Factory Tour - Millers Falls Tools - 1943

[@davealber1131]

Absolutely enjoyed this video. I still have several tools from there (handed down from my father) as my Grandfather worked there. As a matter of fact, he is seen in this video. About 7:32 into this you'll see him, referred to as "an older guy." Little did he know he'd be a celebrity 75 years later. I have a picture of him, probably taken during this film. I still have several Millers Falls Tools. BTW--- Thank you for sharing this---you made my day!!

[@MLFranklin]

I love the narration by the retirees. Probably fun memories for them as well.

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

Ed was the only former Millers employee. He was a Greenfield Manager. Today, Ed is a well known and respected local historian. Richard never worked at Millers, but his Father was the last manager of production at the Erving MA plant (which this film is of). His Father isn't in this actual film, because he was in Europe fighting a war at the time. The background voice is myself, just putting in my own two cents and monitoring the recording. Very few folks are living that will still remember these times.

[@LOGEZZZZZBRO]

Thanks for posting this! My grandfather passed away two years ago and I inherited a lot of his tools. In them were some Millers Falls steel number/letter punch sets from the 1940s. Noticed the label today and a Google search lead me here; awesome to see where they were likely made in video form.

[@j10flyer]

Great footage. I am proud to have purchased for $10.00 an 8 in pedestal bench grinder with a beast of a 1HP motor. I am replacing the start capacitor right now. I am blown away by the quality and couldnt clean it was when I opened it up and cleaned and relubed bearings. It was immaculate. I wont need another bench grinder for the rest of my life.

[@annarboriter]

You gentlemen are doing the work of saints. These videos are most of what remains of a manufacturing base that most today believe to be mythic or better outsourced

[@chuckhaynes6458]

I have a Millers Falls 3/8" pistol drill that was a Christmas present in 1959. Thanks for the memories.

[@greenpedal370]

Is it still in good order?

[@g41thomas]

I like you channel a lot. After watching this clip about Miller Falls tool, I was so taken that I went to ebay and start to buy some old Miller Fails tools. Thank you this is what KZbin should be about.

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

Thank you! We believe history is important to reflect on. Many of us are also entertained. There may also be personal belief of rejection of things presented, but that is the stuff of intelligent debate.

[@rolandtamaccio3285]

,,, my Dad ran the store room in a printing company, and handed out long Millers Falls screwdrivers to all the press maintenance guys, in the Fifties and Sixties. Best long screw driver steel I ever saw .

[@michaeldalton8374]

This was great to watch.

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

Imagine the odds of this single, unique copy ever surviving to the present!!

[@tonytiger75]

I have a bunch of Millers Falls Tools from my Great Grandfather, probably nothing newer than 1890- 1900. He was born in 1856. Great video.

[@wadewells808]

Thanks for sharing this. I collect and restore old tools and Millers Falls brand tools are my favorite. I wish I could say why, but there is some sort of mysterious kindred spirit I have with the brand.

[@timmallard5360]

I love these old videos and your naration is excellent. Facinatinating stuff!

[@tomrussell2291]

I still use my Grand father's Millers Falls Circular Saw to this day

[@mctavishmcardle6906]

absolutely astounding video - great archival footage, & invaluable commentary

[@mctavishmcardle6906]

the narration was the best part! it went together so well with the candid footage. if it's at all possible for you to do anything similar again, i wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.

[@ShakespeareCafe]

This is my new favorite binge channel

[@bigredc222]

Great video, thank you for posting it.

[@rolandtamaccio3285]

,,, in '62 I used one of the long screwdrivers for my first timing light. Took number one plug off and clipped it to the screwdriver, then arced it down by the damper. Actually could see the timing marks, and the engine didn't idle toooo bad .

[@nitramretep]

This is a great video, very informative and fun, thanks!

[@stime6472]

Thank you!

[@frankklaassen]

I love the movie and the comments. From the Netherlands merry Christmas.

[@DrFiero]

@3:00 "Hey Jim... hey Bob... hey Mary.... hey Abdul... Whoa! Waaaait a minute there." :D

[@Morphis]

Love it, this is a Treasure!

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

So they used the hydro power from the falls to run their machines. That is good engineering, and is this company still operating?

[@scottvincent1596]

Great video!

[@UseitLoseit]

10:45 says something if you can grind a drill, without even looking at what you're doing!

[@cowtowneric]

I love Millers falls tools. Thanks for posting this. Nundoubtedly it will circulate with the MFia on the interweb. Is there more???

[@citychick4154]

How cool is that!?

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

This film was an original copy - never duplicated. What are the chances of it surviving 75 years?

[@2001himax]

This is the best video I have ever seen on you-tube. Love it. You show it with a personal touch. Thank you so much. Did you say what state it was in ? Norman

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

This was the Erving, Massachusetts plant. This film belonged to the last manager of production before the company was sold. It film sat in the family's closet so many years that nobody was left living who knew exactly what was on it. We are very proud to have discovered and saved it. Thank you for your endorsement.

[@bigredc222]

It's right up there, I really liked it too, it was way to short.

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

Yes, and WAY too rare. We can only preserve history if it has survived or was even recorded in the first place!!

[@bigredc222]

@@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage I love old tools, I even have some Millers Falls stuff, but I liked seeing the people as much as the tools. Steel was being rationed during WWII, and they were still making tools and hadn't been refitted to make stuff for the war, is there a story behind that?

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

I am guessing, but the tool line made by the company was needed in war as well. The office scene has war themed slogans on the desks and walls. They certainly were involved. Greenfield Tap & Die also continued to produce their core product during the war. I suppose their core product line were as important as specialized war parts. Our area did conduct special contracts. Raytheon occupied a part of Lunt Silver, in Greenfield MA, and operated a classified assembly plant for proximity fuse components. The Wing family were supposedly developing technology for early radar systems. You may learn more about wartime life in our area by reading our issues of "Leads and Angles", the Greenfield Tap & Die wartime newsletter: industrialhistory.org/greenfield-tap-die-leads-and-angles/

[@TylerSnyder305]

You know he ain't one of the blue collar guys who built the tools because he's standing with his hands in his pockets 😁

[@merc-ni7hy]

badges?....we dont need no stinkin badges

[@Bob.W.]

Neat.

[@Mustbefate]

I have a couple of Millers Falls bit ratchets. One is an 8" sweep the other a 12". The 8" is loose near the knob and bearings. Trying to figure out how to disassemble to repack the bearings and make it snug. At a loss. Removed the 3 screws that hold the knob on and doesn't come off. Tried to put in a vise and lightly tap it with a rubber mallet to no avail. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Haven't found many resources online regarding these. The 12" one is in pristine condition. Bought both off of eBay.

[@Mustbefate]

Thank you, will do.

[@Mustbefate]

UPDATE: Simple as that, the knob on top of the Millers Falls ratchets screws on to the shank. The threads are wooden on the inside of the knob. Hope this info helps others. Again, not much on the web regarding the disassembly of these ratchets in particular.

[@almsco]

Hi there, I have a Millers Falls power drill over here in Austria. I have no idea how old it is or how it got to Europe. It has a cast body, probably Alu and black bakelite parts. Any ideas? If you send me an email address I will send you some pictures.

[@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage]

Hi, yes, Millers Falls product are still found and in use all over the world. The power tools are quite common and we generally recommend owners use and enjoy them. Thanks

[@almsco]

@@MuseumofOurIndustrialHeritage I tried to find out something about the power tools but there is zero information online. All I find is the hand drills and tools.

[@mikekj1]

And now, unfortunately, the name is now owned by a Chinese company.

[@kkknotcool]

You want to do the same simple task 8 hours a day, forever. That kind of work is better off in China. It would impoverish us.

[@SuggieBear]

@@kkknotcool nothing impoverishing about working a factory job.

[@narcoleptic8982]

@therockkkkher You say that, but I doubt you've done anything even similar. It's mind-numbing work, and your body doesn't thank you for it.

[@scottleft3672]

Steels ain't steels....they are now Chinese, chinesium steel is good steel...as scrap iron for making ACTUAL good steel....they have just TOO MUCH flashing on their cast steel and they are all mis-shapen or over size from mould shrinkage, ...1/2 price is only good if you don't have to spend time grinding them downto spec, they are 1/4 price really but marked up....give me hand made tools anyday and ill make my own handles.