Vintage work crew photos

[greyhoundollie]

I'd bet your Grandmother had bigger arms then those two...

I'm 49 and I still have nightmares about nuns..

Does a the sight of a 12" wooden ruler make you cringe wither or not it has a metal edge on one side?

[Rikk]

Does a the sight of a 12" wooden ruler make you cringe wither or not it has a metal edge on one side?

Indeed, as does a wooden paddle the size of a loaf of bread....
It's funny, when I am in public and catch sight of a nun, my back gets straighter and I check to see if my shirt is tucked in. I wonder if they have a private nod and smile when they notice people like us in public who have flashbacks. "Ah Sister, another one who still remembers..."

[Hoosiersmoker]

Making a big handle on a big machine for another bigger machine! Date unknown but must be early 1900's

[Hoosiersmoker]

You can't bring in the big guns without these guys making 'em first! Cue some AC/DC! Circa 1911

[Radioman]

I wonder if these big machines are still in service in the United States? Somehow I doubt it. If I had to put my money on it these machines have either been scrapped or relocated in Asia. It’s a crying shame what has happened to the manufacturing capability of the United States of America.

[Radioman]

I wonder if the water tank is still there?

No it’s gone. I lived in Billerica for 20yrs. The one that’s there now is 20x the size.
I’m wondering if it’s in the same location as the new one? This is the first time I’ve ever
scene this photo. Great piece of history for the town of Billerica.

P.S.- I graduated Billerica Memorial High School.

[hemmjo]

....It’s a crying shame what has happened to the manufacturing capability of the United States of America.

It certainly is!!! More than being a "shame" it is down right SCARY. I taught Industrial Technology (the old Industrial Arts with more emphasis open ended problem solving) for 35 years, retired in 2009. Since I left 11 years ago, the shops have been shutdown and replaced with "Tech Prep" using teachers who have no how to do real problem solving. Instead they give the kids "problems" then the kids "solve" the problem b duplicating the solution the teacher had in mind. Rather than letting them REALLY explore possible solutions.

It is bad!!

[bruce.desertrat]

It certainly is!!! More than being a "shame" it is down right SCARY. I taught Industrial Technology (the old Industrial Arts with more emphasis open ended problem solving) for 35 years, retired in 2009. Since I left 11 years ago, the shops have been shutdown and replaced with "Tech Prep" using teachers who have no how to do real problem solving. Instead they give the kids "problems" then the kids "solve" the problem b duplicating the solution the teacher had in mind. Rather than letting them REALLY explore possible solutions.

It is bad!!

Well, American Manufacturing output has steadily increased all along, with drops due to recessions and such. What has declined precipitously is American manufacturing employment. The US makes a lot of big complicated stuff...it's just all done by robots and computers. I agree that it sucks that we don't have more universal Industrial Arts Education, if for no other reason that teaching kids how to make stuff with their own two hands, even if they do go on to become accountants, it's still a valuble skill to learn and streches the brain and eye-hand coordination muscles better than video games for sure.

[Frank S]

You can't bring in the big guns without these guys making 'em first! Cue some AC/DC! Circa 1911

Kind of makes my 56" by 140" between the centers lathe look like a toy by comparison now I want that one. I would probably use it to make sewing needles

[greyhoundollie]

Newport News on the East coast or San Diego or San Francisco on the West coast would be only place that MIGHT have that big lathe if they didn't already have one like it when it became available for sale.

More likely if it hasn't been scrapped it is in Asia IE China machining drive shafts for new supersize container ships and oil supertankers. Not to mention China is building it's navy now. Carriers, battleships, and cruisers. You know the USA Navy package in 1935 on forward. Japan wants a few of those and so does North Korea.