# The Machines



## Underground Bicycle Shop (Nov 5, 2015)

Who knows, has pictures or has seen pre war Bicycle MFG equipment! Any torches, jigs, tools, molds? Photos of people making bicycles. Has to be Pre War. I want t see a lot of everything. Its nice to see the hard work put into all of our Beautiful rides and its even better when we get to appreciate The craftsmanship put into them!


----------



## kccomet (Nov 5, 2015)

i dont have any pics, but i would like to see some also. thats one thing i appreciate about a lot of the early racing bikes, they were not mass produced in factories but built one at a time by master craftsmen or in little mom and pop shops. new york was a hotbed for racers with quite a few famous builders turning out low production bikes


----------



## filmonger (Nov 5, 2015)

Umm - Interesting idea.

These are from the Singer plant in 1897...

Singer Assembly Room






Singer Turning Dept.





Singer Machine Shop





[video=youtube_share;zXSHpj74Ksk]https://youtu.be/zXSHpj74Ksk[/video]


----------



## OldSkipTooth (Nov 5, 2015)

All those huge belts to run the machinery...there use to be factories that had belts going through floors to machinery above and below.


----------



## filmonger (Nov 5, 2015)

[video=youtube_share;ZPLRF5F5SZY]https://youtu.be/ZPLRF5F5SZY[/video]

Columbia Factory 1881













Hercules Cycles factory wheel dept - not sure of date





Small Dutch bicycle factory - 1920


----------



## Harvest Cyclery (Nov 5, 2015)

I like this thread


----------



## filmonger (Nov 5, 2015)

Cool Lathe Salesmans car

















Another


----------



## bricycle (Nov 5, 2015)

Must have heavy Duty springs!!!


----------



## bentwoody66 (Nov 7, 2015)

Huffman frame welder


----------



## delgan (Nov 8, 2015)

I see that you noticed the same thing--was wondering just how big a motor or hit and miss was running the line shaft


----------



## bikewhorder (Nov 8, 2015)

This is pretty fascinating, its been posted here before. 
[video=youtube;FaxRQh03BOw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaxRQh03BOw[/video]


----------



## bikewhorder (Nov 8, 2015)

And this one. 
[video=youtube;ZPLRF5F5SZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPLRF5F5SZY[/video]


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2015)

Ummm - we all seem to be posting the same stuff. Here are a few more Mobile sales of lathe tools used in the machine shop.


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2015)

Here are some random ones....


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2015)

A few more...


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2015)

Some more tools used at Massey Harris


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2015)

Bicycle Tires 1907


----------



## filmonger (Dec 7, 2015)




----------



## MrColumbia (Dec 7, 2015)

From 1967


----------



## filmonger (Dec 7, 2015)

Ladies working on Garford Saddles





http://elyriapride.elyria.com/timemachine/transport.html


----------



## rocketman (Dec 7, 2015)

What great images, I love the outdoor cycle repair shop. Boy to go back in time and root thru there barn shop, and just imagine all the historic merchandise in land fill's. Nice pictures and video's guys. I enjoyed.................


----------



## filmonger (Dec 11, 2015)

Pierce 1916


----------



## filmonger (Dec 22, 2015)

Yale 1909


----------



## Jeff54 (Dec 22, 2015)

filmonger said:


> Cool Lathe Salesmans car
> 
> 
> 
> ...




41 Chevy Business coupe. They came factory with an salesman's  trunk rolling tray.


----------



## filmonger (Dec 31, 2015)

1894 from Wheel talk





This picture is from one of our own Chitown - he said Op's grandfather worked at Featherstone factory. It is faded but you can still see the factory. Very cool picture!





1893 rim drill - from the Referee


----------



## filmonger (Jan 7, 2016)

Some interesting pictures of basic machinery......from a rather big bicycle collection - I just cannot remember the name.


----------



## spoker (Jan 7, 2016)

http://www.usscootermuseum.com/safticycle_032.jpg they made bicycles before and during scooter production


----------



## filmonger (Jan 13, 2016)

Goodyear Rubber - 60's













Chicks hard at work - Coventry TOC


----------



## filmonger (Feb 13, 2016)




----------



## bikesnbuses (Feb 13, 2016)

I want to take a minute to thank Filmonger for all of the fantastic photos and info (as usual) Always great to see this stuff!!


----------



## filmonger (Feb 17, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Feb 19, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Feb 28, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Mar 2, 2016)

1900


----------



## filmonger (Mar 4, 2016)

View attachment 291873 

 

 View attachment 291876 View attachment 291877


----------



## filmonger (Mar 4, 2016)




----------



## willswares1220 (Mar 4, 2016)

What an enjoyment, viewing these old photo's.......... Thank You !!


----------



## filmonger (Mar 5, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Mar 15, 2016)

Chitown did the fantastic research on this..... here is the link. Excelsior photos's

http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/excelsior-bicycles.37232/page-2


----------



## juanitasmith13 (Mar 15, 2016)

Jeff54 said:


> 41 Chevy Business coupe. They came factory with an salesman's  trunk rolling tray.



NOT a Chevrolet.... Plymouth or Dodge; could even Chrysler as trim and style were same for all three except name/model trim [not shown here].


----------



## bricycle (Mar 15, 2016)

filmonger said:


> 1900
> 
> View attachment 291216




no ADA toilet facilities?


----------



## filmonger (Apr 1, 2016)

Miami Cycle factory 1897....Just converted to full electricity


----------



## Underground Bicycle Shop (Apr 1, 2016)

That's the neatest thing!


----------



## filmonger (Apr 3, 2016)




----------



## Underground Bicycle Shop (Apr 3, 2016)

By Far The best post I think. That is down to make and model. Wish someone still had some of these machines!


----------



## 2jakes (Apr 10, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Apr 14, 2016)

1898 - The Wheel


----------



## filmonger (Apr 14, 2016)

1898 - The Wheel


----------



## filmonger (Apr 29, 2016)

Not sure if this applies to Bicycle tires ( as they spell it here in Europe "Tyres" ) - certainly applied to Motorcycle tires in the 30's. Cool to see the process anyway.


----------



## filmonger (Apr 29, 2016)

1920's version


----------



## filmonger (Oct 15, 2016)

New Zealand
Holden & Kirks engineering shop C1910-20


----------



## filmonger (Oct 16, 2016)




----------



## Mark Mattei (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi, here are pictures of the Scwhinn factory from the 1890's that are on the Cycle Smithy site.
http://cyclesmithy.com/pages/schwinn-photographs


 
And some prewar.
http://cyclesmithy.com/pages/schwinn-pre-war-photographs



And wartime.           
http://cyclesmithy.com/pages/schwinn-goes-to-war-photographs



If you dig around there is more old junk there. Thanks, Mark.


----------



## Mark Mattei (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi again, didn't mean to upload the 1st picture a second time, but if you touch or click on any of the first 3 pictures it should open to more pics. Mark.


----------



## filmonger (Oct 17, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Oct 26, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Oct 28, 2016)

Cycling Age & Trade Review 1899


----------



## filmonger (Nov 8, 2016)

1897 bearings


----------



## filmonger (Nov 8, 2016)

1897 bearings


----------



## filmonger (Nov 8, 2016)

Bearings 1897


----------



## Andrew Gorman (Nov 8, 2016)

When you were running a LOT of identical parts, a screw machine was the the thing to use.  Here is a short video:




And a longer one that tells a lot more about how these clanking monsters worked:


----------



## filmonger (Nov 9, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Nov 14, 2016)

Racycle 1906


----------



## filmonger (Nov 17, 2016)

1909.... Chain Dept Whitney


----------



## filmonger (Nov 20, 2016)

Schwinn


----------



## filmonger (Nov 21, 2016)

1898


----------



## filmonger (Nov 21, 2016)

1898


----------



## filmonger (Nov 21, 2016)

I thought this was interesting as this is used today....1898


----------



## filmonger (Dec 16, 2016)




----------



## filmonger (Feb 16, 2017)

1897

Brown saddles



 









View attachment 423549


----------



## filmonger (Feb 16, 2017)




----------



## filmonger (Feb 16, 2017)




----------



## filmonger (Feb 16, 2017)

1897


----------



## filmonger (Feb 17, 2017)




----------



## Andrew Gorman (Mar 12, 2017)

Here is a video from 1940- "Torpedo- the queen of the freewheel hubs" showing how these coaster hubs were made from bar stock to finished product in their factory in Schweinfurt.  Lots of machinery and also a lot of hand work that is mechanized now.  They even made their own bearing cages in house!  It's all in German, but has stirring music.  13 minutes of whirring and clicking industry,  Some nazis show up in the last minute, and the 50,000,000 Torpedo hub is shown going into a box to be presented to mr. Schickelgruber.  I'm sure he cherished it.  Not really. And, what the heck are they doing?  It's 1940,  there's a War on, and they are cranking out bike parts? Dang Illinois nazis... A bunch of dilettantes.  No wonder they lost big time.


----------



## filmonger (Apr 7, 2017)




----------



## bulldog1935 (Apr 7, 2017)

turning out Raleigh BB spindles


----------



## filmonger (Apr 7, 2017)




----------



## mongeese (Apr 7, 2017)

Is that Spectreman on the factory floor?


----------



## bulldog1935 (Apr 7, 2017)

if you don't mind an off-topic post, my favorite photo from Hardy Brothers, Alnwick, c. 1910, bench-making fly reels.



These hard-working artisans left their initials for posterity - it was a means to keep up with their workpieces through the many finishing steps


 


It's ironic these gentlemen never got to use this stuff - they were making leisure-time wares literally for a different class of people.


 By appointment to HM King George V, and HRH Prince of Wales

ps, I have a 1937 Hardy Hardex spinning reel (terrible design) with a curious mandate crest - _by appointment to HRH the Late King George V_. 
It was politics, no one wanted to be associated with George VI after Edward's abdication.  Fact is, if Edward had remained king, he would have sided with the Nazis, which he did in exile.


----------



## filmonger (Apr 10, 2017)

This is Harley Related - not sure if any bicycle bits were produced here....


----------



## filmonger (Apr 10, 2017)

Printing of " The Wheel " Sept 1899


----------



## filmonger (May 12, 2017)

1892


----------



## filmonger (May 17, 2017)




----------



## Miyata FL. (Sep 25, 2017)

1896 Bicycle repairing. A manual compiled from Articles in The Iron Age by S. D. V. Burr.  Covers pretty much everything from equipment in the shop to nickel plating.  https://archive.org/stream/bicyclerepairing00burr#page/n7/mode/2up


----------



## filmonger (Nov 4, 2017)




----------



## filmonger (Nov 12, 2017)

Iver Johnson - from 1917 Cat....


----------



## filmonger (Nov 30, 2017)

Bearings - 1898.....


----------



## filmonger (Nov 30, 2017)




----------



## filmonger (Dec 30, 2017)

Schwinn Machine shop.....





More Schwinn Factory photos.


----------



## filmonger (Feb 1, 2018)

Lucania bicycles were made at the South King Street building by John O'Neill's workers, pictured above. They were built at a small engineering premises in the 1890s and were thought to be of superior quality, though their production in Dublin was not vast in numbers. In 1913 a bicycle would have cost about £12.


----------



## bike (Feb 1, 2018)

Repost of a dead link
Westfield 50s I think


----------



## filmonger (Feb 1, 2018)

Western Wheel Works 1894 from Bearings of that same year...


----------



## filmonger (Feb 8, 2018)

Excelsior / Henderson Machine Room...


----------



## filmonger (Feb 8, 2018)

Stearns Brazing Dept 1894 - from Bearings....


----------



## filmonger (Feb 15, 2018)

1899...


----------



## Miyata FL. (Sep 11, 2020)




----------

