The old bit forge comes to life

[tamrock]

A little while back I posted some images of this old mine shop that everyone walked away from the time WWII broke out I was told. The fella that took me to this time capsule got curious over this old Ingersoll Rand pneumatic bit forge, so he brought a portable air compressor in and found the old machine came to life when put to air. This kinda machine was made to hammer cross bits back on worn out steels before the age of tungsten carbide and was a full time job keeping a mine in operation with fresh drill steels. The first attempt didn't make a perfect bit head, but the old machine still worked.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/hard-rock-mining/612652-old-mine-maintenance-department.html

 

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[BlasterJ]

A little while back I posted some images of this old mine shop that everyone walked away from the time WWII broke out I was told. The fella that took me to this time capsule got curious over this old Ingersoll Rand pneumatic bit forge, so he brought a portable air compressor in and found the old machine came to life when put to air. This kinda machine was made to hammer cross bits back on worn out steels before the age of tungsten carbide and was a full time job keeping a mine in operation with fresh drill steels. The first attempt didn't make a perfect bit head, but the old machine still worked.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/hard-rock-mining/612652-old-mine-maintenance-department.html

That's awesome! I've always wanted to see one of those in action.

 

[tamrock]

I've got an old book titled Practical Tunneling written in the 1940s and describes a bit on the proper layout of a drill steel black smith shop. I was a territory manager at Brunner & Lay from 1994 to around 2001 and they still make the all steel cross bits in H and D thread. They're a cheap way to drill a few short holes in soft rock.

 

[cyzak]

Looking at machines like this one gives you respect for them old timers amazing what they accomplished back in the day.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Let machinery built today sit like that and it will never run again. Gotta love old iron.

 

[tamrock]

Let machinery built today sit like that and it will never run again. Gotta love old iron.

Yeah it meant something to build things to last at one time.