WW I ordnance fabrication

this video is 15 minutes--much of which is depressing images of
the senseless carnage of WW I

however --the segment from 2:00 to 4:00 is of considerable interest
german archival with german commentary

Erster Weltkrieg: Der moderne Krieg, Teil 1 - YouTube


jh

Thank you for posting this.

Interesting to see the arrangements to machine multiple pieces on what I think is a VTL......

JRR

SouthBendModel34 said:

Thank you for posting this.

Interesting to see the arrangements to machine multiple pieces on what I think is a VTL......

JRR

Click to expand...

The film makes that particular machine appear to be running backwards. Regards Tyrone.

Also at about 10 mins, hand powered drill press.
Frank

JHolland1 ,
Thanks for posting the link.
You have posted several interesting links lately .
I found the video interesting since there was a section about the chlorine and other gas weapons that were used .
My grandfather served in the British army during WW1 and survived after being exposed to the gas.
I don’t remember seeing how the gas was deployed before .
Since he died before I was born in his early 60 s I can’t help but wonder if it wasn’t a contributing factor in his relatively early death.
Because Canada was part of the old British empire it was involved in WW1 from the start and there are several articles about the arms manufacturing that went on here to supply the war effort in the old issues of Canadian Machinery on archive.org.
In this one you can see that it wasn’t only the Germans who faced off multiple parts on a V.B.M. that John Ruth pointed out from the video.
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Particularly in the early years of the war they adapted many old standard machine tools to do production work
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Later on specialized machines were developed and sold that did the work more efficiently .
Here are some links to some that I noticed.
Warden King band turning machine
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Hepburn Lathe
Canadian machinery and metalworking
A.J. Lavoie’s Air chuck
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Plessisville Foundry
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Making the British 6 inch Mark XI High Explosive Shell
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Jenckes Band Turning Lathe
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Large Shell Production
Canadian machinery and metalworking
Canadian machinery and metalworking
In the later years when America became involved in the war there were related articles in American Machinist and Machinery magazines as well .
Here are links to some that I had saved some time ago .
I somehow doubt that we would see detailed articles like about the production of weapons in todays publications where anyone could read them even those on the opposite side.
United States 3” Common Shell
American Machinist
3 to 6 inch Cartridge Cases
American Machinist
Manufacture of 4.7” Gun
American Machinist
I may have posted some of these links before in other threads some time ago ,so sorry if they are duplicates.
Regards,
Jim

greetings Jim Christie

I am working thru the references you listed and came upon a gem--construction of
bank vault doors
since the 1940's major vendors such as Mosler and Diebold have provided
minimal information regarding vault and door production. I have thus far not found
any video footage of vault fabrication

but in one 1915 edition of Canadian Machinery details of vault construction are provided
referencing the Dominion Bank just completed

and it is eye opening to read that a major component of the 30 ton doors is---concrete

other interesting bits are likely to be found in your reference list--many thanks

jh

My paltry contribution to this thread and not world war one but two. Frigidaire production of .50 bmg machine guns for fighter planes and aircraft propellers. The reorganisation of the factory from civilian production to war work is often (always ?) overlooked or glossed over , but this video shows it was a mammoth task in itself.

Frigidaire - Military Production during WW2 - YouTube

J.H.,
Here is another WW1 link I found about machinery for ordnance manufacturing from 1916
Machine Tool Building in a General Manufacturing Plant.
Canadian machinery and metalworking

There are a few books about vault building on archive.org but I didn’t see much detail about the doors

The rivet-grip system of bank vault reinforcement : handbook on the design and construction of modern bank vaults. : Rivet-Grip Steel Co. : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Protection from Fire and Thieves: Including the Construction of Locks, Safes ... : George Hayter Chubb : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Internet Archive Search: Safes

Ronan,
Thanks for posting the video link.
It is remarkable the way that they transformed various places to manufacture the good needed for the war effort .
While it was necessary at the time ,it is too bad that effort couldn’t have been put into making something other than war supplies.

There are a number of threads on this forum about WW2 manufacturing that you might find through the site search as I recall many more than from WW1
I think I have posted links to picture from this site in several of them.
Canadian War Industry WW2
ARCHIVED - Highlights - Canadian War Industry During the Second World War - Exhibitions - Library and Archives Canada
ARCHIVED - Highlights - Canadian War Industry During the Second World War - Exhibitions - Library and Archives Canada

Regards,
Jim

As a Barnes Drill owner, I was interested to see a special (?) machine tool made by Barnes Drill in the Frigidaire film, posted by Ronan in post #7.

It can be briefly seen at 6:28, form drilling tapers in propellor shanks. Interesting to see the "inverted' set-up.

Seeing as you like the video I posted here are a couple more of my favourites. The first one is soundless but shows plenty of hands on work removing machinery and replacing it with equipment for wartime production.

HD Stock Footage WWII Converting U.S. Factories for War Time Production - YouTube

The second video is German and concentrates on the production of panzer tanks during the war, it shows some good close ups of gear production and a massive boring machine that the hull of the tank sat on for the holes to be bored for the suspension and torsion bars. It also shows apprentice training.

german tank manufacturing - YouTube

I know this is nothing to do with world war one , but film of military equipment production is obviously rare from the great war. If the op or mods want to move this and my other threads please do.

Found this video on YouTube , its ww1 production of the browning auto rifle or bar , where was this factory situated ? plenty of multi spindle drills and routers, shapers and horizontal mills.

Armaments Manufacture R2/3 220740-03 - YouTube

Also on the same YouTube channel , manufacture of what look like naval cannons, again ww1 dated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaxZbVvc8Oo&feature=share&list=PL6MaTTTzQGCe85I_5FmVxbyWfxWMR43ON

Ronan ,
Thanks for posting more interesting videos .
Here are some more links I saved sometime ago to a series of articles in American Machinist about the manufacture of the Lewis Machine Gun from 1918
American Machinist

American Machinist

American Machinist

American Machinist

American Machinist

American Machinist

American Machinist

Regards,
Jim

I thought I would add this link to a video on WW1 Production
The True Origins Of The WW1 War Machine | War Factories | Timeline - YouTube
here even though it is an older thread some of those that posted here may find it interesting .
There are a fair number of interesting looking videos on this channel.
I have only looked a 3 of them so far.
Timeline - World History Documentaries - YouTube
Some look like they could be added to other threads on this forum related to WW2 manufacturing.
If someone finds one that would fit in a thread they know of perhaps they could add the link there or start a new one.
Jim