Old Steam Powered Machine Shop 59 Millwright adventures

[@jtthill5475]

When I was a 'young man' of 14 I worked in a factory, and one of the jobs I had to do was belt repair. Very familiar with 4" leather and they had a machine for crimping the lacing to belts. Whenever the belts stretched, I would take a solid bar of dressing to make belts sticky. After hours I could take the slipping belt off and cut the lacing off and recrimp new lacing to shorten. You bring back many memories, Dave. Thanks for sharing

[@Hoaxer51]

JT Thill, I know it’s not polite to ask ages, I was wondering how long ago that was. I’m finding out that old memories are good!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

David back in the 1050's every thing in the 7 acres of the Tannery was run by Steam... during the summer months when school was out....l worked at the Tannery for my dad....l learned to do belt lacing just like you did in this video....Thanks for the super video on how thing used to be...!! PS you would not thank those pulleys were that far out of balance...WOW...!

[@basbh1782]

I had to do the same as an apprentice

[@davidsnyder2000]

Man there’s a lot of work that goes into a steam powered shop. Makes one appreciate electricity 👍

[@WMAJ6]

One time my cousin was running a traction engine powered sawmill at a steam show. While sawing a particularly tough log, the belt, which was about six or eight inches wide, jumped off and hit him in the rear end tearing the whole seat out of his overalls. After his initial embarrassment, we laughed about that for years. I miss the old days of steam powered sawmills, machine shops and other equipment. I love watching you do things the old way.

[@thirzapeevey2395]

I'm grateful for all you do to preserve the history of this country.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks Thirza, I appreciate that very much....Dave

[@tubeu28]

Thanks to all of the millwrights out there, you are unsung heroes.

[@leroyc179]

Thank you for all your hard work and sharing this, there was never a dole moment in every video I loved every one of them, I just wished my dad was still here to see this who was born in 1913. This would have taken him back to his childhood.

[@davidrichards5594]

We could have learned a lot more from out fathers if we'd have just paid more attention.....Dave

[@leroyc179]

@@davidrichards5594 I agree. Though not pleasant at the time but now I am thankful for all the hard knocks, just wish I had listened even more.

[@josephmagedanz4070]

Thank you for your work and for your time sharing this with us.

[@thomasbyerly4305]

After a life time of work building an amazing shop I pray that there is a plan for its future once you have finished using it your self

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

The 1926 calendar was so good to read at the top and all over were work ethic sayings. In the 60's I worked in a sawmill that milled about 90,000 board feet a shift. We had a steam boiler that burned the sawdust and scrap that turned a turbine for electricity. The head saw kant was moved by a long steam cylinder. They changed the head saw belt to the electric motor in the basement to a new "better" synthetic belt. We had to go down and tighten it at the mid day and again before swing shift. Finally in disgust we put back on the leather drive belt. They had made me the millwright when I was 18. I had no fear of moving machinery. It took a while to learn and watch people get hurt before I became more careful, scaring the old hands all the time.

[@davidrichards5594]

Great comment, I like leather, but new leather these days is not as good and very expensive....Dave

[@jamesmcalarney2991]

Hello from Las Vegas millwrights jimmy mac here retired enjoy your work did belt work back in the day

[@larrysperling8801]

thanks for the shout out to the millwrights of the world. i served my apprenticeship in th late 60's i worked for uss and started out in a bomb making facility. we had every thing from turn of the water hyd pumps to state of the art (then) heald pallet transfer machines. i worked on steam hammers ,lathes mills shapers planers huge hyd presses etec. it was a great learning experience . i really enjoy your channel. thanks dave

[@davidrichards5594]

Glad you are along Larry......Dave

[@johnleake708]

Thanks for sharing with us the adventures of line shafts and leather belts....before my time and I am over 70

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for watching John....Dave

[@johnmason6443]

Most excellent viewing,thank you.🍀🍀🍀

[@rhavrane]

Bonjour David, It is always a pleasure to follow your adventures. Impressive work this time and I can't wait to see you use this huge tool, especially because your are alone, your ingenuity must replace your strength. Amicalement, Raphaël.

[@FrenchieFrench1555]

David, it is always good and interesting to see you and to watch your videos. I want to add that I also appreciate you showing us and teaching us the "whys" and the " hows" like in the video calculating the final reduction of the pulleys and the final cutting speed of the cutting tool. I am a technician by birth and I am fascinated by such things. Thank you again. Back home in France, I restored a old steam powered saw mill ( unfortunately the steam part was gone by the time I had the saw mill, I had to use an electric motor for power) I had to make similar calculations and I had to make my own flat belts.

[@mauricelevy9027]

That 37 minutes of video just flew by David .You really are an entertaining old engineer ! Roll on the next step !

[@thisnicklldo]

Hey! He's an entertaining young engineer of old machinery.

[@michaelmckay1567]

Thanks great memories and even better learning

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Wow really nice video like watching old tools work

[@mwhelan53]

Thanks Dave. This video certainly brought back some memories. When I was at Tech schools during the 60’s, in Australia, all the trade teachers wore grey dustcoats and would have 2 feet of 2”, well oiled machine belt coiled up in the pocket. This was used as punishment to flog any errant student. This was in the form of laying ‘cuts’ across the upturned palms with the convention being a maximum of 6, I don’t recall a reduced number ever being imposed. There were some sadistic bastards who appeared to relish meting out these punishments and would swing the belt at full stretch and speed, bringing it down like an executioners axe. They were feared but never respected. The tag end was also across the back of the head whenever they felt a kid needed to smarten up as they patrolled the classroom in stealth mode.

[@grandpacocky7618]

Sounds like my old school at Belmore

[@Ham68229]

In my humbled opinion, steam power is still the best way to go for any workshop. I've seen the startup of a steam engine before, I'd actually like to see the "shut down" part of it. Always been told, it's "tricky" at best. Thank you for the tutelage on the ratio's and the balancing of those pulleys. If my memory serves correctly, my grand dad used to soak his belts in oil. We used to grind our feed for our livestock, had a belt operated hammer mill for grinding our feed. Rarely broke a belt, never seen one slip off either. He knew what he was doing and how to do it. Nothing like today's world though... Great video, cheers :)

[@juanrivero8]

Excellent! The original "millwrights" made mills. Usually water-powered. Wheat mills, corn grinding mills, whatever. They made the waterwheels, cogs, and belts (if any) themselves. Obviously the meaning of the word shifted. So in 1900 what they called millwrights were really what we might call "machine erectors". Same name, rather different jobs. Love these videos.

[@raymuttart5484]

Thanks again Dave Always great videos.

[@paulduffey7975]

I'm always amazed at what the old timers did with what they had. Thank you for showing us.

[@1tulip]

The calendar shot was worth the price of admission alone. ;) Thanks Dave.

[@turningpoint6643]

If you were half the age you are Dave I might have suggested to start looking for early 1900's line driven pattern making equipment and adding a cupola for casting your own iron for replacement parts, and then a large addition to the shop to house it all. I guess it's better we both set some limits due to age though. :-) My limited experience of being around actual millwrights would only be accurate for western Canada and for the ore mills used for processing from copper/gold open pit mining. Elsewhere most likely could have large differences in what there responsible for. But fwiw in mining they seem to be less jack of all trades today. Welding & fabrication are done by those departments, planning and new equipment placement is done by the mines engineering staff. It's still a fairly high amount of skills and knowledge trade, but less so than it probably once was. Small one man job shops like yours you are your own millwright as well as everything else from janitor to quality control. And you proved that by properly calculating out the speeds needed and then figuring out how to shoe horn it all in. I have no doubts getting that all mounted and then correctly aligned was 10 times the work the video makes it seem like. I'm really looking forward to seeing this planners first cuts.

[@davidrichards5594]

TRUE...Dave

[@spidersinspace1099]

Love the video, thanks for putting in the time and effort to produce such an educational video.

[@MrSpad007]

Thank you for the history. The transition from the water wheel to steam must have been something else.

[@jimcurrier3922]

There have been Millwrights in my family since they made wooden water weeks and wooden gears.

[@EngineersWorkshop]

Another step closer to the goal. Thank you for your continued efforts on this! Looking forward to the first chips.

[@stucook8622]

Dave I enjoy your videos. Thanks for taking us along. Ive loved steam power ever since I was young. My dad worked at the Water Utility in Madison Wisconsin. They had two huge Allis Chalmers fixed steam engines that were massive. I used to sit for hours and watch it all work, push pull and whirl. That very place is an apartment building now..they left one there the other they put in a museum. To see it look up Nichols Station Apartments..Madison Wisconsin. They have pictures of it. There's other history of the pumps beginning there at Madison Water Utility Madison Wisconsin. Every year for the longest time they had steam shows. It was a fun time.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for the comment Stu, I don't know if I could stand living in those apartments without having it run again...Dave

[@raincoast2396]

My father was a shipwright back in the wood boat days. When planking a new boat, each plank had to be steamed so as to bend it into position on the hull. It was my job at 12 years old, while on Summer break to tend the fire box and water tank. Making sure there was enough steam. Hot work in those days. I got paid 25 cents an hour. Big money then for a kid! Hard work never did me no harm.

[@davidrichards5594]

Great comment, my father told of working as a young kid for barn carpenters making wooden pins and drilling holes (long holes) for 5 cents per hour....Dave

[@isbcornbinder]

I never get enough of this channel. I have two Clipper Number 3 lacing machines

[@kennethnevel3263]

Like a step back in time to see all this working . I have a old 14 x 36 Rockford Lathe that was belt to a line shaft at one time in it's life . I don't know how old it is , but it does have quick change feed gears .

[@jamesmcalarney2991]

Hello from Las Vegas millwrights nice work and thanks for videos

[@MrGeroth]

Dave I never get tired of your videos.

[@andybelcher1767]

Another fantastic video Dave, thank you very much. It is fascinating going deeper into the world of steam such as you describing the millwrights.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Nice job Dave. looks great. Lots of work.

[@davidrichards5594]

one thing at a time, you know the drill.....Dave

[@jamesmcalarney2991]

Good job men thanks for showing up on friday

[@ProfessorMAG]

What impresses me the most is the sound of a steam/lineshaft shop. I have worked in and around aerospace machine shops most of my life and it was very loud and high pitched. Nervous, maybe. Your shop sounds soothing, busy, warm? Definitely slower. That's ok, you are preserving history, working history.

[@stevengrotte2987]

I totally agree with the great reduction, elimination of noise with steam.

[@SimonBauer7]

i worked with electric powered machines and can confirm that the steam powered ones that dave shows are much less loud

[@paulstanley31]

@@stevengrotte2987 Have you ever visited an old water mill powered factory? Even quieter!

[@user990077]

I remember my Father (born in 1903) saying one of the greatest innovations was electricity because it made the transfer of power so much easier. After seeing all the work you had to do to install the pulleys, belts, shafts and related support I can see exactly what he was referring too.

[@patchvonbraun]

My ex-wife's step-dad was a millwright in the west-coast paper industry here in Canada. It's still a "thing" to the extent that manufacturing still exists at any great scale here in North America.

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!! Great intro. Retired millwright from the mining industry (30 years), both surface and underground.... :-) (1 year retired)

[@davidrichards5594]

That would be a fascinating occupation...Dave

[@RobertKohut]

@@davidrichards5594 Yes it was. From underground mining to mill to smelter and refinery I have pretty much experienced it all. All in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada working for INCO (Now Vale).

[@user990077]

I remember being in Prudhoe Bay at one of the compressor plants (Natural Gas Injection facility) in the 1980's. I was doing electrical asbuilts but during this time I had a chance to watch a mill write line up shafts to a large pump and electric motor. He had all kinds of indicators and rulers and shims and spent several days just on that one apparatus.

[@ruperthartop7202]

What a fantastic video. Very interesting. Electric motors must have put a lot of people out of work. Thanks so much for sharing

[@MattysWorkshop]

You really do a excellent job at preserving history, a lot of work goes into setting up the line shafts and restoring machines, it is a credit to you mate and thank you, I really enjoy watching your videos they are brilliant, ATB Matty

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks, I appreciate it...Dave

[@georgesweap7]

Millwright: Jack of all trades, but master of none!

[@Christopher.C123]

Tom Broome. Or in Daves case Master of all trades ,there is no 'Jack' to rely on .

[@thecorbies]

Hi Dave. Yet another absolutely excellent video, and a very interesting project. Looking forward to seeing it running beautifully. Thanks again for sharing your wealth of knowledge and skills. Regards Mark in the UK

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for the comment Mark. It's taking way more time than I expected, but getting close...Dave

[@steveadams99708]

Another great video - thank you!

[@NikColyerMachineWorks]

I always like watching your videos. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

[@zepledfan413]

I could spend so much time in this shop admiring everything and learning. You would be the best neighbor ever haha

[@gh778jk]

Man, I am so looking forward to seeing this machine cut metal !! Paddy

[@davidrichards5594]

Paddy, I've resisted the idea of hooking it up to another engine or electric motor for tests. I planned to run it on steam from the start and that's the way it's going to be...Dave

[@gh778jk]

Dave, And so it should be! Paddy

[@63256325N]

What an awesome job and no doubt it wasn't easy! Thanks for the great story in the beginning. Those were the days of a tougher breed and thanks for the video.

[@captainhgreen]

Your having to much fun expanding your shop but I would be doing the same thing. Thanks David for the video and all your hard work to make it happen.

[@byrnejr]

Nice to see you Dave !

[@1969Kakashi]

I really appreciate this particular installment, David. I just acquired a 15" South Bend made in 1918 with all the trimmings. Line shaft, pulleys, clutches, belts, lacing, lacing tool, etc. All I really need now is knowledge. You are a fountain of it. Thanks

[@billjacobs8035]

Thanks! Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Feels like homecoming.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for the comment Bill, glad you are along....Dave

[@ianritchie126]

An amazing amount of knowledge and work involved in fitting up each machine in the shop

[@80spodcastchannel]

so amazing to see how stuff was done, thanks for preserving the old ways David

[@robertwhitney2232]

Hi Dave, I see you are doing a little bonding with your planer, by setting on the bed with a good book. I have been known to do the same thing with some of my toys. You talked about a new trade, Millwright's, I acquired a copy of Audels Millwrights & mechanics guide of 1940. It has 55 chapters, 1167 pages, got 8 chapters on your line shaft, belts, and pulleys. I understand you have had a lot to deal with, when you show all your overhead belts and pulleys. They look like they are happy up there. If they don't run true, straight, and square with the world they won't stay up there. The only thing this book doesn't cover is, your coffee cup, but I think you have it covered. What this book covers back then, is now broken down into several different trades today. Thanks for another great video. Bob

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks Bob, can't work without a certain amount of coffee....Dave

[@walterjoncas12]

Dave: That was a powerful history lesson on the birth of the mill wright trade. Thanks from Cazenovia.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks Walter, good to hear from you....Dave

[@louisdale7115]

David that was brilliant!!!! Thanks for sharing your work with us mere mortals.

[@gwharton68]

Great video as always. Years ago the company I worked for moved into a building and we started cleaning it up. One of the things throwing out was leather belting, belt cutter, the device for holding the connectors in the vice, belting, large bunch of connectors. At the time nobody knew what they were. Later I learned that the building was a manufacturing plant built by King Gillette in Hollywood, CA. Would love to have all the stuff we through out of that building today.

[@johnfry9010]

Dave thanks for the great videos , they are a welcome brake from the day to day problems of the world !

[@ralphgould2783]

Enjoyed the video, looking forward to see the planer run.

[@dale436]

Dave thanks so much for taking the time to video all of this for us. Can't wait to see that thing making chips. Cheers!

[@stevengrotte2987]

It always amazes me how much quieter steam operated machines are than other sources of power, I would guess that a water wheel powered shop may be about as quiet.

[@davidrichards5594]

I notice the noise when I go into another shop with geared lathes, etc....Dave

[@CarterWHern]

Millwrights were legendary here in South.

[@danielbingamon3895]

Thanks for the video Dave. I work with millwrights from time to time at the ethanol plant I work at. They are definitely men of many talents.

[@SteveSummers]

Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it.

[@gary.solexa]

Wonderful as ever! A superb project (even if the term 'project' doesn't do it justice). Thanks for sharing.

[@silverbullet7434]

Thanks Dave, enjoying this part it'll help me figure my federal planer speeds . When and if I ever get out of pain. They usually get set up much slower then they should or it seems to me. At least mine won't be as hard to figure out. Motor pulley will be my adjustment. The overhead pulleys are what came with it. I hope nothing's in to bad a shape . Babbitt bearings aren't a worry . I know how to pour and scrape them.

[@davidrichards5594]

I agree, It's a slow machine at best, so I needs to be able to make pretty heavy cuts and run as fast as practical. It would be nice to have several cutting speeds without changing the return speed. Whitcomb had a patent on a belt planer drive that would do that but it was pretty complicated....Dave

[@Radiotexas]

Wonderful work Dave. It amazes me how much you do by yourself man!

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks Jay: Well seems like I've always worked by myself most of the time. Sometimes I prefer it....Dave

[@terrycannon570]

My first precision experience was welding for the Millwrights. To this day I can still hear the voices of those older men who taught me . Thanks for the video Dave. And now I can go have supper. LOL

[@techronmattic5876]

Just discovered this channel, very impressive, great job keeping these old machines alive

[@markorlando4817]

Brilliant video. Can’t wait to see that machine fire up.

[@oldninjarider]

Great video as always! It's always fascinating to see the preservation of the old ways and materials.

[@larrypardi9143]

looking forward to seeing it run...and what a great place you have.

[@Donnybrook10]

love this channel.

[@tomherd4179]

Only have some hit-&-miss engines, but I really like looking at your shop and tools. Great videos and thanks!

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for watching Tom, got another hit & miss sleeve job coming up sometime. A 2 HP Domestic......dave

[@tomherd4179]

@@davidrichards5594 I picked up an Aermotor 8 Cycle, est. date 1910, at the LeSueur, MN swap meet about 5 years ago. It ended up going to a local machine shop for a sleeve job, and they did a great job. I think they appreciated it's age. Link to some of my engines at our show; kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZe9eKVor9R-fas

[@leeklemetti1887]

Dave I admire your ability of standing on a ladder and holding the heavy board and drilling in in the bolts. I can't imagine many millennials even trying such a stunt!

[@radwayb]

Great job David! I've getting very excited to see this one run. It's the only machine I haven't used that you have!

[@gregfeneis609]

Very nice 👌

[@frednewman2162]

Nice video Dave. Think the Millwright trade is becoming a dying breed.Probably can be found in large industries (auto, steel, etc) but probably long gone in smaller shops where everything comes per-assembled and you just plug and play!

[@davidrichards5594]

Very true ....Dave

[@organbuilder272]

Nicely done - Good work

[@robertkutz]

Looking Good.

[@edgarkeck3010]

Loved it. Keep the videos coming! Can't wait to see what is next.

[@larryshaw796]

Looks really great David hope you get years and years of use out of it.

[@lloyd4768]

I can't wait to see that planer make its first cuts!!

[@georgeswindoll9138]

Hi Dave, thanks for another great episode!!!!!! I have not even watched it yet!!!!!!

[@alexpowers3697]

This just feels so different (and better) than a shop running under electric motors and VFD. Would love it if the lighting were off grid w/ an edison on the steamer!

[@davidrichards5594]

The lighting situation is coming up, I have a small Westinghouse 100v/DC dynamo that should do the trick...Dave

[@willybee3056]

Talk about line shafts,, A friend of mine worked at Mayflower Mills in Fort Wayne Ind. AND he said that the whole place ran from one 200 hp electric motor in the basement. If someone hit the kill switch, , they would have to un belt all the equipment that they could, and clean out all of the other equipment, before they could restart the motor... Good ole dayz. ..?

[@davidrichards5594]

There's a case where the boss was too cheap to install clutch devises, poor planning....Dave

[@christiankellner4653]

Hi Dave! I have been watching your episodes since pritnear when you started. I have only just now commented because I could never find dang the comment button on my phone. Well finally my girlfriend showed me how. Boy how I prefer your era of your shop! I certainly love watching your episodes and I have learned so much about using my own machines based on what I watch you do. You are an awesome inspiration to me. I am from Olean Ny, and I am an independent oil and gas producer here. ( I prefer to refer to myself as an “extractor of life sustaining minerals” ) I have built a couple of wooden drilling rigs in my days for the fun of it. Someday I would thoroughly enjoy a visit of your shop if your receptive to such.

[@davidrichards5594]

certainly, email me when you might be around....Dave

[@christiankellner4653]

David Richards Hi Dave I was thinking one of these weekends in October, just not this coming weekend. Whatever date and time most convenient for you. Let me know. Also you can private email me [e-mail] let me know your shop address. Thanks!

[@jackk7030]

G day David, Great to see what you have done 👍👍 Really enjoy the way you go about the jobs you have come into your shop, My Dad was a Fitter and Turner back in the 1950s he would bore the rifling down the barrels of the guns in Victoria Aus, All the best to you Regard’s Jack

[@markenna5955]

That was very informative thank You.

[@ninetwenty]

Great job Thanks

[@proudpalestinian1]

Enjoy your vids as always, keep it coming, thanks again 👍

[@TomChame]

Excellent Dave, certainly one of your most interesting videos. Thanks

[@samthompson4068]

Lovely job as always, I really look forward to your video's, always a hive of useful information and very entertaining. Your an inspiration. all the best. Sam.

[@denniswilliams8747]

I always look forward to your vids. Thanks

[@jackterry7664]

Luv it! Wish you would do more video's. I ran a lot of WW2 machinery even in the Late 60's. Nothing as neat as the steam equivalent.