Machines at Henry Ford Museum

[Janger]

I'm in Toledo Ohio to hopefully see the eclipse. While here I have toured the National Air Force Museum (in nearby Dayton Ohio), it is astonishing, they have every plane. 1 million square feet. 10/10.

Also I went to the Henry Ford Museum today. They have cars, but also, presidential cars, locomotives, Ford airplanes, steam engines, Edison electrical generation dynamos, and .... machine tools. I saw a lot of perfectly preserved early examples. Here are a few photos.

Edison 200Kw steam powered DC generator.

This is an Ingersoll milling machine. Three vertical heads and it could mill the flats on 16 engine blocks at once. You can see the engine block in one picture and all the jigs to hold the blocks on the huge table.

 

[Janger]

Here is their perfectly preserved 1850 era drill press, lathe, gear hobber, shaper.

If you can ever visit this museum it is really worth the trip.

 

[RobinHood]

Places like that are beyond cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try and pop over there this year with my Dad when I go down to visit. One of the places I've (we've) always wanted to go see.

 

[mickeyf]

That milling machine looks like the cutters use inserts. Do they mention what the vintage is, and what the cutters were made of?

 

[Janger]

The sign above says 1912! 112 years ago. Those are were inserts on the face mills. I count 20. I assume HSS inserts? I don’t know though. When were carbide inserts in use? I imagine Ford would have been an early user. The spindles were driven by belts so how do you know what power level is available? Lots of questions - I want to go back and get a tour by a knowledgeable docent.

Article on carbide inserts: https://www.canadianmetalworking.co...tools/tool-talk-carbide-insert-evolution-pt-i

 

[Susquatch]

I have a few old face mills that used HSS "inserts". Some are fixed non-adjustable (close to indexed I guess), and some are adjustable. I'll try and take a photo when I get to the shop. Raining today.

 

[140mower]

Raining today

Lucky bugger...... They keep promising us some, but it keeps drying up before it gets here....