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oldest machine shop

elmerhenry

Plastic
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Location
memphis
I am about to start a heritage project concerning a machine/foundry documenting photographing and videotaping it for archival purposes, this shop
dates to around 1865 and is still somewhat active
can anyone tell me what or where is the oldest
active shop in the US or say the top 4 or 5
oldest running shop are I think this might be
one and I need to know for my documentation.
 
This is not a true active machine shop but the Smithsonian does have a line shaft machine shop on display. They even operate the lineshafting on a regular basis.

Mike Powell
 
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, has the Wilkinson Mill. (ca.1810) I believe its been restored as a machine shop - Wilkinson built textile machines and a screw cutting machine. Unfortunately, I've never seen the inside as it is never open when I can get there. It is on the web though and you might be able to e-mail someone and get some better material.
I once tried to give them a very early Prentice bros. lathe. They wouldn't take it - said it was too new. I still have it and I'm glad they didnt' want it.
Joe Puleo
 
There is also the Precision Museum which is in the Robbins & Lawrence factory. Robbins & Lawrence were major pioneer machine builders - in addition to making rifles for the British Government it was their plant that so impressed Sir Joseph Whitworth that he bought thousands of pounds worth of American machinery to equip the new British Armory at Enfield Lock.
JV Puleo
 
clarification on oldest machine shop, what I am
looking for is the oldest still in operation
unchanged, same family, same location since
its beginning. the one I will be working with
has been in operation since around 1865 in the
same location same owners still doing a minimal
amount of actual work.
 
Here in California, we have the Knight Foundry at Sutter Creek. Established in 1873, I think it still operates as a foundry and machine shop, but it's really a tourist attraction. It is the oldest surviving water powered machine shop.
 
Man- I have only been working in the shop since 78 or so- thats 1978, not 1878. And I am already pretty creaky- I cant imagine working in the shop since 1865. I would be ready for a beer and a barcalounger, big time. :D
 
actually thats about what they do is sit around
in rocking chairs around a coal stove when
its cold and talk to those with enough interest
to listen to them. they are getting old and this
knowledge and the stories/machines that go with it will soon be lost.
though not operational the line shaft devices are still visible in the ceiling area.
This place covers a lot of space probably
half a city block and I dont think parts of it
have been accessed in years.
 
I restored one in New Braunfels, TX for the local historical society that was founded in 1890's and in full operation until the mid 1970's. The shop was shut down and partly auctioned off but the society obtained some of it and we got most of the equipment in working shape. I'll have to get some pics of the lathe but do remember it is an old German flat bed.
 
Somewhere up in Northern New England there has to be some ancient family shop that's still quasi "in business" if you throw a bunch of money at them. The Clark family of Lincoln, New Hampshire has deep roots in the area and have always been interested in historic preservation. Look up Clark's trading post and give them a holler. I'm not sure if either Ed or Murry Clark are still alive. I worked for Ed on the Cog railway back in the 1970s.
My favorite Ed Clark comment: "Now take and listen to what I'm telling you. Whatever you're looking for, whatever you want, somewhere there's a room full of them and nobody's found them yet."
I'm still looking for my room full of Rivett 608s!
Another guy to contact would be Charlie Kennison. He has worked for the Cog railway as its general manager for a number of years. Not sure if he's still there, but he's an informed person and had a career as a foundrey manager in northern New England before going back to run Mount Washington.
The cog railway itself has a machine shop that used to be driven by line shafting, but like so many places, it's been upgraded slowly to circa 1935 though they may have made it to the postwar era in recent years...
The East Broad Top Railway in Pennsylvania has a good old machine shop I believe, as does the Edison Historic site in New Jersey. Someone has already mentioned the Knight Foundrey. Haven't been out in years, but that may be the oldest most complete.
Conrad Milster used to collect knowledge of industrial sites around the New York city area. He may still be at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he presided over their engine house. No one else knew hidden New York better.
This is a great question.
I wonder if you couldn't contact some MSC reps around industrial areas and ask them the same question...although the type of place you're looking for would probably pride itself on keeping MSC orders down to an annual cost of something like$8.67
Has anyone taken the L.S. Starrett factory tour in recent years? Someone mentioned they have some older machines, and after all, it's still family run...
 
Taylor & Fenn, if I've got it correctly, in CT, has been is business since the 1830's. Casting is their business. Thomas Smith Co, of Worcester, Ma, in business in the 1850's. (stamping)
 
In the late 1980's I was at an auction, & struck up a conversation with an older gentleman. He had a shop in Wilmington, NC, that was there during the Civil War. He said they still had some cannonballs they made during the war. His name was Mr.Wilson, very interesting man to talk to. He invited me up to visit the shop, but like a fool, I never went. I did some research, recently, & found out that the shop has been moved, now the original site has Condos... I guess that is what we call "Progress" :(
 








 
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