While Michael's post is both out of copyright and also a good read (so far) the same can't be said for everything on Archive.org

Many items are in the public domain in the US but not in the EU or UK due to differences in copyright laws, but in addition many things found there are definitely copyright worldwide.

The 'Model Engineering, a foundation course' by Wright, Tubal Cain's 'Model Engineer's Handbook' and many of the Workshop Practice books are available for free download.

While everything I have written, both text and software I have explicitly placed in the public domain (and in most cases being free are worth every penny of the price!) this is not the case for authors trying to make a living from their work.

I must admit to sneaking the odd peek online, but beyond that my morals, though embarrassingly elastic in so many other ways, draw the line at copyright theft.

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 05/02/2021 13:50:22

MichaelG – a PM for you

Nick

Hi all!

Re: Nick Clark 3's observation:-

Reeves catalogue:-

https://archive.org/details/aj-reeves-and-co-1954-catalogue/page/4/mode/2up

Look at the price for a new Myford!!

Many thanks for the links! Pete

Edited By Morty on 05/02/2021 23:27:29

Have a look into Ornamental Turning and be prepared to me amazed at the technology available so long ago
http://www.the-sot.com/

This is just an example, I'm sure there are many other videos.

Bill

If I had two of these, would one of them be a second hand lathe?

Tim

Chasing lathes: One method of producing threads in the early days of ME was called Chasing. It required a lathe with a long tool rest parallel with the rotating work, like a wood lathe, and a tool with a cutter rather like an insert for a Coventry Die Head Chaser, but fixed in a long wooden handle. Yes, the same word, still in use.

The clever bit was that there were no gears, no fancy drive system to produce the thread mechanically. Clever because the operator was required to move the chaser along the work so that at each revolution the tool moved along – by hand – one pitch exactly, for the full length of the required thread. Not a easy task, but like many of the early manual trades, the 'knack' could be acquired by long practice.

I do not know whether this was the purpose of the 'chasing lathes' described above – perhaps Holtzapfel and his kin made a lathe which required less skill as it was geared?

Other trades were mechanised in the same process – engraving, for example, is still done by hand for top-of-the-range presentations, but by machine for the local football club. Other skills died out, or will very shortly, such as thatching. This used to be a skill for many farm labourers, thatching hay stacks in every farm yard, now limited to up-market houses with Porsches on the drive.

Cheers, Tim

The problem I identify with trades that move up market, is complex. Thatching is currently a trendy sort of roof covering, and such things tend to be subject to fashion. They can, in other words, become 'old hat' just as brown furniture has in the past few years. This discourages new blood. At the same time, the money people feel able to spend on renewing their not-so-posh roof is much less, which discourages farmers from growing the special straw which is needed for a really first class job. And sooner or later, the apparent benefits of an engineered surface, without all the snags with birds, damp, etc, and a government grant to 'help save the planet' mean the old roof is replaced completely. Need I go on?

Not all trades are affected in the same way, or to the same extent. Thatching is still only part way through the process, as is blacksmithing (ie without using gas or electric welding). Proper driving, of car or motor bicycle, is next.

But perhaps not. Just think, though, what must change to stop this all happening?

Cheers, Tim

Michael,

A very interesting book to browse in . Thank you for bringing it to the forum.

Tim,
On the question of thread chasing, I was employed in the early sixties by a well known manufacturer of "gentlemen's toilets". Their "brass shop" produced lengths of threaded copper pipe which were assembled to cast brass Tees or Crosses to form the down pipe for said toilet, all being screwed and soldered together before either polishing or chrome plating.
The pipe threading was entirely done with hand chasers usually with a mandrel up the pipe to provide support and all to 26 TPI. Once started the multiple threads on the chaser ensured that the pitch of the thread on pipe was correct
One of my projects of the day was to introduce brass stamped Tees and Crosses with silver soldered joints replacing the screwed and soldered version.

Happy days,
Bob D