Thread: My "new" drill press

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Yes Bob thanks for the link.

The transitional technology of steam to internal combustion to electricity from 1900 to the beginning of the Second World War has always fascinated me. I guess because there was a lot of the stuff in the area where I grew up and my parents and their friends grew up during the era that it was in use (you know the “I remember when” stories).

In my mind the technology was far more advanced than we often give our Grandparents/Great Grandparents credit for. The stuff we occasionally see on display were not just isolated pieces of machinery but were being mass produced and shipped/used all over the country.

Bob you had mentioned a line shaft, I found this short video of one working (with a Hit and Miss) you might like.

YouTube - ‪Hank's engine running a lineshaft!!‬‏

Personally what I would love to lay my hands on to power my old stuff would be a Delco Light Plant and accessories. We had the remnants of one on the farm and my understanding is that almost all the rural farms in the area where I grew up had them from the late teens up until the rural power grids (110V) were established in the 1930s.

Basically they were a gas powered 32V DC generator that charged a bank of batteries. Once the battery level dropped the generator would automatically start (the generator end doubled as the starter), and run until the batteries were recharged.

YouTube - ‪Starting the Delco 752‬‏

Back home most of the power plants were set up in the basement and exhausted to the outside. Planning and Zoning would have a ball with that today, a running gasoline powered engine with extra gas cans in the basement recharging lead acid batteries, there was also a 5 Gal clear glass jug that held extra sulfuric acid used to keep the battery level topped off LOL.

There was quite an array of items available for the system, light bulbs and motors of course and also fans, radios, and even refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. Of course all of that became obsolete when the 110V power became available. Unfortunately very very few of the systems or accessories survived the WWII scrap drives.