Vintage work crew photos

[Toolmaker51]

I'm convinced, not my occupation of choice either. Looks as if fellow in front is blocking wheel with foot while hands grab its rim. I bet cart perches man with loo-oong tong and crucible at brim of receptacle, I'll wager quite heavy full. That eases dispensing into ingot mold.

[mklotz]

Being above the receptacle is clearly an advantage. However, doing it from a wheeled platform just doesn't seem like a good idea. Kind of like changing the light bulb in the office ceiling light by standing on your roll-around desk chair.

I sure hope there isn't a big crucible of liquid iron behind him and the boys on the ground are wheeling him around to various molds so he can ladle it out.

[wizard69]

Unfortunately I don't work in heavy industry so I seldom see presses of this size. However a few years ago I did take a trip through one of Harley's plants in Pennsylvania and was most impressed with the press they had doing fenders. That press was only about 3 stories tall but still impressive to watch. I can only imagine what it would be like to see that high press operating.

[Jon]

Welders working in the Doxford Engine Works Fabricating Department. Pallion, Tyne and Wear, England. 1954.

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[Jon]

Assembling the turbine engine of the HMS Brittanic. 1914.

[PJs]

WoW, the blades are amazing for 1914. Almost look like radiator fins. The sub-assemblies on the floor give a clue about the manufacturing techniques and the guys working in pairs about the assembly. With the taper at the right end, one might assume that to be the inlet. Great picture!

[Jon]

Shaping bells for loudspeakers. Atwater Kent radio factory. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1925.

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[PJs]

Great Pic of the press and the workers face is a tell.

They were one of the first electronic radio kits for the common household, beyond crystals built as kids. They were pretty much history by the time I got into it but remember working on a couple of old ones during my summer stints as a TV/Radio apprentice with "Ace" in HS. One was a console and another was a desktop. Old electronics like these have a smell I remember fondly and it came up when I saw the picture...and no it wasn't the almond smell from selenium rectifiers...more the shellacked/varnished cloth wrapped wire and components I think. Ace had one of the oldest tube checker (Weston from 1930's) around, and a bunch of earlier tubes back then, and he grew up with these and RCA/Magnivox from the day. As I recall, the chassis on these were really well made probably in SM shops like this.

Pics like these always stir the memories...and olfactory senses.

PJ

[Toolmaker51]

Now, THAT is a punch press. Not too much tonnage but straight sides and early double crank configuration it seems. The splatters aren't from hapless operators,it's drawing lube. Not to mention line-shaft driven.
Not some wimpy light curtained high speed OBI, this puppy can hit! An exceptional B&W photo too.
We should be pleased, the golden age of work and photography managed to coincide. Thank you, Jon.

[Jon]

the golden age of work and photography managed to coincide.

So true. That really is a great theme of this thread.

A double helical gear manufactured by Mesta Machinery. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1913.