Heavy Machinery

When you want to make precision gear-boxes for fun, a cylindrical grinder is a must! Nothing beats the ability to grind large shafts to precise dimensions, easily. This machine move was from a former Bell labs employee who acquired the machine from Princeton years ago. Half the move was just talking about interesting history with the sellers.

This move comprised of multiple fellows #7's and one fellows #6. All extremely robust and heavy pieces of machinery used primarily for shaping gears. Took many trips over many weekends between Springfield, MA and Boston.

I don't know how, but Rob and I are masters of picking up machines during weather extremes, first screw-machines in the dead of one of the coldest winters - and now a large turret lathe in the sweltering heat (Upper 90's - no wind).

A large motor appears, last minute vehicle to vehicle transfer/docking.

One of the more ambitious moves was moving a Barber Colman No. 3 (1950lbs) from the 3rd story of an old brick building in Newark, New Jersey.

If there is one thing that is not fun, it is moving cast-iron in the dead of winter. Cast Iron pulls the heat out of your hands and anything it touches. So why you might ask did we move 4 separate screw machines in the dead of winter... because the price and quality was too hard to pass up!

This was the first screw machine Rob had come across that was in good condition and cheap. It came from a small yoyo company Larry Sayco YoYo Company This was probably the luckiest we have ever been in the middle of a move.

This move was in the middle of winter and located up in the white mountains of New Hampshire on the north side, right after a recent blizzard had swept through the region the week before.

This was an a factory building where all the machinery was up for auction. Rob and I bid on some smaller items, the primary piece of hardware we picked up was a hardness tester. But the real gem of this auction was being able to see a dozen or so ACME-Gridleys, now that is a machine to behold. These machines are the work-horse of any reproducable part production line, and the sheer volume this factory had was jaw dropping. Enjoy!

This was an old shop down by the harbor in an old commerical marina, we are un-sure what the shops use-case was but it had a interesting collection of machinery.

This was one of the most astounding shops we have ever come across. This was a dial indicator factory/shop that was built in the families backyard two generations ago. The factory building was a 3 story + basement simple timber frame construction, but contained a lot of character within. We were able to tour the place before the family, unfortunately, sold the contents off to a collector/re-seller, and then eventually sell the property itself.

When your friend tells you he wants to refurbish a forklift, you wonder "What is he thinking?"... When your friend asks you to help him refurbish a 1938 Forklift that still runs and it will only take a year... He isn't joking, but also isn't the best on time estimates.

A bandsaw for $40?!? what kind of crappy harbor freight piece of equipment are you about to show me? One of the best bandsaws Rob and I have ever had the pleasure of using - from an auction!

Whats more fun than a little challenge between friends while trying to better understand the machines you are refurbishing!

A Cincinnati Monaset Grinder is a extremely useful and pricey tool, even on the used market. So when you find someone selling one for scrap metal prices - you snatch it up as fast as you can.

Diagnosing and adopting a damaged burgmaster.

Making a draw tube using sand to dampen vibrations during the turning process.

After years of using old hand-actuated chainfalls you start to laugh at the prices of the electric models, but when you come across a free 'broken' one - well why not fix it up? It still a useful tool!