you can help, Spens would love to hear from you. If you have an antique machine for sale, or you'd like to donate one, please write to him at
the address below. Also, if you are interested in acquiring antique machine tools, he would be happy to point you in the right direction. Write to him at:
Richard Spens
28515 W. 7-Mile Rd.
Livonia, MI 48152-35010
Call at 248- 474-2799
