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3 members (doublenut, 67galaxie, 1 invisible),
701
guests, and
5
robots. |
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Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
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Forums10
Topics39,492
Posts562,046
Members14,585
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Most Online9,918
Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 19
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 19 |
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.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,329 Likes: 109
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,329 Likes: 109 |
Using this: Clearing jig bore machine that had obviously been a flat belt driven machine. It is perfectly clear why all the security...they didn't want anyone to know of how old the equipment was that they were forcing you to use.  just kidding. The story is most interesting on the serious side, thanks for sharing.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 678 Likes: 15
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 678 Likes: 15 |
My first job out of college in '74 (1974, not 1874) was in an old chain making factory in York, Pa. The chain making machinery in the "Upper Mill" was all powered by overhead lineshafts. Enough to make a long-tailed squirrel nervous, quite the cacophony of noise. I did indeed get my tie caught in the driveshaft of a machine one day and the quick actions of the operator was all that saved me. Those operators all carried flat bars to flip the flat belts off of the pulleys and thank God were really good at it!
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 907
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 907 |
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
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881 |
I had a PM (private Message) today from a new member,
"Sir,Michael do you have any pictures of the rifle Col. Whelen carried from 1913 to 1917? Was Griffin making stocks that early?"
A good question and hard to answer, Townsend Whelen had many rifles. He had two main custom 1903 Springfields one by Wundhammer and one by Adolph.
S.R. Griffin was making stocks that early but they are hard to find.
Pictures on the way.
MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881 |
His Fred Adolph became his favorite rifle which he carried in Panama and on many hunts. It's now in the NRA Museum. Whelen's Adolph
MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3 |
Hy Michael, could it be the Adolf rifle he is useing in the picture of him hunting in South America?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881 |
Hy Michael, could it be the Adolf rifle he is using in the picture of him hunting in South America? Yes, the same rifle at the NRA.
MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,881 |
His other 1903 at that time was one made by Ludwig Wundhammer of Los Angeles. He used this rifle from 1911-1919 at which time he gave it to his friend Stanley Clark. It's in the MP Museum. 
MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3 |
Thanks Michael, i got the pictures at the NRA i needed.
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