Vintage work crew photos

[volodar]

Standpipe construction crew. Billerica, Massachusetts. Circa 1900.

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That is a storage tank. We had one of those in our private water district, capacity 15,000 imperial gallons atop a 40 foot tower, now decommissioned. We still have standpipes at intervals along our underground watermain - 2 inch, 3 foot verticals terminated in capped firehose thread. Originally intended to serve as fire hydrants, they are still classified as such for home insurance. Now used periodically to clear watermain sediment. In the photo, the predrilled holes in the tank wall sections are temporarily registered at intervals with bolts and nuts acting as clecos clamps. The bullet hole in the pipe smoker's hat looks like the ace of spades.

[Ralphxyz]

I wonder if the water tank is still there?

[Jon]

Employer resistance to the hiring of women workers in war industries is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, and this young employee of a Midwest aircraft motor plant embodies the reasons for this change of heart. With no previous industrial experience, she mastered the operation of this compressed-air machine in record time, and is now polishing airplane motor parts with speed and skill. August 1942.

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[clavius]

I wonder if the water tank is still there?

Billerica is just a a short drive from here. I wonder if the source for the photo gives some idea of the specific location? There is more than one such water tower in town.

[jimfols]

Billerica is just a a short drive from here. I wonder if the source for the photo gives some idea of the specific location? There is more than one such water tower in town.

I was searching for stand pipes and found this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=lO...dpipes&f=false

Way Way too much to read but lots of great old photos and drawings.

[Toolmaker51]

When start to think of them building that, one of the first thoughts is, how did they drill all those holes? Did they match drill them. Or were they that good they the parts could be pre-drilled, then assembled like that and the rivets still fit. Always amazing to see the old photos.

Very possible the holes weren't drilled, but punched. More rapid, better size control. Spacing not critical project to project, just that at hand. I'd guess plates were holed flat then rolled. Aren't boilers etc drilled on specific centers? The drum diameter and plate length adjusted to overlap X amount of times? If spacing correct, the lap absorbs extra material.
Hardest part might be jacking the ends closed.
But they did so; on a regular basis.

[Jon]

USS Seawolf receives her new "special projects" hull section. Mare Island, California. June 1971.

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[Jon]

Pig iron casting. Iroquois Smelter, Chicago. 1890s.

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[jimfols]

"Pig iron casting. Iroquois Smelter, Chicago. 1890s."

Thanks Jon,
I am reading the book "Sloss Furnaces and the Rise of the Birmingham District".
I had heard the term 'pig iron' but never knew the reason for it.

[Ralphxyz]

and the reason for the tem "pig iron" is?