David_M
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2014
- Location
- Midway, GA, USA
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Why Did the Industrial Revolution Start in Britain?
- Thread starter David_M
- Start date
- Replies 40
- Views 6,842
David_M
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2014
- Location
- Midway, GA, USA
DMF_TomB
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2008
- Location
- Rochester, NY, USA
many reasons but pumping water out on mines requires pipe threads and or gasket seals and when they realized the vacuum
power of condensing steam, tight tolerances of machined components and better threads, gaskets, sealing methods it
all came together.
.
creating taps and dies for threading obviously easier with a lathe that could make different thread pitches and
without precision gears easily available thats not easy.
.
interchangeable threads, gasketing materials and methods that could hold up to steam, better gear production methods in
addition obviously to foundry and metallurgy technology which required chemistry and physics understanding.
.
industrial competition and Patent laws offering protection of sharing technology. many factors are under appreciated.
obviously in the old days many old timers had trade secrets. scientific and trade societies or groups sharing info
obviously with Patent protection you were more inclined to share info, write it down in books, others far away could
buy books and learn from others as people often didnt travel much before. book printing technology with lithographic
engraved pictures under appreciated in value explaining things
.
it was much more than a lathe the French already had lathes with slide rests that were screw driven.
metal casting was more advanced in Asia at the time. Patent protection even if a Royal charter from the king had a
big effect on sharing info that was printed and shared with others. in the past prisoners of war were brought to
other countries to teach and train. books and universities are often faster for learning in peace time.
.
apprentices learned from far away but usually didnt go to foreign countries speaking a different language.
many trades people couldnt read or write more than 200 years ago. If you been to foreign library with
thousands of books in other languages you cannot read you would understand the power or difficulty learning
not being able to read and write. try going to Scotland or Wales or many areas United Kingdom. its literally
so different a accent, language, etc you could understand London English but totally not understand the local
language. totally under appreciated by many, i met a drunk Australian in a bar once lucky I understood 1/2
he was saying even if it was the English language
.
also language and writing changes over time. try reading English from before 1600, if you time traveled to
year 1000 good chance you wouldnt understand spoken English and certainly couldnt read or write it. book
printing with dictionaries slowed language changing as fast. If you go to Asia say, China you could easily be
there many years and maybe speak a few words but definitely not read and write the language so even if
you could see many books they be hard to learn from without being able to read. under appreciated learning a
2nd language and being able to read and write it. some traveling traders did it (2nd language) but they
wouldnt understand technical terms of trades people.
power of condensing steam, tight tolerances of machined components and better threads, gaskets, sealing methods it
all came together.
.
creating taps and dies for threading obviously easier with a lathe that could make different thread pitches and
without precision gears easily available thats not easy.
.
interchangeable threads, gasketing materials and methods that could hold up to steam, better gear production methods in
addition obviously to foundry and metallurgy technology which required chemistry and physics understanding.
.
industrial competition and Patent laws offering protection of sharing technology. many factors are under appreciated.
obviously in the old days many old timers had trade secrets. scientific and trade societies or groups sharing info
obviously with Patent protection you were more inclined to share info, write it down in books, others far away could
buy books and learn from others as people often didnt travel much before. book printing technology with lithographic
engraved pictures under appreciated in value explaining things
.
it was much more than a lathe the French already had lathes with slide rests that were screw driven.
metal casting was more advanced in Asia at the time. Patent protection even if a Royal charter from the king had a
big effect on sharing info that was printed and shared with others. in the past prisoners of war were brought to
other countries to teach and train. books and universities are often faster for learning in peace time.
.
apprentices learned from far away but usually didnt go to foreign countries speaking a different language.
many trades people couldnt read or write more than 200 years ago. If you been to foreign library with
thousands of books in other languages you cannot read you would understand the power or difficulty learning
not being able to read and write. try going to Scotland or Wales or many areas United Kingdom. its literally
so different a accent, language, etc you could understand London English but totally not understand the local
language. totally under appreciated by many, i met a drunk Australian in a bar once lucky I understood 1/2
he was saying even if it was the English language
.
also language and writing changes over time. try reading English from before 1600, if you time traveled to
year 1000 good chance you wouldnt understand spoken English and certainly couldnt read or write it. book
printing with dictionaries slowed language changing as fast. If you go to Asia say, China you could easily be
there many years and maybe speak a few words but definitely not read and write the language so even if
you could see many books they be hard to learn from without being able to read. under appreciated learning a
2nd language and being able to read and write it. some traveling traders did it (2nd language) but they
wouldnt understand technical terms of trades people.
DMF_TomB
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2008
- Location
- Rochester, NY, USA
industrial revolution another factor is larger cites with many stores carrying industrial supplies already made .
supply chain I guess they call it now, for example
.
1) being able to go to a store for metal of varying sizes already made helps compared to buying a 3x3" piece 2 foot long
and having it forged and or rolled to size by somebody else. by the way 3x3by24" piece of steel 500 years ago was
expensive more like $5000. or $10,000. in todays money. a farmer making $100. a year usually couldnt afford steel
for most things
.
2) store with premade nuts and bolts to standard sizes, buying rolls of gasket material, even writing paper
and pencils, pens and ink, buying lubricating oils and grease, buying precision measuring tools already made.
buying taps and dies and saws and files already made in a store
really thats stuff common in a hardware store or bookstore is not found on a farm. buying high temperature clay,
bricks and mortar and cement. buying tons of charcoal, coal, coke in sizes like pea or chestnut etc,
cloth already made, clothing already made. being able to buy lumber already cut to size, etc
.....vastly unappreciated is the supply chain in the growth of the industrial revolution and the cost of buying
supplies that average person could afford
.
3) since most without eyeglasses couldnt even read a 1/8" ruler or read a drawing it really advanced things
being able to afford reading glasses that cost less than $1000. in todays money. think about it eyeglasses are
needed by most to read books and drawings and many go functionally blind by 30 or 40 years old without glasses.
being able to go to city and buy reading glasses reasonably price was a hugh technical advancement. obviously
on a farm being able to make reading glasses is mostly impossible. and if you only made $1./day on a farm buying
glasses even if at a store might be unaffordable to most
.
4) modern cities often near ocean shipping ports or trading areas on land but like near a river or canal might be
1000 times easier to have the industrial revolution than a area with just farms for hundreds of miles all around
.
easier trade for rare items, local stores with easier to get supplies vastly unappreciated. industrial revolution
books or tv show rarely mention importance of things like reading glasses, being able to read and write, being
able to get access to a book (for learning technical things) other than access to the bible in a persons lifetime.
public libraries is modern, 500 years ago only rich people had one or more books. even if you saw a book in church
written in a foreign language (latin) most couldnt speak understand read or write latin, vastly unappreciated
reading literacy and book availability in a person's native language and or being able to talk, read write a 2nd
language was rare like 99% couldnt do it
.... vastly unappreciated unless you been in a area that doesnt have those things around, supply chain they call it
now. and reading literacy
supply chain I guess they call it now, for example
.
1) being able to go to a store for metal of varying sizes already made helps compared to buying a 3x3" piece 2 foot long
and having it forged and or rolled to size by somebody else. by the way 3x3by24" piece of steel 500 years ago was
expensive more like $5000. or $10,000. in todays money. a farmer making $100. a year usually couldnt afford steel
for most things
.
2) store with premade nuts and bolts to standard sizes, buying rolls of gasket material, even writing paper
and pencils, pens and ink, buying lubricating oils and grease, buying precision measuring tools already made.
buying taps and dies and saws and files already made in a store
really thats stuff common in a hardware store or bookstore is not found on a farm. buying high temperature clay,
bricks and mortar and cement. buying tons of charcoal, coal, coke in sizes like pea or chestnut etc,
cloth already made, clothing already made. being able to buy lumber already cut to size, etc
.....vastly unappreciated is the supply chain in the growth of the industrial revolution and the cost of buying
supplies that average person could afford
.
3) since most without eyeglasses couldnt even read a 1/8" ruler or read a drawing it really advanced things
being able to afford reading glasses that cost less than $1000. in todays money. think about it eyeglasses are
needed by most to read books and drawings and many go functionally blind by 30 or 40 years old without glasses.
being able to go to city and buy reading glasses reasonably price was a hugh technical advancement. obviously
on a farm being able to make reading glasses is mostly impossible. and if you only made $1./day on a farm buying
glasses even if at a store might be unaffordable to most
.
4) modern cities often near ocean shipping ports or trading areas on land but like near a river or canal might be
1000 times easier to have the industrial revolution than a area with just farms for hundreds of miles all around
.
easier trade for rare items, local stores with easier to get supplies vastly unappreciated. industrial revolution
books or tv show rarely mention importance of things like reading glasses, being able to read and write, being
able to get access to a book (for learning technical things) other than access to the bible in a persons lifetime.
public libraries is modern, 500 years ago only rich people had one or more books. even if you saw a book in church
written in a foreign language (latin) most couldnt speak understand read or write latin, vastly unappreciated
reading literacy and book availability in a person's native language and or being able to talk, read write a 2nd
language was rare like 99% couldnt do it
.... vastly unappreciated unless you been in a area that doesnt have those things around, supply chain they call it
now. and reading literacy
sealark37
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2010
- Location
- Davidson NC USA
Coal-Steam-Industrial Organization
I have read this wonderful book that tries to answer that very question The Most Powerful Idea in the World: A Story of Steam, Industry, and Invention - William Rosen - Google Books.
Spoiler according to the author it really comes down to patent law. I've read it twice, a bit dry in spots, but a very good read.
Spoiler according to the author it really comes down to patent law. I've read it twice, a bit dry in spots, but a very good read.
standardparts
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2019
The "industrial revolution" certainly facilitated rapid advances in many areas. Interchangeable parts was an inevitable result.
Good book on the topic is:
"Hounshell, David A. 1984. From the American System to Mass Production -- 1800-1932. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press."
It's actually a pretty good read. The author does an analysis of Colt firearms, Singer sewing machine, Ford, and others. Here's link to a summary:
Hounshell - From American System to Mass Production
Good book on the topic is:
"Hounshell, David A. 1984. From the American System to Mass Production -- 1800-1932. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press."
It's actually a pretty good read. The author does an analysis of Colt firearms, Singer sewing machine, Ford, and others. Here's link to a summary:
Hounshell - From American System to Mass Production
mrSanders62
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2022
Why ?
Brits are Smart & Lazy.....spend more time figuring out how to get out of work....
laziness is the engine of progress
Tyrone Shoelaces
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Location
- Manchester, England
Old saying over here - “ If you want to know the best way to do a job, ask a lazy man “.
Regards Tyrone.
Regards Tyrone.
mrSanders62
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2022
"It turned out that only 2.6% of the ants worked all the time, i.e., they behaved as ants should. 70% worked only half the time, and then began to imitate activity. And 25% did nothing at all, just wandered around aimlessly."
research by scientists at Arizona State University
research by scientists at Arizona State University
Georgineer
Stainless
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2008
- Location
- Portsmouth, England
Why ?
Brits are Smart & Lazy.....spend more time figuring out how to get out of work....
I resemble that remark. Except possibly the bit about being lazy.
George
72bwhite
Titanium
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2012
- Location
- California, Ventura county
Because that where the Scotsmen were
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
There wernt any lazy people in UK in 1750....males were pressed to army , navy or workhouse....females were put to work as bonded servants (slaves),or the workhouse......then of course there was also the poorhouse.....or debtors prison if you owed any money.....Anyone born rich was sent out to India or the Caribbean to increase the family fortune ...and likely to die of tropical disease within a few years.....Laziness is a disease closely allied to the welfare state....and politicians buying votes.
If you screw it up bad enough the powers to be will have someone else do it.
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
I have read that the reason Swedish steel was highly regarded was a particular mix of alloying elements in good ratios between the local iron ore and coal. As chemistry and metallurgy advanced worldwide mthey studied the old ratios and duplicated it by adding a few percent of special stuff to the local ores they had.
Same reason bronze came about. tin and copper are often found together in copper ores. while trying to get pure copper from the mixed ores they got stuck with bronze instead. Then they found out bronze was better in many ways then pure copper.
Gold miners in Nevada had a hard time since the gold was often mixed in with nasty black gummy sands which had to be moved out of the way to get to the gold.
Then some guy wondered what the black junk was and paid to have it tested. it was almost pure silver oxide. Miners quickly went to get the silver out of the waste piles and made fortunes that still exist today.
Bill D
Same reason bronze came about. tin and copper are often found together in copper ores. while trying to get pure copper from the mixed ores they got stuck with bronze instead. Then they found out bronze was better in many ways then pure copper.
Gold miners in Nevada had a hard time since the gold was often mixed in with nasty black gummy sands which had to be moved out of the way to get to the gold.
Then some guy wondered what the black junk was and paid to have it tested. it was almost pure silver oxide. Miners quickly went to get the silver out of the waste piles and made fortunes that still exist today.
Bill D
Why ?
Brits are Smart & Lazy.....spend more time figuring out how to get out of work....
Bit of the old green eye Digger?
Lazy breeds innovation, plain & simple.
"I don't to be tied to a Brown & Sharp lathe 2nd opping screwdriver slots, so I'll
work hard designing a slotter attachment to make the machine doo it all" kind of lazy.
Why ?
Brits are Smart & Lazy.....spend more time figuring out how to get out of work....
Take heart Mr.Doug. A mate of mine said the Brits have the brains and the Yanks have the money.
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