JHOLLAND1
Titanium
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2005
- Location
- western washington state
The year is 1988. I am in Anaheim for a meeting. In the months prior to this trip I was persueing informatiion on Axelson Lathes. I was considering purchase on early 50's machine. A phone call to Houston dealer routed me to southern California. An invitation to drop in was extended. I arrived at a smallish building about a block from water front in Hunington Beach. I was greeted by Mr R. Axelson, grandson of Axelson Machine Co founder. He provided a level of machine after market care in form of document reproduction and small parts. Major machine items, castings, etc were provence of Houston licensee. Mr Axelson was consumate host, a gentleman of highest order. His son was in adjacent room editing a motion picture. During the hour or so I spent , I was shown a number of photos and documents. The most important an old bound essay type notebook. Contained within, serial number and build date of every Axelson lathe ever built. All hand entries in ink. Single spaced. The most impressive section about 3.5 pages of machines shipped to Soviet Union under provisions on Lend-Lease. About 200 machines, maybe more. A check of lend lease stats indicates around 6,500 American built lathes were shipped to Soviet allies under Lend-Lease. A few more Axelson factoids:
Company founded in 1896 as Axelson Machine Co. sometime between 1928 and 1936, relabled Axelson Manufacturing co
Company purchased by USI/Clearing Division 1954. 1100 employees. Shortly after purchase, employees voted to join International Association of Machinists. Prior, non-union. Two physical locations: Montebello where aircraft landing gear was produced. Vernon, location of foundry and build site for lathes and separate division for production of oil well pumps.
Lathes redisigned under USI. Squarish, trapezoidal headstocks. Sales were poor, lathe line
discontinued. Oil well pump production continues into present day.
As I researched for this post, I came across a remarkable document- the original pioneering patent submission of fully geared lathe headstock by Axelson employee Wilhelm Jardh. This is the quantum shift, the big enchilada. Submission year, 1924. Read the first few sentences, they say it all.
So, over the next few days, hoist a stein to Wilhelm Jardh and all his metal working brothers. Without their ingenuity and persistence, we would still be skiving cowhide.
jh
http://www.google.com/patents?id=hc...ract&zoom=4&dq=axelson+lathe++patent#PPA13,M1
Company founded in 1896 as Axelson Machine Co. sometime between 1928 and 1936, relabled Axelson Manufacturing co
Company purchased by USI/Clearing Division 1954. 1100 employees. Shortly after purchase, employees voted to join International Association of Machinists. Prior, non-union. Two physical locations: Montebello where aircraft landing gear was produced. Vernon, location of foundry and build site for lathes and separate division for production of oil well pumps.
Lathes redisigned under USI. Squarish, trapezoidal headstocks. Sales were poor, lathe line
discontinued. Oil well pump production continues into present day.
As I researched for this post, I came across a remarkable document- the original pioneering patent submission of fully geared lathe headstock by Axelson employee Wilhelm Jardh. This is the quantum shift, the big enchilada. Submission year, 1924. Read the first few sentences, they say it all.
So, over the next few days, hoist a stein to Wilhelm Jardh and all his metal working brothers. Without their ingenuity and persistence, we would still be skiving cowhide.
jh
http://www.google.com/patents?id=hc...ract&zoom=4&dq=axelson+lathe++patent#PPA13,M1