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Moore treasures

JHOLLAND1

Titanium
Joined
Oct 8, 2005
Location
western washington state
two days ago the Gardner-Stussi Tool & Die
firm in NW Portland OR held a liquidation auction

precision instruments were abundant and beautifully cared for

all Moore items were pristine and usually in original containers

I think it is a safe assumption that one toolmaker-David Stussi-
who was present and most helpful --treated each metrology element with care usually reserved for high art--

the instrument that took my attention was an incomplete No 4 Moore frame--with an inconvenient Z axis crank top mounted

David pointed out lead screw accuracy on this machine was so good you could read from the dials--but he did use laser metrology if called for

my interest centered upon the riser blocks--ultra precise-
supporting the bridge--- David noted multiple teardowns and re-configuration of the No 4 for a variety of tasks

and he hand scrapped reassembly components as necessary to bring machine back to millionths for a bespoke task

a few pics
 

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I almost went to that auction, but I figured it would have been out of my price range. There was some nice stuff, beyond my capabilities
 
Greg

as the auction moved to major machines--I left to pick up a spindle motor on north side of the Columbia River

took home digital images and the experience of visiting a shrine to precision
little likelihood that one man shops such as this will be seen again

good call on the sensitive drill--I have no personal experience with Sigourney but recall pm member rivett608 comments about 10 years ago :)
 

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Thank you for the photos, John. I also considered attending the auction, solely as a spectator rather than a potential buyer.
 
JHolland, I surely brushed shoulders with you, yet I had no idea who you were. I wish I'd known enough to shake your hand.

I attended this auction because David Stussi ran the sort of shop I want to run. An acquaintance in southern California who has done business with David over the years said that his machines were in top-notch condition and that he did work of extraordinary quality with them.

It's a sign of the times that there was so little interest in these machines at the auction. Production CNC shops have no use for these manual Moore tools, yet I was surprised by the the attitude of smaller shops that focus on custom tools and fixtures. The operations CNC does fast still require the slower steps of programming and setup. I have CNC in my shop, yet so frequently do I need to bore just a few holes, accurately, into a one-off part that manual tools still have a complementary role to play.

I expected to buy at least a few machines at this auction. To my surprise, I ended up with the high bid on every Moore (or Moore-based tool, like the Sigourney sensitive drill press and the T-base lathe) except for the older #3 jig grinder. Prior to visiting David's shop on the day before, I wasn't aware of the Moore #4 ruling engine frame that JHolland showed above. It wasn't even listed in the auction catalog. It was a work of mechanical art with the most beautiful roller-bearing ways imaginable. It's a remarkably versatile frame with potential to face many unusual tasks. This 6000-pound gantry frame sold for $250 + 10% buyer's premium, for a total of $275. It borders on insanity that something of that quality could sell for so little. The total cost of the #3 UMM, #3 jig grinder, #3 jig borer, #3 T-base lathe, #4 ruling engine frame and #1-base sensitive drill press was slightly less than $14k including the buyer's premium. I don't know the original prices of any of these tools, but adjusting for inflation, I'd be surprised if the total were even 3% of the original cost.

I have no illusions about where technology is taking us, and it's apparent that the role manual machines play will continue to diminish. Still, beauty matters. To work among aesthetically pleasing, functional tools of the highest caliber sets a higher standard for one's own work. While these tools sold for little, it feels like a great privilege to add them to my arsenal.
 
I bought the Moore scraped master from David and a 3x8x48 Ceramic straight edge. His machines were beautiful, I wish I could have owned one. Being 16 I bet he was surprised to see me, and that I know how to hand scrape.
 
JHolland, I surely brushed shoulders with you, yet I had no idea who you were. I wish I'd known enough to shake your hand.

I attended this auction because David Stussi ran the sort of shop I want to run. An acquaintance in southern California who has done business with David over the years said that his machines were in top-notch condition and that he did work of extraordinary quality with them.

It's a sign of the times that there was so little interest in these machines at the auction. Production CNC shops have no use for these manual Moore tools, yet I was surprised by the the attitude of smaller shops that focus on custom tools and fixtures. The operations CNC does fast still require the slower steps of programming and setup. I have CNC in my shop, yet so frequently do I need to bore just a few holes, accurately, into a one-off part that manual tools still have a complementary role to play.

I expected to buy at least a few machines at this auction. To my surprise, I ended up with the high bid on every Moore (or Moore-based tool, like the Sigourney sensitive drill press and the T-base lathe) except for the older #3 jig grinder. Prior to visiting David's shop on the day before, I wasn't aware of the Moore #4 ruling engine frame that JHolland showed above. It wasn't even listed in the auction catalog. It was a work of mechanical art with the most beautiful roller-bearing ways imaginable. It's a remarkably versatile frame with potential to face many unusual tasks. This 6000-pound gantry frame sold for $250 + 10% buyer's premium, for a total of $275. It borders on insanity that something of that quality could sell for so little. The total cost of the #3 UMM, #3 jig grinder, #3 jig borer, #3 T-base lathe, #4 ruling engine frame and #1-base sensitive drill press was slightly less than $14k including the buyer's premium. I don't know the original prices of any of these tools, but adjusting for inflation, I'd be surprised if the total were even 3% of the original cost.

I have no illusions about where technology is taking us, and it's apparent that the role manual machines play will continue to diminish. Still, beauty matters. To work among aesthetically pleasing, functional tools of the highest caliber sets a higher standard for one's own work. While these tools sold for little, it feels like a great privilege to add them to my arsenal.

I know nothing about these machines other than Moore was/is the best you could get in it's day so I could not tell the difference between a #3 and a fire hydrant. Are you telling me these machines or one of them sold for $275.00 ! Yes they are of little to no use in a job shop like mine and many, but they must have a home someplace and be worth way more than that kind of money...I can't imagine this or I'm reading this wrong and not understanding what you purchased.

Make Chips Boys !

Ron
 
I bought the Moore scraped master from David and a 3x8x48 Ceramic straight edge. His machines were beautiful, I wish I could have owned one. Being 16 I bet he was surprised to see me, and that I know how to hand scrape.

I wanted that ceramic scraping master, but when it headed toward $1000, I was out. If you didn't know this, David actually did the finishing work for Coorstek to bring those ceramic edges, squares, rounds, etc. into tolerance. Look up their price list and see what a deal you got.

I'd bet you were the 2nd youngest person at the auction. I flew to Portland with my son so we could have the fun of a short trip together and he could see how an auction works. For him, though, I suspect the auction won't be the most memorable part of the trip. Probably this scene from an hour before the auction started will:

WP_20151029_002[1].jpg

That's what happened when he ordered a pancake, two scrambled eggs and a side of bacon at the John Street Cafe just up the hill a few blocks from Stussi's shop.
 
I got the straight edge before the auction. I really wanted to attend the auction but, I had school.
 
greetings Straightedge

thank you for your informative posts
in 35 years of attending liquidations in WA and OR
the Stussi shop is in a category of its own

production facilities often have metrology departments
characterised by many hands manipulating precision standards
something akin to commercial motor vehicles where multiple drivers "slide seats" and no one is responsible for maintenance
-consequently precision reference items often get beaten up and stay that way with multiple users

not in the David Stussi atelier---

it is especially reassuring that your son experienced the Stussi facility

senior artisans speak of --Le Feu Sacré-- the sacred fire so important to continuation of noble trades and skill passage

the spark transmitted from hands on a precision tool may ignite lifelong passion and commitment only evident years later :)

jh
 
JHolland, you're getting to the heart of matters. I could make a good living without ever touching a piece of metrology equipment or a machine tool, but the satisfaction that comes from continuing to hone my skills, engineering and fabricating tools, is much greater than the sum of the parts.

As an aside, I asked David Stussi how he achieved flatness of 0.000020" on 3-foot ceramic straight-edges he made for a national lab when even AA-grade surface plates have tolerances that are multiples of that figure. The answer? By hand, using reversal techniques. It's simply incredible what can be done using the most basic methods by a passionate and experienced practitioner.

Before heading to the airport on Friday morning, we dropped by the shop to take a few pictures. David picked my son up and stood him on the table of the ruling engine. I didn't follow in my father's footsteps professionally, nor do I expect my son to follow mine. On the other hand, if my son were to have his fire lit by fine craftsmanship, who knows, maybe he'd remember this as one of the first sparks:

ruling engine small.jpg
 








 
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