A trip to the American precision museum Windsor VT.

Mace

Mace

Joined
Apr 8, 2003
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Hey all,
I know this is off topic, but thought you all might like a quick look at this fine museum in beautiful Windsor VT.(the birthplace of VT.)
This first piece is a mill...it was in the hallway with a nice display of rifles. I didnt take any shots of those...camera battery was acting funny and I wanted pics of the machines, but nice display with old Winchesters and a couple examples of the makers who built the original building.
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24' lathe built in that building...they made them to order...any size you wanted!
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Bridgeport #1....yes....I said #1 funny...looks a lot like mine!
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A display of miniature machines...
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You could hit a button and make some of them run...
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Early milling machine...
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I think it said it was a boring machine....I dont think it's boring at all! I want it in my living room!
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The power that ran the machines...
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A turret lathe made in the factory...
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A riffling machine...
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A hand crank shaper?
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Rifle stock making machine...the tool follows a pattern and carves a new stock....Wicked cool!
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Made in USA!!!!
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This section was set up to run...however they don't anymore to preserve the machines. These are some of the original used at the factory.
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Inleting for the lock.
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The gold leaf is a nice touch! Who says we have to have ugly tools.
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All run on line shaft.
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Like I said ...they don't run this section of old machines anymore....however they do have a section in the center of the museum where a gentleman will run some more "modern" machines. Watched him use a turret lathe, two different gear cutters, and a punch press. They were also running an interesting Civil war exhibit. If your ever in the area it's a nice visit.
Hope you liked the short tour.
Mace
 
Just awesome Mace! Old tools are absolutely my favorite.

Those miniatures are incredible!
 
I have been there. My dad and parents are from Windsor and we took a tour in the factory in 2001 and it really is an amazing place. There is a huge electrical device near one of the walls that has Tomas Edison's name on it that was really neat. The miniature showcase was very intriguing to watch work. Thanks for sharing
 
Thanks.
I loved taking day trips to the quaint and interesting places in New England as a boy ,when spending summers at my Grandparents farm in NH.
 
That is awesome. As a machinist that stuff really makes me think how easy we have it now.
The big red machine you call a boring machine is actually for cutting splines and keyways. The ram or head moves vertical on a cam, the work table indexes 360.
Thanks for sharing those are great pics.
 
Wonderful thank you for sharing this I want to go there one of these days. There is a antique machinery museum in Lancaster P.A I will be going there soon and bring back pics to share also. I also should post pics of my 1914 Dalton metal lathe its a great sturdy piece of iron.
 
That is so cool! I love old tools too. I have wanted a hit and miss engine for so long I can taste it!
 
Thanks for the comments guys! It's nice to know the effort of posting was appreciated.
Sam, Your right...it was a planner.
Mace
 
Have you got any more photos of the rifiling machine and the placcard for it?

and the stock duplicater ?

You just don't see those anywhere.
 
Incredible stuff. I love those old tools as much for their design as for their ability to get the work done while looking so wonderful.
 
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