Seeking historical information or pictures

[Norm Dresner]

I build railroad-themed dioramas and the current project is a 3'x4' HO-scale (1:87) scene of a Maine seaport. Several of the buildings will be small "factories" -- like a "Dory Manufacturer" -- and I'm trying to get some information on the prototype power tools and working conditions of the woodworking industry in the late 1930's or early 1940's (ignoring the ugly historical fact of WWII because it just complicates things too much). Anyway, if anyone has firsthand knowledge of the type of machinery used, references to books with pictures (or even better, websites), I'd be very appreciative. Working conditions are also of interest as it relates to depicting people at work.

TIA Norm

[RicodJour]

Hey Norm. That sounds like a fun project. I've never seen a really detailed interior on a railroad model. I thought that they were really just concerned with the exteriors of the buildings. Is what you do atypical or is it that I just don't get out enough? ;)

R

[Bill Waller]

Norm, Follow the link to

There are internal links on this page to machines used by the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania. Although the equipment shown is probably not specifically related to boat building shops in Maine, you will get an idea of what how a belt driven facility is laid out and what old machinery looks like.

This shop complex is still in existence, albeit not working. It was closed down in 1956 and has only recently seen serious renovation efforts.

__________________ Anything preying on my mind would starve to death.

--Unknown __________________ Bill Waller New Eagle, PA

[e-mail]

[Larry Blanchard]

As a long time modeller, I'd say that most don't pay a lot of attention to the interiors. But there's a sizable subset that do. So much so that there are manufacturers of scale industrial tools. Sawmills, machinists shops, mills, smelters, etc.. Even some lathes and stationary steam engines. I remember one discussion on the best way to represent the jackshafts and belts of an early factory.

[Smaug Ichorfang]

"Norm Dresner" wrote in news:hSFcg.90325$ [e-mail]:

I have a very slow and painful way for you to get very exact information on what you're looking for: patent searches. The web site

allows free patent searches, downloadable as pdf files. The search feature at the govt. patent office only goes back to

1976. Go to pat2pfd, pick an arbitrary number and pull up that patent. You can tell by the date on the patent how close you are to the time period you want. Once you're within range, do a sequential search.

[Norm Dresner]

Since I firmly believe that watching a model train run around in a circle is the second most boring thing a man can do, I don't have a layout -- which is where most "Model Railroaders" spend their time and effort. On layouts the main emphasis is on operation and building interiors are generally far enough away so as to not be seen by anyone except the birds. But fortunately Model Railroading is two hobbies, "Railroading" and "Modeling" so I engage in the second by building dioramas. In these, the buildings are rarely more than a foot away from the edge and the interiors are quite visible for those buildings with large enough or numerous enough windows or doors. Norm

[Norm Dresner]

| >TIA | Norm, | Follow the link to

There are internal links | on this page to machines used by the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania. | Although the equipment shown is probably not specifically related to boat | building shops in Maine, you will get an idea of what how a belt driven | facility is laid out and what old machinery looks like. | | This shop complex is still in existence, albeit not working. It was closed down | in 1956 and has only recently seen serious renovation efforts. |

From what little I do know, belt-driven machinery is more typical of the

1900-1920 era and by the end of the '30s we were getting machines with local electric motors. I suppose that some of the shops would still have the old equipment and this is a fabulous resource. Thanks much for the link Norm

[Norm Dresner]

Fabulous resource. Thanks much for the link and the explanation. Norm

[Mark Jerde]

I'm scared to ask, but what's the most boring?

-- Mark

[keith_nuttle]

[Norm Dresner]

Fishing!

Norm