Time travel and tool archeology part I

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I just spent 10 days at my parents in law place, a little town 600Km away from where I live with a population of about 150 inhabitants.

Like every year I took a wood project to make there but I needed a jointer/thicknesser to prepare the lumber ( i'll post the project later).

A 75 year old man who's father was a coach maker and himself as well for a while and then shifted to some sort of carpenter with the arrival of cars was kind enough to let me work in his former shop and use his machinery that he hadn't used but ocasionally for about 15-20 years.

Getting in that shop was like opening a door to other times and needs, I saddened me to see tools so neglected and abused but the whole experience was somewhat indescriptible, with mixed feelings that I'm still trying to describe, see by yourself...

The door on the right is the entrance to the shop.
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Inside, among other things there was this combined machine. Table saw, jointer and mortiser, it must be something like 100 years old because it was bought by his father.
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Both jointer tables could be adjusted in height. The blades were nicked and rusty.
The power was provided by an electric motor through a pulley system that had been adapted from a former leader belt ceiling pulley shaft.
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I do not know how someone managed to make those humongous nicks on the throat of the tables.
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Here you can see the drill chuck of the mortiser.

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And this is the label of the machine manufacturer now dissapeared.
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Comments are welcome, more pics tomorrow
 
Toni,

I, too, have mixed feelings from the pictures. I always enjoy seeing some of the really old and solid machinery. It is sad, though, seeing what was once so nice, now in somewhat disrepair. I guess I'd rather see tools that have obviously been used extensively, like these, rather than time alone being the only cause of damage. Thanks for sharing the photos and story. Look forward to the future pictures.

Regards,
 
Wow Toni, that is the beginning (I hope) of a great story. I"m looking forward to seeing more of the shop and more of your story. Will we hear more of you project as well?


Thanks.
 
Toni,

Are you sure they're gone? There is still a "La Maquinaria Moderna" in Bilboa. Perhaps a name change or conglomeration?

In any case, that's some pretty cool stuff. Coach maker to woodworker, wow!

Thanks,

Bill
Hi Bill thanks for the link!. To be honest the idea of checking in the web didn't cross my mind, here is where it shows that I am a complete web newbbie!.

However, reading the description it says that the company has only one employee and that its social capital is around 55.000,-$ and its sales last year were 23.000,-$ aproximately. There are no other informations so I might give them a call and find out.
Maybe they just took the name of the old company, because it doesn't say what they sell or make.:dunno:
 
Rare history in there!

toni i bet you could set and talk with him for hours and never get bored... the stories that ar ein that mans memory would be something to hear. keep up the saga toni:thumb::thumb: thanks for the trip thus far.
 
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