OldTools Archive
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275053 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2022‑01‑07 | How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
There are some scenes with a bit of wood, but this post is about (back-breaking) hand tool stone work (no wood-working). Some interesting stone cutting tools are shown (the ‘wolf’ I had never heard of before). This B&W video (in German, but with auto-generated English subtitles available) shows the cutting of giant mill stones and grindstones at a quarry, as well as loading and transporting the heavy stones by horse drawn carriage. The stone diameter was limited to just over 3 meters because of the limitation of railway passes and tunnels. It shows the cutting of the stones, all done by hand, as well as some of the daily blacksmithing required to maintain the hand tools, and I found it interesting. Health and safety was obviously never a priority over getting the job done in those days. The video is here: https://youtu.be/HtNLEYQnFRs Happy New Year everyone and Cheers from Waterloo Ontario Claudio |
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275055 | scritch <capeflattery@c...> | 2022‑01‑07 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Saw that video a while back. Excellent. The series has other traditional crafts as done in Germany, almost all work being done by old duffers. I guess they must have combed the woods finding recently-retired workers who were willing to cut those logs, split those shingles, carved out those grinding stones, make those shoes, just one more time, for posterity. |
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275056 | John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> | 2022‑01‑07 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Claudio, How does one enable the auto-generated English subtitles? The only choice that gets presented to me is German subtitles. My high-school German isn't sufficient! Happy New Year John Ruth |
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275058 | scottg <scottg@s...> | 2022‑01‑07 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
I absolutely loved it!! And it blew my mind. Holding my breath over so many things that could have gone so horribly wrong and somehow didn't. I just watched it silent. Did I miss much? Did they explain those miraculous jacks? Holy Mackerel they had a lot of weight on a cantilevered piece of wood. yours scott -- ******************************* Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s... http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/ http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html |
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275059 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2022‑01‑07 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Hi Brother John It will depend on your OS/browser/device/ad blockers, etc, but there should be a small gear icon on the lower part of the screen… you have to select the default subtitle (which in this case would be in German) and then click it again to reveal “other languages” beneath it, and a dozens of choices appear in alphabetical order. Scroll down to your choice. Obviously at this crude auto translate level, some of the translation will be way off (especially with German with all its super-specific words), but it’s enough to get the idea of what the narrator is saying. Hope this helps Claudio |
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275062 | Frank Filippone <bmwred735i@g...> | 2022‑01‑08 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
My paternal Grandfather was a stone mason. He plied his trade in Sicily before coming to the US pre-1900. He died just before I was born, but I have stories from my father.... He told me that Grandpa made millstones in Sicily. This would have been in the 1870-1890's. He was a big man, strong. His brother, who outlived him had GIANT hands. It was said he could lift a piece of granite for curbstones by himself. His brother, my grandfather, was stronger! Only now do I understand how he most likely made millstones..... and understand to some degree the hard life it was. Thank you for sharing..... Frank Filippone BMWRed735i@G... |
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275063 | Steve Keltz <stevekeltz@g...> | 2022‑01‑08 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Yeah so they wore no protective clothing or helmuts and were in a position to hammer each other inadvertently, but I learned by watching them to let the weight of the tools do the work. Raise the pick and drop the pick, but no need to put one's back into it. gravity does the hardest work. at least that's what i saw. |
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275065 | Paul Honore <lawnguy44@g...> | 2022‑01‑08 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Here's a interesting article about the Collins Company of Collinsville CT https://www.farmcollector.com/equipment/tools/history-collins-axe-works- zmlz18junzhur/ which probably was the biggest maker of edge tools in CT at one time. I believe the pikes for John Brown's raid on the Harpers Ferry arsenal even came from Collinsville . The factory buildings are mostly still there but are slowly falling apart https://encyclopediavirginia.org/1153hpr-0dce86d79cd1d13/ Paul H. |
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275068 | Chuck Taylor | 2022‑01‑10 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
Claudio sent us a link about cutting millstones from a quarry before machines. A provincial park near Nanaimo, BC, Canada includes the remnants of a quarry used for extracting millstones and even sandstone columns. Steam-powered machines were used, but I still found it interesting to explore the quarry in person. Using your favorite search engine, do a search for "images Newcastle Island quarry" if you are interested. The millstones from this quarry were mostly used in pulp mills and transported by water. More photos can be found here: http://toadhollowphoto.com/2013/04/26/sandstone-quarry-a-quarrys- story/#.Ydx7cGDMLb0 Chuck Taylor north of Seattle USA |
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275105 | james rich <jameslrich3@g...> | 2022‑01‑18 | Re: How did they make and move giant grindstones and mill stones before machines? |
The jack they used was like my trusted High Lift or Sheepherders jack . I really liked their Binder to tie that big stone to the trailer . It looked to me that when the guy hitting the wedges at the beginning for breaking vertically he was using a 20 lb sledge (let the hammer do the work) . A 20 pound sledge is a good way to get into shape , or break your self ! Awesome video . Stone cutting hasnt really changed since Christ was a Corporal till recently . With a Star drill, Feathers and wedges you can have a lot of fun . On Fri, Jan 7, 2022 at 4:03 AM Claudio DeLorenzi |
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