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[Mike E.]

$ 775.oo     

About 20 some years ago I got a set of castings like that in a box of metal at a yard sale. They were vacume packed in plastic on a sheet of cardboard covered in dust and grease. When I retired and went through the downsizing phase, I sold the set for the price of a box of donuts. 

  Well, I've had some killer deals in the past so I can't feel too bad, what comes around sometimes goes around.

[TomG]

Always thought one of those Stewarts would be fun to build. $50 was a hell of a deal.

Tom

[TomG]

Bought a couple of fun things off Facebook Marketplace this week.

One was a Peck Stow and Wilcox roller. I thought it was a bead roller, but it turned out to be a wiring machine. I haven't looked at it close enough to see if the rolls are swappable, but if not, I'll guess I'll have to make something with a wired edge. Anybody need a metal bucket? Looks like its also missing a lever to set the roller position and a threaded knob to adjust the stop, but those will be simple to make.





The other thing I found wasn't a tool, but an excellent example of early industrial cast iron. It's a water pump made by DURO in Dayton, Ohio, probably in the 1920's or 30's. Can't wait to clean it up and display it in my new shop (once the new shop is actually finished). I had to drive to Ohio to get it, but for $60, it was too cool to pass up.

[f350ca]

That pump is down right elegant Tom. Why can't they build things with class anymore. Couldn't cost that much more.
A buddy gave me a Beatty piston pump this summer. Not as pretty, but neat, its direct drive, the motor sits vertical, must use a worm drive to the crank. Plan to clean it up and build a roof over it at the new pond to water the garden.

[TomG]

(10-07-2018, 10:23 PM)f350ca Wrote: That pump is down right elegant Tom. Why can't they build things with class anymore. Couldn't cost that much more.

I used to work with another mechanical designer and we were always having that discussion. Everything I designed had to look good as well as function. He designed in blocks and they functioned, but looked boring as hell. In this day of CNC, it costs practically nothing to add a little style to a machined part, but it takes someone with a little artistic talent to do it. I think the old cast iron stuff looked so good because of the pattern makers. Being woodworkers by trade, they naturally had more artistic talent and it found its way to the iron through the patterns.

Tom

[Dr Stan]

Not only did they have a sense of style there wasn't the mad rush of getting it done right now and shaving every single penny off the cost.  Additionally planned obsolescence had not raised its ugly head.

[Hawkeye]

People also recognized that an attractive design would get the attention of the buyers more than a plain one would. Partly because you want to show your new purchase to your neighbour.

[Dr Stan]

Long day today.  Drove 2 1/2 hours each way to pick up a new to me welding table.  Paid $250.  Couldn't have purchased the material for that.  4ft 4 inches X 8ft 4 inches.

[Dr Stan]

Just came in from unloading the table.  Used a combination of a  come-a-long run to a piece of square tubing & a piece of angle iron driven into the ground as hard points, a 5 ft pry bar, a 3 ft crow bar and my garden tractor to drag it off the trailer.  Boy I'll be glad to get my forklift modified so it's self propelled.   Only having one operational hand didn't help one bit. Boy I'll be glad to get this damn cast off.  Still have about 2 1/2 weeks to go.     The itching is about to drive me nuts.  Aspirin helps, but only so much.  Where's that letter opener?

[offir1007]

Ô Help!! Carradit lathe 15”
I open the electric plate off my lathe to fix the electric and my dog cut my wires
Please can some one send me the picture off the wires.