Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Congress
 

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We found this incredible film from the Library of Congress (click here to watch it) in it a group of men
forge weld one area of a large ring. They use the heat from a fire and weld it the old fashioned blacksmith way, after multiple heats and much hand and steam hammering. Take a few minutes to watch this fascinating look back at how it was done well over 100 years ago. The ring is presumably a piece of a generator or motor.

The film was made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company during 1904 and filmed by
camera man, G.W. “Billy” Bitzer. The film above was shot on April 18, 1904, at the Westinghouse
Electric & Manufacturing Co. in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

WOW that is unbelieable how hard these guys worked back then and both films are so interesting. What is one of the guys throwing on the hot medel? THKS for posting that.

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

That is a good question, I think it may?? have been some form of a flux to protect the hot medal from the oxygen.

Maybe a Ford Barner with blacksmithing experience will know?

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

The flux is Borax

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

Not a PPE anywhere in site.
Makes my day sitting here in front of a computer seem kinda lame.

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

That's an amazing video.
Talk about "when men were men" ... these guys swinging them sledges were tough as nails. Hard to believe the shot where 4 guys are all swinging towards each other, talk about faith in your fellow worker!
Near the end that guy holding a piercing spike thingamajig looks like he took a direct hit on the leg...watch him jump...everybody just ignored him and carried on.

It makes one wonder if the Asians are working this hard building the next empire? ...just like these men in the film demonstrating the blood sweat & tears of building the old America that's slipping away as our pasty fat kids sit at computer games sipping sugar drinks and latte with their biggest life decision being weather they should be straight ...or otherwise.

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

Thanks T Head, it looked like only one guy was wearing gloves.

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

A little trivia - My Grandfather, Fred Hahn, worked at that Westinghouse plant in the early 1900's.

Re: Don't Miss This Very Interesting 1904 Forge Welding Film from The Library of Cong
 

That is awesome ! Thanks for sharing.

My maternal grandfather, Herbert Shifflett, worked as a Blacksmith for the B&O RR, at the Mt. Clare works, in downtown Baltimore from 1926 to 1969 (when they closed the facility).

He worked between two big forges, making leaf-springs for locomotives.

The Mt. Clare shops were torn-down as part of Baltimore's re-development efforts in the 1970's, so I never got to see them... this gives me some idea of the environment my Grandad worked in for 43 years.

Special Coupe Frank