Old iron nostalgia

[CharlieNC]

Some claim that the unions played a role, any truth in that?

No, the unions were hurt when the jobs left. There were also other political trade treaties and poor import enforcement issues proceeding nafta which contributed to our manufacturing demise. Ruined overnight by the stroke of a pen, and now there is a will to restore with funding coming back but a greenfield plant takes time.

 

[justinp61]

I'm no machinist, but do have an old Southbend 9" lathe and a small, ancient horizontal mill in my shop. I've done a lot of work with them over the years.

 

[Will Henry]

I think there are so many factors that it is difficult to recognize them all, but I think we can cover it all by just saying. "changing times".
Standard Modern still builds machines in North America (Canadian and American sourcing) but I don't know for how long. A 14x40 costs roughly triple what a Taiwanese machine does, but it is a very nice machine. Also, the original owners have been replaced by a pretty foreign-sounding company, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the business model change as well.
As far as union involvement is concerned, I don't know. I do know that there is nothing that pains most management types as much as having to waste money paying workers. Many companies are happy to spend millions to avoid paying thousands. On the other hand, work ethic isn't what it used to be either.
There are a lot of industries which have folded up. The founders died and the kids sold out. The market changed. There are a host of reasons. WH

 

[gdbleb]

I have a Southbend 10-K and a Centec mill for my lame attempts at home shop machining. But it is this little cutie that I couldn't pass up years ago when I caught the "iron deficiency" disease.
I used to spend hours on that lathes.co.uk website.

 

[Rat44]

I went to Machinist school 1982-83 at a local votech community college.
Most of our machines came from the local Navy ship yard.
A lot of Bridgeports .
And they still worked great.
And if it broke you just made a new part .

 

[Tesoro]

My smith and friend has all the original PacNor machines of that era. They upgraded as they got bigger and his lathes and mills are as precise as when new. I am not a machinist but love anything from that era. I have a 1939 Hobart meat slicer that is not only a work of art noveau era, but hums along slicing to the 5,000th! lol And my 1930's chromed Coleman lanterns and my 1940 pocket stove. Built to last forever.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Well no Kid here. I did a Four Year Machinist Apprenticeship in the 60's Washburn Trade School Chicago.
The Machines that they had,had the Brass tags from US Navy Ships on them. I worked at the Chicago Transit Authority. The Machines where newer but still nothing like today. As I remember LeBlond Cincinnati and #2 Warner Scew Machine. Fun Cutting Oil Days.

bunch of great work/knowledge history on this site!! Whole bunch of great experience.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

At the objections of the manufacturing industry that was the objective of clinton's nafta, which was pushed through largely by huge lobbying funding by walmart.

I don't know about the walmart part but Ross Perot was 150% right. We sold our future and country for 110 dollar VCRs!!! Makes me sick.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

My smith and friend has all the original PacNor machines of that era. They upgraded as they got bigger and his lathes and mills are as precise as when new. I am not a machinist but love anything from that era. I have a 1939 Hobart meat slicer that is not only a work of art noveau era, but hums along slicing to the 5,000th! lol And my 1930's chromed Coleman lanterns and my 1940 pocket stove. Built to last forever. View attachment 1723864View attachment 1723865

belongs in MOMA.

 

[David Milisock]

You older gentleman should fact check this and sort out any bs if there is any. I found it incredibly interesting. Makes me sad that our country used to produce great things, produced great craftsmen, and pioneered so many industries. I KNOW WE STILL HAVE EXTRAORDINARY CRAFTSMEN. But this is cool.

Funny it’s narrated by ai!!!

I'm thinking that it's the changing times. Thirty years ago I had a 50 year old Kluge printing press, pictured here. It was so well designed that once set up I could number 2,000 4 part sets of 12 x 18 business forms unattended. I had a 25 year old 17" 2 color duplicator and a 35 year old 2 color 19" printing press.

They were all designed and built so well I could many times operate all 3 by myself simultaneously. Those were the times I was billing real great dollars.

You can't do that today with the digital print engines.

 

[Tesoro]

belongs in MOMA.

There actually is one in another art deco/modern art museum in some city in the north east. The one I have came with original instructions and sharpening stone clamps, all kept under little compartment door can see in top left of first pic.