model of steam-era machine shop

[mklotz]

One of our master modelmakers over on MEM has completed an astounding diorama of an early, steam-era machine shop with a Victoria engine and the machine tool models available from PMR. This professionally done video of the model and how it was built will astound you and demonstrate the lengths to which model makers will go to create realistic miniatures.

[locojoel]

Wonderful - thanks,
locojoel

[Toolmaker51]

Go ahead, miniaturize me too...I'd be happy to work there.
I noticed only one possible error - the Foreman's desk had Colonial Revival hardware, whereas it would have likely or certain to be Victorian 1840's - 1901 and beyond.
I'm not aware what function the loose fitting rings on the lineshafts performed. First reaction; sort of a visual indication it is running? Here is proof that model-making can mean miniature, real and functioning; where miniature doesn't necessarily indicate the same things.
genau, präzise, exakt, eben, akkurat

[mklotz]

I'm not aware what function the loose fitting rings on the lineshafts performed. First reaction; sort of a visual indication it is running?

There's an ongoing discussion over on MEM about the function of the rings. I've offered my own thoughts on the subject which are duplicated below...

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When I visited the Knight Foundry...

Sutter Creek Knight Foundry Water-Powered Foundry and Machine Shop Historic Site

a water-powered, line-shaft machine shop, they had the rings on the shafts as well. I too asked about them and was told they were to keep the shafts clean. Now, the whole place was knee-deep in a century and a half of dirt so I couldn't understand the compulsion for shaft cleanliness. Raising this issue, the foundry staff had no answers.

The diesel-powered spic-and-spam clean line shaft machine shop at the Mount Wilson observatory has them too and their staff was equally clueless about why shaft cleanliness was such an obsession.

My guess is that they were noise-makers used to keep the pigeons from roosting in the rafters. :-)




Then there's the Victorian fidget spinner theory...

A decorative ring (the Victorians decorated everything) falls off a line shaft pulley and runs up and down the shaft ringing gently.

Down below...

Hey, look at that! Isn't that neat the way it moves?

The shop foreman, visiting from a shop across town to deliver prints, says, "Yeah, neat, I gotta have one."

...and a long-lived Victorian fad is born.

[Ralphxyz]

HEM or MEM? and what is it?

Unbelievable certainly inspiring.

Thanks for posting.

Ralph

[mklotz]

HEM or MEM? and what is it?

Unbelievable certainly inspiring.

Thanks for posting.

Ralph

HEM was a typo; my apologies, now fixed.

MEM = Model Engine Maker forum...

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php

It's the place for people who make model engines in any form - air, steam, atmopheric, Stirling, IC

[mklotz]

If you like realistic miniatures, you must visit the Anders Machine Shop...

Anders Machine Shop

As you scroll down through the pictures, keep repeating to yourself, "This is not real, this is a model."

and then take a look at the work of William R. Robertson...

Dollhouse Miniature Makers—William R. Robertson

particularly his iconic tool box...

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/WmRob01.jpg

and his exquisite drafting classroom...

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/WmRob40.jpg

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/WmRob41.jpg

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/WmRob38.jpg

[Jon]

Great production values on that video. They really nailed the whole "how to video miniatures" technique.

[Moby Duck]

There is some interesting information on these "rings" on
Line shaft Mice

where it is quoted,
"They are line shaft wipers or commonly called mice as they scamper along the shaft."
The purpose as I understand it is to remove the chance of a catastrophic failure. Should a belt fall off a pulley and wrap around the line shaft one of two things will happen, the line shaft will get pulled down or the thing on the other end will be pulled up. The mice keep the shaft clean and polished, therefore "friction-less" or slippery and much less likely to grip the belt. As the oldtimer says "never put a shaft up unless it is polished"."

That makes sense to me. They also distribute the oil leakage from the bearings along the shaft to help with the slippery effect.
Kids all had these on their bikes in the 40's and 50's to keep the hubs clean. Usually made from leather or an old rubber tube, carefully cut with a barbed arrow at one end and a slit at the other. Making these mice was often a lesson in how not to cut yourself badly again. They do not actually need to rotate and seem to do the same job even if pendulous.

[benkeller3]

My wife's grandfather was the owner of a blacksmith / machine shop that he built in 1918. I was fortunate to spend many wonderful hours with him visiting /working there on his completely line shaft driven operation. If I remember correctly he called those Rings spiders and use them to keep the shafts clean.