I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4' HO-scale
(1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
"factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the ugly
historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very
appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
depicting people at work.

TIA
Norm

Norm Dresner wrote:
I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4' HO-scale
(1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
"factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the ugly
historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very
appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
depicting people at work.

Hey Norm. That sounds like a fun project. I've never seen a really
detailed interior on a railroad model. I thought that they were really
just concerned with the exteriors of the buildings. Is what you do
atypical or is it that I just don't get out enough?

R

On Tue, 23 May 2006 15:28:13 GMT, "Norm Dresner" wrote:

I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4' HO-scale
(1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
"factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the ugly
historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very
appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
depicting people at work.

TIA
Norm,
Follow the link to http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Shops/. There are internal links
on this page to machines used by the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania.
Although the equipment shown is probably not specifically related to boat
building shops in Maine, you will get an idea of what how a belt driven
facility is laid out and what old machinery looks like.

This shop complex is still in existence, albeit not working. It was closed down
in 1956 and has only recently seen serious renovation efforts.

__________________
Anything preying on my mind would starve to death.
--Unknown
__________________
Bill Waller
New Eagle, PA

RicodJour wrote:

I've*never*seen*a*really
detailed interior on a railroad model.**I*thought*that*they*were
really just concerned with the exteriors of the buildings.**Is*what
you*do atypical or is it that I just don't get out enough?**

As a long time modeller, I'd say that most don't pay a lot of attention
to the interiors. But there's a sizable subset that do. So much so
that there are manufacturers of scale industrial tools. Sawmills,
machinists shops, mills, smelters, etc.. Even some lathes and
stationary steam engines. I remember one discussion on the best way to
represent the jackshafts and belts of an early factory.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

"Norm Dresner" wrote in
:

I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4'
HO-scale (1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings
will be small "factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm
trying to get some information on the prototype power tools and
working conditions of the woodworking industry in the late 1930's or
early 1940's (ignoring the ugly historical fact of WWII because it
just complicates things too much). Anyway, if anyone has firsthand
knowledge of the type of machinery used, references to books with
pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very appreciative.
Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to depicting
people at work.

TIA
Norm


I have a very slow and painful way for you to get very exact information on
what you're looking for: patent searches. The web site
http://www.pat2pdf.org allows free patent searches, downloadable as pdf
files. The search feature at the govt. patent office only goes back to
1976. Go to pat2pfd, pick an arbitrary number and pull up that patent.
You can tell by the date on the patent how close you are to the time period
you want. Once you're within range, do a sequential search.

"RicodJour" wrote in message
ups.com...
| Norm Dresner wrote:
| I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4'
HO-scale
| (1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
| "factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
| information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
| woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the
ugly
| historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
| Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
| references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be
very
| appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
| depicting people at work.
|
| Hey Norm. That sounds like a fun project. I've never seen a really
| detailed interior on a railroad model. I thought that they were really
| just concerned with the exteriors of the buildings. Is what you do
| atypical or is it that I just don't get out enough?
|

Since I firmly believe that watching a model train run around in a circle is
the second most boring thing a man can do, I don't have a layout -- which is
where most "Model Railroaders" spend their time and effort. On layouts the
main emphasis is on operation and building interiors are generally far
enough away so as to not be seen by anyone except the birds. But
fortunately Model Railroading is two hobbies, "Railroading" and "Modeling"
so I engage in the second by building dioramas. In these, the buildings are
rarely more than a foot away from the edge and the interiors are quite
visible for those buildings with large enough or numerous enough windows or
doors.
Norm

"Bill Waller" wrote in message
...
| On Tue, 23 May 2006 15:28:13 GMT, "Norm Dresner" wrote:
|
| I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4'
HO-scale
| (1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
| "factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
| information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
| woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the
ugly
| historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
| Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
| references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very
| appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
| depicting people at work.
|
| TIA
| Norm,
| Follow the link to http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Shops/. There are internal
links
| on this page to machines used by the East Broad Top Railroad in
Pennsylvania.
| Although the equipment shown is probably not specifically related to boat
| building shops in Maine, you will get an idea of what how a belt driven
| facility is laid out and what old machinery looks like.
|
| This shop complex is still in existence, albeit not working. It was closed
down
| in 1956 and has only recently seen serious renovation efforts.
|

From what little I do know, belt-driven machinery is more typical of the
1900-1920 era and by the end of the '30s we were getting machines with local
electric motors. I suppose that some of the shops would still have the old
equipment and this is a fabulous resource.
Thanks much for the link
Norm

"Smaug Ichorfang" wrote in message
...
|
| I have a very slow and painful way for you to get very exact information
on
| what you're looking for: patent searches. The web site
| http://www.pat2pdf.org allows free patent searches, downloadable as pdf
| files. The search feature at the govt. patent office only goes back to
| 1976. Go to pat2pfd, pick an arbitrary number and pull up that patent.
| You can tell by the date on the patent how close you are to the time
period
| you want. Once you're within range, do a sequential search.

Fabulous resource. Thanks much for the link and the explanation.
Norm

"Norm Dresner" wrote in message
...

Since I firmly believe that watching a model train run around in a circle
is
the second most boring thing a man can do

I'm scared to ask, but what's the most boring? g

-- Mark

Have you gone to the library and looked at old picture books. You may
have to look in the art photos section. Some of the government projects
of the thirties photographed every thing. I have found that there is a
lot of information in painting and photos about some very common things

Norm Dresner wrote:

"Bill Waller" wrote in message
...
| On Tue, 23 May 2006 15:28:13 GMT, "Norm Dresner" wrote:
|
| I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4'
HO-scale
| (1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small
| "factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some
| information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the
| woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the
ugly
| historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much).
| Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used,
| references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very
| appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to
| depicting people at work.
|
| TIA
| Norm,
| Follow the link to http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Shops/. There are internal
links
| on this page to machines used by the East Broad Top Railroad in
Pennsylvania.
| Although the equipment shown is probably not specifically related to boat
| building shops in Maine, you will get an idea of what how a belt driven
| facility is laid out and what old machinery looks like.
|
| This shop complex is still in existence, albeit not working. It was closed
down
| in 1956 and has only recently seen serious renovation efforts.
|

From what little I do know, belt-driven machinery is more typical of the
1900-1920 era and by the end of the '30s we were getting machines with local
electric motors. I suppose that some of the shops would still have the old
equipment and this is a fabulous resource.
Thanks much for the link
Norm

"Mark Jerde" wrote in message
news:jZ2dg.57020$ge7.47139@trnddc01...
|
| "Norm Dresner" wrote in message
| ...
|
| Since I firmly believe that watching a model train run around in a
circle
| is
| the second most boring thing a man can do
|
| I'm scared to ask, but what's the most boring? g

LOL Fishing!

Norm