Charles Billings & Christopher Spencer

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

Charles Billings got his start by learning the tool & Die trade at the colt Armory in Hartford Connecticut in 1856. He was a very talented man that became an expert in the drop forging process. In 1868 while he was working for the Roper repeating Arms Co. he met Christopher M. Spencer, a brilliant genius that would one day develop 42 patents to his name among them the spencer repeating rifle, a steam powered carriage and the first fully automatic turret lathe.

Together these two men in 1869 would form their new company Billings & Spencer, a company that would last till 1962 when it was sold. (see the following links for more information).

(special Notes) Collecting Billings & Spencer is fun due to the fact that less then 1% of the population has never heard of their tools; hence making it cheaper to purchase them, (although E-bay is changing that as we speak).

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/billings-spencer-company.html

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioBillingspencer.html

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2522

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2522&tab=7

http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/xrefCompany.php?id=1064

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_E._Billings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Miner_Spencer

http://windsorhistoricalsociety.org/fa_spencer.html

http://connecticuthistory.org/christopher-miner-spencer-successful-19th-c-arms-manufacturer/

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

More pictures to follow:

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

More to follow:

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

Still more:

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

Next set;

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

Next grouping:

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

Last set:

4xdog · Jan 16, 2015

Thanks, woody --

I have a Billings and Spencer open-end wrench that belonged to my maternal grandfather, whom I never knew. Man, is it a beautifully made tool! Nice to see more of 'em.

drivesitfar · Jan 16, 2015

Woody: i love the threads your are starting to put together for this section. i would've posted on your Cornwell thread to say so, but didn't know if you were done posting.

maybe you can note in the first post that you need several posts and you'll put a note on the last one when you are done like you did on this one. When i get my old wrenches out of boxes and shined up I'll post a few on the threads that have all your great information.

thanks Woody

woody 73 · Jan 16, 2015

drivesitfar LOL I am not to good with computers, I can not figure out how to post everything up before the next person starts typing a reply. Maybe in my first post I should say something like X-amount to follow therefore giving me more time to put everything together! :rocker:

So glad you like the stories.

drivesitfar · Jan 16, 2015

Woody: that would keep some of us from posting in the middle of all your awesome pictures. also another tip would be to post reserved in a new post every 30 seconds until you have all your posts reserved. then go back and edit each one with words or pictures as you wish so you won't be worried so much about not getting your great threads started off correctly.

check out the Vise Repair 101 thread and you'll see i think i reserved 10 or more (or less) of the first posts. then i have been editing some of them when new information is available.

again nice work. i'd love one on the Plvmb series wrenches and tools including the lawsuit if there isn't one already. if there is one i need to read it and i'll search for it if you or somebody doesn't post a link her or PM me with one.

thanks

ganymede · Jan 16, 2015

Love these B&S curvey handle adjustables...

woody 73 · Jun 19, 2020

Another nice B&S wrench I found this morning from a 1924 catalog the id is wrench # 1420 and the other number it can be found under is a Williams # 663F. The list price is 78 cents in 1924, I paid 25 cents so inflation is working on my side today.

7/16-1/2 Hex head cap size.
5/8-3/4 milled opening.
6 1/4 length.
3/8 thick.

Made for the National Acme Co. out of Cleveland, Ohio.

leg17 · Jun 20, 2020

National Acme made Automatic Screw Machines, often multi-spindle.
Still applicable today for high volume work.
CNC has supplanted much of the lower volume stuff.

Charles Billings & Christopher Spencer

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

4xdog

Well-known member

drivesitfar

Well-known member

woody 73

Well-known member

drivesitfar

Well-known member

ganymede

Well-known member

Attachments

woody 73

Well-known member

Attachments

leg17

Well-known member