That pic of Niedner's shop in the snow shows power lines. The car closest to the building looks like a 42-43 Chevy.
I grew up in a machine shop. Those ties were relegated to only the foreman by the time I came along. But, jeeze, gettin your tie wrapped up in a machine was a real threat.
When I was a young boy, living on Yokota A.B. in Japan (ca. 1965--68), my father had a local gunsmith rework two rifles, a 1903 A1 Springfield and a 1917 Enfield. I recall visiting the shop. It had oiled dirt floors that were black and hard. The shop had all overhead pulleys and flat belts like the one pictured. The shop had been the 'smiths father's shop and was next to the river. There was a large electric motor outside in a box, where the waterwheel had been. I clearly recall a charcoal fire in between the buildings and a bellows being used by the apprentice to heat what I think was a shotgun rib he was rough forging prior to machining.
In the 80's, I worked in a little 10-12 man nuc R&D machineshop underground, in a huge building with no windows and all kinds of secret security stuff. We had a Clearing jig bore machine that had obviously been a flat belt driven machine. We used it mostly for a big drillpress, but for some real jigbore work occasionally, when the new P&W was occupied.
Chuck I spent6 years. two tours at Tachi back then.And was in many gun shops. And like you I never seen anything except a dirt floor.Smile Whitey
