Line Shaft Shop Photos

Rick427 · Sep 2, 2014

Constructed in the '20's, this line shaft machine and welding shop was used by multiple generations of the Hathaway family of Santa Fe Springs, CA. The Hathaways farmed fruit orchards, sold hay and feed, and also were extensively involved in oil field equipment repair.

Their ranch property is now a museum which includes, besides the old shop, the original family home, the old feed mill, numerous outbuildings, and many pieces of farm and oil field equipment and machinery dating back to the early 1900's.

Most of the machine tools in the shop are usable and the line shaft is operated by an overhead electric motor. Museum volunteers periodically work in the shop doing restorations and repair.

Worth a look if you're ever in Southern CA:

Welcome | Hathaway Ranch & Oil Museum

- Richard

Ruston3w · Sep 2, 2014

Good pics, I like that drill rack, do you see such things often? Whatever would it cost to make over a few bits of wood and a coat of varnish?

wlpier · Sep 2, 2014

Nice catch on the drill rack….. that looks like a Cleveland and it’s made for Morse Taper drill bits … and not a MT Drill bit in sight! What a shame! I’ve been looking for one for years. Rick, if you ever get back there again, be sure to take some close-ups of that Drill Bit Carousel. Might make an interesting project.

Rick427 · Sep 2, 2014

Just so much to look at in that old shop every time I go, I hadn't even paid much attention to that holder until you guys pointed it out.

Zoomed in on my original photo for you. Looks like a rotatable cast iron cross atop a cast iron base, with a bronze bushing for rotation. The cast lettering on the base appears to read "TWIST DRILL . . . ; NEW BEDFORD, MASS; USA". I am guessing the riveted-on brass strips are stamped with drill sizes, but it's hard to tell from the photo.

It's amazing to think of a bygone era where such a complex cross casting would be utilized to manufacture a simple drill caddy.

- Richard

locoguy · Sep 2, 2014

But this drill caddy will not fall apart, ever.

Leg17 · Sep 2, 2014

MORSE Twist Drill Co. was in New Bedford.
And they made other interesting drill holders.

wlpier · Sep 3, 2014

Richard, thanks for the close up! That would be one challenging pattern to make! Just when I had it all figured out with a three part mold and two part pattern, I noticed the legs are a different depth to accommodate the different Morse Taper (MT) dimensions. The real puzzle is what’s the configuration where the MT 1’s and MT 3’s are back to back.

Anyway, Thanks again. Some real food for thought there on which way to go. Pattern/casting, built-up one of…. Steel/Aluminum/wood?

SouthBendModel34 · Sep 3, 2014

Talk about "massive overkill" !!! A seriously complex casting just to hold some drills !!! One has to wonder if this was a "product" or a "one off" built to impress potential customers at a trade fair.

Of course, I want one!

ON EDIT: Take a close look at the left side of the "intersection" - there's something interesting there; see the round shape?

Rick427 deserves praise for capturing the shop fixtures in addition to the machine tools, for example the benches with the drawers. (Which are a great deal lot more conducive to organization than the usual clutter under a bench! This shop has open shelves or bins for the stuff that usually ends up under a bench.)

I also liked the "shelf of oil cans", which make you wonder if one or more of the shop owners "sort of collected" oil cans. (Let's see.....three viscosities of DTE and way oil. Kerosene, Diesel Fuel...how many other oils could he have actually needed?)

JRR

wlpier · Sep 3, 2014

Here you go... missing dimensions and missing view.... and YES, it was a product, albeit a rare one. This is the first one I saw in 20 years.

Price upon application? Guess they had it back then too.... If you have to ask... you can't afford it...

Ruston3w · Sep 3, 2014

A thrust bearing, not just any old bush, it just gets better! Should we be worried that we find 2 days worth of interesting features 2 discuss on 1 small drill rack?
Thanks for posting the add, I wonder if anyone over here copied the design......something to look for.
Richard

Rick427 · Sep 3, 2014

Ruston3w said:
Should we be worried that we find 2 days worth of interesting features 2 discuss on 1 small drill rack?

Heck, and I here thought you eagle-eye guys would spot the door in the wall at the end of the long lathe where long pieces of drill stem would project outside when their ends were being threaded! Also note the taper attachment on that lathe, essential for cutting oil-field tapered threads.

Since you have me curious now, I turned up an old PM thread about cast drill holders. Someone had even posted multiple photos of a Morse revolving cross, but unfortunately his photos no longer display.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/cast-metal-drill-bit-stands-235788/

Here are two photos I've attached that came from Google image search.

- Richard

jdavi581 · Sep 3, 2014

There is a thread here on drill holders or stands were a PM member took nice pics of it. It was yellow, will have to do some looking to find the thread.
Joe

David Bodkin · Sep 3, 2014

Very cool pics! Thanks for posting them. If I'm ever out that way I'll have to be sure to stop by.

SouthBendModel34 · Sep 4, 2014

Ruston3w wrote:

"Should we be worried that we find 2 days worth of interesting features 2 discuss on 1 small drill rack?"

No, we should not be concerned that we find that massively overbuilt drill rack to be an object of curiosity. There's some sort of commentary on the human condition embodied in that rack. Besides, this is a LARGE drill rack.

Take a look at the type cut from WLPier. Note that there's a counterweight cast into the bottom of at least one arm. Think about that; the designers took the weight of the various drills into account in their design, even though they gave the unit a massive spindle with ball and thrust bearings.

Now, think again about WLPier's comment about a three part mold and a two-part pattern......sheesh, all that for a drill index?

This has got to be some sort of promotional item for trade fairs and/or dealer displays. It's too luxurious for just holding drills in a machine shop, unless maybe it was produced at a time when a Morse Taper twist drill was "worth its weight in gold".

It may have something to teach us; the main "X" might be two castings pinned together. (Remember, we still haven't figured out the round feature that's inside the left corner in Post #4, Photo 1.)

To produce it today: 3-D printing of a sacrificial core for an investment casting ?

John Ruth

esbutler · Sep 4, 2014

I know we're focusing in on some of the smaller items (not to diminish the machine tools) but I like what looks to be a neat little air powered pump. Is that what it really is? Would it be a general purpose transfer pump or was it likely to have a specific purpose? Can any one make out the maker's name?

Joe in NH · Sep 4, 2014

I saw that too. I believe it is a Marsh Simplex Steam pump. Commonly used on various steam tractors and also quite a bit in stationary pumping service.

Covered in some detail at Harry's Steam Site Marsh Simplex Steam Pump Troubles. - Page 2 - SmokStak

Joe in NH

jdavi581 · Sep 4, 2014

I saved the photos from the old thread, i will post to that thread when I get home.
Joe

wlpier · Sep 5, 2014

SouthBendModel34 said:
Ruston3w wrote:

"Should we be worried that we find 2 days worth of interesting features 2 discuss on 1 small drill rack?"

No, we should not be concerned that we find that massively overbuilt drill rack to be an object of curiosity. There's some sort of commentary on the human condition embodied in that rack. Besides, this is a LARGE drill rack.

Take a look at the type cut from WLPier. Note that there's a counterweight cast into the bottom of at least one arm. Think about that; the designers took the weight of the various drills into account in their design, even though they gave the unit a massive spindle with ball and thrust bearings.

Now, think again about WLPier's comment about a three part mold and a two-part pattern......sheesh, all that for a drill index?

This has got to be some sort of promotional item for trade fairs and/or dealer displays. It's too luxurious for just holding drills in a machine shop, unless maybe it was produced at a time when a Morse Taper twist drill was "worth its weight in gold".

It may have something to teach us; the main "X" might be two castings pinned together. (Remember, we still haven't figured out the round feature that's inside the left corner in Post #4, Photo 1.)

To produce it today: 3-D printing of a sacrificial core for an investment casting ?

John Ruth

John, LOL... I think you over-engineering this Drill Stand.

First, The type cut above, appears in the 1915 Morse Catalog.... I just looked at my 1938 Morse Catalog and it's still available. That a bit long for a promotional item, and it did have a practical use.... what the Hell to do with all those Morse Taper drill you have. Mine are sitting in bins now and it's a real PITA finding the exact size I'm looking for. And for sure it's built well... there must me 25-30 lbs of drills there..

Second, the counterweight? I think you're looking at the difference in taper length between the MT 1's in front and the MT 3's behind, about an inch difference.

Third, not sure about your round feature, you mean the boss that was drilled out for the pivot pin?

Fourth, I think I'm up to a 4 part pattern now......LOL!

SouthBendModel34 · Sep 5, 2014

Look near the ninth MT 1 hole in Post #4, first picture

Looking at the first picture in Post #4, count nine MT 1 holes toward the center on either of the left-side arms. Next to that ninth hole, which is the one at the junction of the left-side arms, there is a small round feature on the top of the arms, opposite the round spindle on which the arm casting turns.

This is between the ends of the brass label strips.

What IS that round feature? The top of a taper pin? (Note that this is not the spindle upon which the arms rotate.)

Now, that said, this is not the ultimate Morse taper drill rack, except maybe for MT1 through MT3.

Here's the ultimate MT rack:

(This was from a prior PM thread - no, I don't know where to buy one !

John Ruth

wlpier · Sep 5, 2014

Interesting... I see what you mean... at first it looks like the tail end of a lathe dog that might be behind, but if you study the cuts it's there too... maybe the remnant of a casting gate or vent?

Whoa!! the darn thing even has it's own lightening arrestor!! Have to do some thinking on that one. Takes care of the MT 4's too... even fit drill chucks, boring heads and a Watt's drill or two.... Almost as big as my Royersford tho'. But it's on wheels...

Thanks John!

Line Shaft Shop Photos

Plastic

Cast Iron

Aluminum

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Aluminum

Diamond

Aluminum

Attachments

Cast Iron

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Diamond

Aluminum

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Diamond

Aluminum

Similar threads