Vintage work crew photos

[Jon]

Beer barrel welding department. Alcoa's New Kensington Works. May, 1947.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...t_fullsize.jpg

[the harmonious blacksmith]

One of the most important industries!

[marksbug]

yes, many neet gas tanks were made with those. as for the beer...pour it down the drain.

[Toolmaker51]

One of the most important industries!

yes, many neet gas tanks were made with those. as for the beer...pour it down the drain.

Either way, by 1947, a LOT less aluminum was needed by aircraft industry. As for "down the drain" part, that happens either way.
Science fact, beer isn't bought, just rented.

[Moby Duck]

Interesting that they still made these early barrels, barrel shaped. The only reason I can see for this is to hold less beer. Air receivers and modern stainless beer barrels have parallel sides and they are much easier to roll and carry.

[Moby Duck]

[QUOTE=Toolmaker51;
Science fact, beer isn't bought, just rented.[/QUOTE]

I generally only do short term rental of mine, usually around 30 minutes and I get rid if it.

[mklotz]

Interesting that they still made these early barrels, barrel shaped. The only reason I can see for this is to hold less beer. Air receivers and modern stainless beer barrels have parallel sides and they are much easier to roll and carry.

The traditional barrel shape has some mechanical advantages...

If rolling one on a flat surface it's easy to change the direction of motion since the barrel contacts the ground in only a single circle. OTOH, a cylinder will want to continue rolling in the same direction.

A barrel will self center its rolling on two rails whereas a cylinder will not. In olden days it was typical to unload trucks, ships, etc. by arranging two rods or planks as "rails" and rolling the barrels down the rails. Cylinders would have fallen off the rails.

These advantages must have been important since constructing a barrel is more difficult than making a cylinder and barrel shapes do not pack as tightly as rectangular containers.

In the modern world, the second advantage is moot. Palletizing, fork lifts, and other mechanized handling equipment have minimized direct handling.

Whether the shape is preserved because of the first advantage or simply because of the public perception that beer should be in barrel-shaped containers is hard to know.

[Jon]

IntheGroove's keg slide post moved to its own thread in the Homemade Tools subforum here: Keg slide

[marksbug]

they are barrels because they are barrel shaped...if they were cylinder shaped they wood beee cylinders of beer...there I hope this exsplains it.no?? good thing they are called kegs. whisky comes in barrels...and bottles...and glasses.

[Toolmaker51]

IntheGroove's keg slide post moved to its own thread in the Homemade Tools subforum here: Keg slide

......and cute blonde chauffeur moved along with it.