Vintage Machine Shop Estate Sale

[Private Lugnutz]

I had the pleasure of rummaging through an old machine shop a few weeks ago. It was in operation from the 1930’s through the 1960’s, more or less abandoned in place until recently, when it was designated for demolition (property being sold for development). It was like walking through a time capsule. I had no interest in acquiring the huge machines (turret lathes, drill presses, etc), but I did come away from the experience with a renewed sense of awe and some interesting keepers.

Just to give you an idea of how old some of the stuff in the shop was…



Catalogs and Tech Data



Empty Pratt & Whitney threading set box with a fairly intact label





Huge, orphaned threading set handles and dies (top to bottom: unmarked, S.W. Card, Wells Brothers, and a primitive Armstrong)



S.W. Card Mfg, Mansfield, MASS, No. 10 (never heard of it before!)



Wells Brothers “Little Giant” (part of the /G\T/D\ empire)



Armstrong







Others may be familiar with this tool, but I had never seen a threading set that worked like this before. It’s very primitive. The dies, which have a hole bored through them, are screwed into the handle, rather than held in a cavity by a screw plate. I have also never seen this Armstrong logo before, either on a tool or in a catalog. It’s a heraldry shield with an A and a T. Not the arm and hammer, or the older A-triangle. I tried to zoom in as close as I can with my camera phone. I am guessing this is their very first tool holder, dating to 1890 or so.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some instruments…

Federal bore gage (24” long)

Taylor BINOC Thermometer (shown with 10” Vlchek x275 water pump pliers for size context) with a 7/8” threaded stem and a 1-1/4” hex nut fitting, patented (2272240) in 1942

Some smalls, including…

A pair of unmarked Babbitt/bearing scrapers, Lutz and THE DAUBER file handles, and what I assume is a scratch awl with a steel handle and a removable (set screw) blade

A COLLIS No. 2 drill press drift key and a very early RIMAC thread file

Some aging novelties, including a Woster (Worchester Electric) portable valve grinder and a PRESTO car heater (popular with ratrodders!)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My second favorite find was this special metallic mailer.

As you can see, it is pre-zip code. So, older than 1963. The contents were a mystery, as there is no indication on the lid. Even with the hex bolts turned out I had to help it open with a pry and a tap hammer. Inside, were these special cutters, each in their own fitted compartment, each compartment filled with some kind of preservative (not cosmolene – either an extremely viscous transparent grease or an oily wax). Cutters marked with “B. & W.” and types and sizes. The foam padding on the lid is badly deteriorated, but I hate to remove it. I’ve put a thin piece of vellum inside over the tools to keep the bits of foam from fouling the contents.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My favorite find was not really garage or tools-oriented, so I won't take up a lot of bandwidth on it. It’s a 1950’s era Ampro speaker cabinet. I love the diamond mesh and the art deco logo. These are very popular with rockabilly bands. There’s a reel-to-reel wheel inside the back.

Additional photos of all of these items can be seen here:
http://s1223.photobucket.com/user/Wingnut209/library/Geisler Engineering/Smalls?sort=3&page=1

 

[Gear Wolf]

Do you have any pictures of the interior of the shop?

 

[Hephaestus29]

I've got a Bridgeport Boring Head in the
original steel box that has deteriorating
foam in it, some of the foam is stick to the
head.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Do you have any pictures of the interior of the shop?

I do! Dark, and some odd angles (it was hard to maneuver around), and too many to post. But here is a link:
http://s1223.photobucket.com/user/Wingnut209/library/Geisler Engineering?sort=3&page=1

Enjoy!

 

[Cruzan80]

Nice finds! I have some hole saws from B&D that have the same design on them, nice to know a relative timeframe.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've got a Bridgeport Boring Head in the
original steel box that has deteriorating
foam in it, some of the foam is stick to the
head.

Same here, Heph. The discoloration you see on the steel isn't from rust, it's from the foam and the preservative interacting and drying on there. Not quite sure what I'm doing with these yet, so for now I've just cleaned them as best as I can, without getting near the cutting edges.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice finds! I have some hole saws from B&D that have the same design on them, nice to know a relative timeframe.

Glad it helped.

Here's the page with the hole saws. If this is not legible, and you want to see if the model number is included, let me know - I'll look it up.

The coolest thing inside the 1953 B&D catalog was this unbound insert.

 

[twertsy]

I wish I had the means to get some of that machinery. Listening to the sisters (his daughters) talk was fantastic. There wasn't much you could pick up that they didn't know exactly what it was. Pretty cool place and sad to see it be destroyed.

 

[vekster]

wow. I love places like that. wish i could of walked around.

thanks for posting

 

[PCMusicGuy]

Where was this machine shop? You are a senior member without your location set so I have no idea where this could be but I would imagine somewhere up North?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Listening to the sisters (his daughters) talk was fantastic. There wasn't much you could pick up that they didn't know exactly what it was.

You got that right! (Who Todd is referring to is the former owner, an engineer, machinist, and inventor, who died almost twenty years ago at the age of 90. A local legend of sorts. I did not go into any of that originally, or mention any names or specific locations, because the sale and the context for the sale was not exactly public.) Quick story: The stuff I am showing is only half of what I had originally picked out. As I walked through, I quickly exceed the capacity of the shoulder bag I brought, and then an old cabinet drawer that was lying about, then a second drawer, a wood box, etc. So I started a pile outside the loading dock door for them to look at and price when I was ready to leave. Well, I had to put half of it back, since, unbeknownst to me, some of the things I had pulled out they had their eye on for sentimental reasons, but hadn't gotten around to putting aside for themselves yet. That included a few old Newark Brush file cards with picks, for example. Somewhat bemused by the prospect of those being sentimental, I asked, casually, if they knew what they were, and when they immediately answered, a little incredulously, I stopped asking questions. It quickly became apparent how much they were in and around that shop as kids and teens.

Where was this machine shop? You are a senior member without your location set so I have no idea where this could be but I would imagine somewhere up North?

Yes. Chester County, PA area. The area was always known for small industry, especially foundries and machine shops. During WWII, one of Ford's GPW jeep plants was located not too far away.

 

[davethorik]

I have a large SW Card tap handle, it on says SW Card USA and model #. As I recall, SW Card was a division of, or owned by, Union Twist Drill.

 

[APEowner]

Thank you for sharing that. I hope that equipment ends up in the hands of people who will use it.

 

[woody 73]

Lugnutz what am I hearing from you..."I never heard of the s.w. card mfg. before"

Darn does anyone read my stories but me?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304665

 

[bluebolt]

My second favorite find was this special metallic mailer.

As you can see, it is pre-zip code. So, older than 1963. The contents were a mystery, as there is no indication on the lid. Even with the hex bolts turned out I had to help it open with a pry and a tap hammer. Inside, were these special cutters, each in their own fitted compartment, each compartment filled with some kind of preservative (not cosmolene – either an extremely viscous transparent grease or an oily wax). Cutters marked with “B. & W.” and types and sizes. The foam padding on the lid is badly deteriorated, but I hate to remove it. I’ve put a thin piece of vellum inside over the tools to keep the bits of foam from fouling the contents.

The "5" in the address is the Postal Code, a 1 or 2 digit code used in large cities. These Postal Codes started about 1943. When the Zip Codes came out in 1963 the last number or two usually was the old Postal Code.

 

[bluebolt]

Hah look at what I found! http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/b-w-spotting-drills-jewels-tools-295295/

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow. Amazing bluebolt. That's the exact same set. Right down to the preservative. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugnutz what am I hearing from you..."I never heard of the s.w. card mfg. before"

Darn does anyone read my stories but me?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304665

I'm not on GJ all the time, Woody, so, no, I didn't see that summary from you when you posted it, and I hadn't gotten around to doing a search on the name yet. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

One quick update...

As it turns out, there were two different Black & Decker catalogs stuffed together. This one is dated 1953.

This one, missing its cover, is not dated…

But it looked newer to me for some reason.

I was wrong! It's wartime.

Here's how I dated it. I found this Black & Decker 1/4-inch drill box on Saturday at a flea market. Note the pre-Zip Code (NLT 1962) address.

So I paged through the 1953 catalog to see if I could find it. No dice.

On a whim, I paged through the other one, which I thought was newer, and found this!

It's a War Production Board ("W.P.B.") Limitation Order L-216 notice commonly found in wartime catalogs to indicate items no longer available due to the war effort.

 

[twertsy]

One quick update...

As it turns out, there were two different Black & Decker catalogs stuffed together. This one is dated 1953.

This one, missing its cover, is not dated…

But it looked newer to me for some reason.

I was wrong! It's wartime.

Here's how I dated it. I found this Black & Decker 1/4-inch drill box on Saturday at a flea market. Note the pre-Zip Code (NLT 1962) address.

So I paged through the 1953 catalog to see if I could find it. No dice.

On a whim, I paged through the other one, which I thought was newer, and found this!

It's a War Production Board ("W.P.B.") Limitation Order L-216 notice commonly found in wartime catalogs to indicate items no longer available due to the war effort.

Nice Lugz...............I'm betting I have a couple of those in some of my boxes from that place.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice Lugz...............I'm betting I have a couple of those in some of my boxes from that place.

Umm, picturing a blue Raptor truck bed loaded with several legal sized cabinets packed with mid-century American mechanical and machining literature, I wouldn't bet against it, Bogart!

 

[Eric Commarato]

the newspaper is probably worth more than the tools...

 

[twertsy]

the newspaper is probably worth more than the tools...

Yeah, I'm a little sorry I missed that but there was a ton of stuff and I had my tool goggles on....

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah, I'm a little sorry I missed that but there was a ton of stuff and I had my tool goggles on....

It was in a file cabinet in the second building in the back, 3rd floor, where the tree came through the wall, and you could see down into the 2nd floor. I was testing every step at that point and seriously wishing I had brought some climbing gear and safety ropes. But honestly, that newspaper's monetary value now pales in comparison to its value as 'The Only Thing I Own That Twertsy Does Not Already Have'!

 

[twertsy]

It was in a file cabinet in the second building in the back, 3rd floor, where the tree came through the wall, and you could see down into the 2nd floor. I was testing every step at that point and seriously wishing I had brought some climbing gear and safety ropes. But honestly, that newspaper's monetary value now pales in comparison to its value as 'The Only Thing I Own That Twertsy Does Not Already Have'!

Lol, you're braver than me. I didn't venture over there. He did have a lot of cool stuff on that floor though. The contents there revealed the vastness of his interests and skills. I was a little surprised you didn't snag that printing press on the 2nd floor.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lol, you're braver than me. I didn't venture over there.

(Ad)venture being the key word! If I didn't fall through the floor, I was going to be electrocuted by the lighting they rigged (as in jury-, as in Rube Goldberg) up for me! (Picture a cherry picker, duct tap, loose knob and tube wiring, and a lamp.)

------------------------------------------------------

Upthread I posted some photos and a crude drawing of an Armstrong logo I found on a pair of cutter dies that I had never seen before, either on a tool or on the web (i.e., AA, etc). It looked like an entangled "A" and "T" to me. Guessing Armstrong Tools. I'm starting to think it's an "A" and an "F" (for Armstrong Forge). Check out this tag I found today that was connected to a similar die cutter with a thin piece of steel wire...

 

[twertsy]

(Ad)venture being the key word! If I didn't fall through the floor, I was going to be electrocuted by the lighting they rigged (as in jury-, as in Rube Goldberg) up for me! (Picture a cherry picker, duct tap, loose knob and tube wiring, and a lamp.)

------------------------------------------------------

Upthread I posted some photos and a crude drawing of an Armstrong logo I found on a pair of cutter dies that I had never seen before, either on a tool or on the web (i.e., AA, etc). It looked like an entangled "A" and "T" to me. Guessing Armstrong Tools. I'm starting to think it's an "A" and an "F" (for Armstrong Forge). Check out this tag I found today that was connected to a similar die cutter with a thin piece of steel wire...

Hmmmm, never seen that logo. It's usually "Armstrong Forge" spelled out or a gent standing with a hammer raised above his head pounding on an anvil. But Bridgeport is correct....

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