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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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Making tools 300 years ago
I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did
they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? |
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Check one of Lindsay's books, "English and American Toolbuilders". Files,
going back many hundreds of years were made by gouging each line with a chisel. As far as I know, files have only been machine made for the last 150 years or so. Bob Swinney "ken" wrote in message om... I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? |
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ken wrote:
I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Blacksmithing reached perhaps its purest form in the old west. A blacksmith wanting to set up shop carried anvil and a hammer or so out to make a new shop, and made all of his tools from scratch. Sorta like Gingerly, the first couple of tools were hard to make, but after a minimal toolset was constructed, the work became easier. -- Samiam is Scott A. Moore Personal web site: http:/www.moorecad.com/scott My electronics engineering consulting site: http://www.moorecad.com ISO 7185 Standard Pascal web site: http://www.moorecad.com/standardpascal Classic Basic Games web site: http://www.moorecad.com/classicbasic The IP Pascal web site, a high performance, highly portable ISO 7185 Pascal compiler system: http://www.moorecad.com/ippas Being right is more powerfull than large corporations or governments. The right argument may not be pervasive, but the facts eventually are. |
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"Robert Swinney" wrote in message ...
Check one of Lindsay's books, "English and American Toolbuilders". Files, going back many hundreds of years were made by gouging each line with a chisel. As far as I know, files have only been machine made for the last 150 years or so. Bob Swinney "ken" wrote in message om... I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Here's how they were doing it by the early 19th century: http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/a-m_file_cutter.JPG http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...le_cutter2.JPG Not sure of the exact date, but early 1800's, possibly before. (these are pretty large .jpg files, it will take a while if you are on dial-up) Regards, Bob |
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"Hitch" wrote in message ... (ken) wrote in om: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? What I find absolutely amazing are lithic implements. Those are tools made out of stone. There were much more than projectile points. In the manner of projectile points, you had arrowheads, spear heads, atlatl heads, and dart heads. In the manner of tools, there were scrapers, gravers, cutters, drills, notchers, and on and on. If you ever get the chance, look at some of the absolutely intricate delicate exacting work these craftsmen were able to do with just rudimentary implements. Rocks, bone, sticks, fire, natural substances .............. AND ............. human hands. I have tried knapping. That is making stone tools out of chunks of rocks. Easy it ain't. An old one who could crank out a good arrowhead had as much skill and talent as today's master machinist. If you don't believe me, just try it. Steve |
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ken wrote:
I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? This would be the best: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/ Tom |
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(Bob Edwards)
Here's how they were doing it by the early 19th century: http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/a-m_file_cutter.JPG http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...le_cutter2.JPG Not sure of the exact date, but early 1800's, possibly before. A wonderfully wrought device; seems to be a direct replacement of hammer and hand. Do you have any history--who/where/how is it known to have been used for files (other than that the toolbit seems right)? IMO, file making was one of the trades able to be kept as secret as possible (at least the heat treating aspect), so as to delay the changeover to machine technology, but that machine says different. The hand cut method would have used the same curved chisel, but perhaps with a second bit attached that you could set in a previously made cut to set up the next cut. The file maker's hammer has a short, curved handle for a break-of-wrist sort of stroke. Frank Morrison |
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Scott Moore wrote in message news:_9LVc.291892$a24.179307@attbi_s03...
ken wrote: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Blacksmithing reached perhaps its purest form in the old west. A blacksmith wanting to set up shop carried anvil and a hammer or so out to make a new shop, and made all of his tools from scratch. Sorta like Gingerly, the first couple of tools were hard to make, but after a minimal toolset was constructed, the work became easier. Here is a book that you all might find interesting. Out of the Fiery Furnace by Robert Raymond, The impact of metals on the history of mankind The Pennsylvania State University Press ISBN 0-271-00441-X A good read, especially for this group. Bob |
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ken wrote:
I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Look for a book called : "A Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane Lots of 16xx -17xx (those were dates) examples of tools, some making hints - mostly hand drawn concepts. ISBN 0805012923 around $20 Martin -- Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn @ home at Lion's Lair with our computer NRA LOH, NRA Life NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder |
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Tom wrote:
ken wrote: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? This would be the best: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/ Tom Thanks tom - got to see the old library I spent so much time in - though it is larger some is the same. Martin -- Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn @ home at Lion's Lair with our computer NRA LOH, NRA Life NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder |
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It being a dull day, I decide to respond to what Hitch
foisted Sat, 21 Aug 2004 11:17:32 -0500 on rec.crafts.metalworking , viz: (ken) wrote in . com: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Some things never change. I am reading a book on Medieval technology in Europe and there is a report from the York Minster (England) building site works from 1345 in which there are complaints both by management and labor of shoddy work practices (leaving work uncovered), stolen building materials (timber, stone, and lime), slipping deadlines (because the owner had the only keys to the building and was not around often), wage complaints (workers asking for too much but getting too little [esp. for drink!]), and shoddy equipment (rotting wooden cranes). In some ways Western Civilization doesn't seem to have advanced at all. Some years ago, watched a documentary on building the pyramids. Archeologist hires a stone mason to do the actual test. At one point, the two are having one of the standard "why is this taking longer, and costing more, than planned? discussions, all nicely framed with the Pyramids of Giza in the background. I cracked up - some things haven't changed in 5000 years! tschus -- pyotr filipivich. as an explaination for the decline in the US's tech edge, James Niccol wrote "It used to be that the USA was pretty good at producing stuff teenaged boys could lose a finger or two playing with." |
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I'm going to try and make me a file. See how it goes. And thanks for
the tips on the books. We have a new guy coming into the shop who now works at a major museum in Europe restoring guns made before 1750. He has been making the replacement parts as closely as possible to the way they were made originally. I don't want to be clueless when I start asking questions. This is going to be a unique situation to say the least. Ken |
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ken sez:
" I'm going to try and make me a file. See how it goes." Not smart ken -- the warden may be a RCM'er! Bob Swinney "ken" wrote in message om... And thanks for the tips on the books. We have a new guy coming into the shop who now works at a major museum in Europe restoring guns made before 1750. He has been making the replacement parts as closely as possible to the way they were made originally. I don't want to be clueless when I start asking questions. This is going to be a unique situation to say the least. Ken |
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(Fdmorrison) wrote in message ...
(Bob Edwards) Here's how they were doing it by the early 19th century: http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/a-m_file_cutter.JPG http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...le_cutter2.JPG Not sure of the exact date, but early 1800's, possibly before. A wonderfully wrought device; seems to be a direct replacement of hammer and hand. Do you have any history--who/where/how is it known to have been used for files (other than that the toolbit seems right)? Frank: It's on display at the Musee des Artes and Metiers in Paris, France in their machinery hall as an example of an early filemaking machine. They actually have a file blank clamped on the machine bed and cut about half-way down the length, to show how it operates. You are right, it seems to be a "direct" implementation of the manual process, which also suggests an early machine. However, it does have adjustable pitch, adjustable stroke length, and several other adjustments that I couldn't make out what they do. I'd love to see it working. Regards, Bob |
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ken wrote:
I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Here's a nice link on file making: http://www.watchman.dsl.pipex.com/filemaking/index.html (The rest of this site is also very interesting for people who are horologically inclined) Cheers! Rob |
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Rob Kramer wrote in message ...
ken wrote: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Here's a nice link on file making: http://www.watchman.dsl.pipex.com/filemaking/index.html (The rest of this site is also very interesting for people who are Did you know there is a drawing in DaVinci's papers of a file-cutting machine which looks similar to (but less complicated than) the picture I posted from the Musee des Artes et Metiers? I don't know if it was ever constructed, but the drawing shows the concept of doing this by machine was around very early. I think it's not so much that the procedures for heat treatment and tempering of steel were not known prior to the Sheffield makers' use in the mid-1800's; more that good steel was hard to come by. The basics of hardening steel have been known dating back to ancient times by swordmakers and other metalsmiths -- what was new in the mid-1800's were the new steel-making proceses, which greatly increased the availablilty of good steel. Regards, Bob horologically inclined) Cheers! Rob |
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I missed the staff meeting but the minutes show Scott Moore
wrote back on Sat, 21 Aug 2004 16:57:34 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking : ken wrote: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Blacksmithing reached perhaps its purest form in the old west. A blacksmith wanting to set up shop carried anvil and a hammer or so out to make a new shop, and made all of his tools from scratch. Sorta like Gingerly, the first couple of tools were hard to make, but after a minimal toolset was constructed, the work became easier. Wasn't all that long ago either. My Dad was working in the woods in Ontario in '47. Kept reporting to the district supervisor that his smith needed tools. Finally, Dad was told that he had an anvil, hammer, tongs and a forge, as well as bar stock, a good smith should be able to make any tools he needed. End of discussion -- pyotr filipivich. as an explaination for the decline in the US's tech edge, James Niccol wrote "It used to be that the USA was pretty good at producing stuff teenaged boys could lose a finger or two playing with." |
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Scott Moore wrote:
ken wrote: I started to wonder how tey did things that far back. Like how did they make files? I've looked around the internet and found just about nothing. I have only a limited amount of available tim eon computer so has anybody found an links? Blacksmithing reached perhaps its purest form in the old west. A blacksmith wanting to set up shop carried anvil and a hammer or so out to make a new shop, and made all of his tools from scratch. I get the point you're making, but if I was going cart a damn anvil about, I'd make sure I found space for a couple of files too. Tim -- Cook my sock. |
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On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:04:11 GMT, pyotr filipivich
wrote: Wasn't all that long ago either. My Dad was working in the woods in Ontario in '47. Kept reporting to the district supervisor that his smith needed tools. Finally, Dad was told that he had an anvil, hammer, tongs and a forge, as well as bar stock, a good smith should be able to make any tools he needed. End of discussion This is how I learned from Grandad (shoed his first plow horse at eight years of age) naphtha gas blow torch (luxury item) a bunch of used bricks, a couple hammers, a piece of rail, an old vice and whatever scrap he could turn up among the neighbours. Gerry :-)} London, Canada |
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They had one huge advantage over us. There is no way we can make tools
300 years ago now. ************************************************** *** I have decided that I should not be offended by anybody's behaviour but my own......the theory's good, anyway. |
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On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 21:59:05 +0800, Old Nick wrote:
They had one huge advantage over us. There is no way we can make tools 300 years ago now. Well, not without a time machine anyway. Gary |
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