This 1953 film directed by Matt Farrell for the National Tool and Die Manufacturers Association looks at the importance of tool and die manufacturing for the functioning of American Industry at large. It begins with the contributions that American Industry has made to everyday life and how tools and die were used to manufacture these goods. This is followed by an overview of the apprentice system and some of the skills that toolmakers need to learn such as operation of machinery, meticulous measurement, and reading blueprints. This is followed by footage of the creation and operation of some tools and the development of cutting edge die for the accurate manufacturing of plastics.
0:17 “National Tools and Die Manufacturers Association”, 0:27 “Tool and Die Making – Keystone of Mass Production!”, 0:44 a message about the importance of manufacturing for society, 1:36 shots of modern industrial facilities and machines, 2:20 a machine making razor blades, 3:00 different appliances like fridges, stoves, and televisions, 3:36 tool and die shops including the J.A.K. Tool Co., 3:56 a man cleaning a mold for a fan blade followed by the mold in operation, 4:39 woman placing the fan blade on a fan, 5:17 a machine creating sealed beam headlight parts, 5:45 a press forming steel car body tops, 6:33 a machine creating zippers, 6:51 men operating a hot forge, 7:28 engineers working on a McDonnell F2H Banshee fighter jet, 8:02 and a Pershing tank, the K1 picket submarine surfacing, 8:17 men loading and firing anti-aircraft gun, 8:52 men building television sets, 9:21 a man at home turning on his television to a boxing match, 9:44 a toolmaker and his apprentice looking over a plan, 10:08 the apprentice working with a machine, 11:11 men working in a tool and die shop, 11:28 apprentice being instructed and then operating a drill press, shaper, a milling machine, and grinders, 12:07 apprentice heat treating metal, 12:17 apprentice learning how to read a blueprint and do math, 12:33 apprentice working independently on a tool, 13:15 the apprentice receiving his degree, 13:58 toolmakers in a shop using fixtures, 14:26 a fixture to check the accuracy of ball bearings, 14:38 a man operating a drill jig, 14:50 a man measuring with complicated equipment and overview of his gauge blocks, 16:15 man drilling holes into steel, 16:36 a man operating a printing machine that recreates molds, 17.05 a forming press in operation, 17:25 the of the press in operation, 17:46 plastic being molded, 18:09 a toolmaker preparing a die, 18:55 a boss looking over a blueprint with his employee, 19:27 finished die being prepared for shipping, 19:40 Annual Journal of the National Tool and Die Manufacturers Association, 20:06 toolmakers working in their shops on different projects, 21:34 Editor Joseph Faro, Director Matt Farrell, 21:44 Farrell and Gage Films Inc. 1953
On that note, I need tool and die makers for my shop outside of Chicago.
ReplyDeleteGreat video. Ahhh, the time spent cleaning coolant tanks on grinders and cutting stock as an apprenti. After being a toolmaker/Machine Builder for nearly 40 years, I am still amazed that the average household can function without a Bridgeport and lathe in the garage; Everything breaks so easily these days. Having to mention that building machinery is closer to chess than checkers and 'theory sucks' always got a laugh out of my apprentices, though rarely directed at them! Building commercial and government 'spaceships' had it's own set of horrors I'm glad is in the rear-view mirror of my life.....
ReplyDeletePls check on your friend BC. Things were going to shit for him, and he's awful quiet.
ReplyDeleteold f==ks like me will take a lot of that to the grave....I did transition to CAD/CAM which is 95% of this trade now, but you still have to know your materials and methods. China owns the game now sadly, as they are such cheap fu--s they produce garbage that breaks in no time. I don't know about other people, but I am totally fed up with their crap. In the film you see what we used to do, which were called durable goods. I had refrigerators that ran for 40 years. Try to get anything like that now...all junk...even the plastic is full of talc and cornstarch fillers and falls apart in a few years....I have dealt with this constantly....cheap China polymers....shit..I could go on and on...my heart don't need the aggravation.....when you see CE on a product...that means Chinese Excrement
ReplyDeleteWow! I watched a lot of movies in middle school until graduation that sounded like they all used that same narrator! Great video, Ken! Often thought about doing some small-scale stuff at home here after I get my shop built. Thanks for giving us a look at some cool history!
ReplyDeleteThat was my dad. Mom let me run into the shop every Friday to get his paycheck from him. I'd stand off from his bench until he could look up from what he was doing. He'd give me his check and a kiss.
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