Popular Mechanics Shop Notes?

[JimBuis]

We have many knowledgeable and experienced people on this forum. ;)  Okay, now that I have you all buttered up, has anyone ever read or perused Popular Mechanics Shop Notes (1905 to 1930)?  This is a book series that has been reprinted in recent years and I've been told they are very popular.  I'd appreciate your comments if you happen to know anything about them, so I don't waste my money.

Thanks,
Jim

[Deadwood]

Sorry I can't help you there young fellow as I have never read the shop notes that you speak of. I know Delta put out a similiar thing back in the 40's and 50's and I was fortunate enough to have a Grandfather that kept them all these years. The wealth of knowledge in those shop note magazines as you call them, is profound.

Looking at the pictures and illistrations they look crude, but they figured out ways to use a few tools instead of relying on a whole shop full of tools. I was impressed with one called "getting the most out of your drill press." Now where else but a 40's publication would you find information on drilling glass? That just scrathched the surface. There was four ways illistrated how to drill glass, not to mention everything from paper products to making mouldings with your drill press.

I was impressed and I bet you will not be disappointed with your "find" as well.

[leweee]

 Check this out: ;D


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=42563&cat=1,46096,46100


Lots of good  :P ing

Have the complete set...worth ever penny 8)

dated material... but then so am I. ;D

[CHARLIE]

I found 3 or 4 Popular Mechanic's GIANT Home Workshop Manual, which is a compilation of thier Shop Notes, tips and projects from their magazine.  It's probably much like the Shop Notes books.  I have one from 1944, 1945 and 1950 I think.  I enjoy reading them because most of the projects are using hand tools. It's also interesting to read articles written during WWII when metals and rubber were scarce.  For instance, there is a project to build a box spring using just wood......or a ceramic tiled bathtub, etc.  Anytime I go into an antique bookstore I'm on the lookout for other GIANT Home Workshop Manuals I don't have.

My opinion on the reprinted Shop Notes.  Personally, I think they would be worthwhile to own because I enjoy reading about how things were done during my parents and grand parents generation. I've also picked up some woodworking tips and projects. But mostly I just enjoy reading them.

Deadwood mentioned the Delta books.  I happen to have 4 Deltagrams, which are much the same as the Shop Notes.  For instance, one Deltagram book contains all thier tips and projects from 1959, another from 1960, and another from 1961 and so forth.  The 1959 Deltagram has a project on building a covered sandbox for children that I'm going to use. And one of the others has a project for a playhouse.  The directions and diagrams are not real detailed and assumes you have some skills as a woodworker and that you can read between the lines and figure things out.  Also, there are a lot of products and better adhesives available today that were not available when they were written.  So some of the projects can be modified to use things like fiberglass panels, deck screws, Titebond III or Polyurethane glues, etc.

I just enjoy reading those books over and over.......... I say, get the Shop Notes.....you'll enjoy reading them.

   

[Deadwood]

Thanks Charlie, I could not for the life of me remember what that name was. Deltagram.

I am like you as well, I love reading the old manuals and stuff. To me it's just neat, but as you said, you can use modern products that are much better suited to the task at hand.

My Grandfather was pretty clever in any case, and never threw out much. It has worked to my favor because when he gave me all of his old machinists books/ notes, I was a Tunnel Rat for the Maintenance of Way Division. In other words, I did not have much use for them. Now that I am a Railroad Machinist, just as he was, those books/ notes come in pretty handy!

[JimBuis]

Sorry I can't help you there young fellow .........I was impressed and I bet you will not be disappointed with your "find" as well.

Deadwood,  thank you.  I haven't thought of myself as being a "young man" for awhile being the grandfather of six beautiful grandkids. ;)

Check this out: ;D

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=42563&cat=1,46096,46100

Lots of good  :P ing  Have the complete set...worth ever penny 8)  dated material... but then so am I. ;D

Lewee, thanks for the weblink, but I am a long time customer of Lee Valley and that's where I was looking when I posted my question.

I just enjoy reading those books over and over.......... I say, get the Shop Notes.....you'll enjoy reading them.

Okay guys, you made me do it. ;D  They are on order.  My school is out on Spring  Break starting tomorrow, so when the books get here next week I'll have something to read. 8)

You guys may be older than me, I am not sure as you don't have your ages filled in on your profiles, but anymore I don't think of 50s or 60s as being old.  I have brothers and a sister who are that old or older and THEY aren't old, so you aren't either.

I love being a 49 year old grandfather.  It brings to mind my all time favorite quote.  "If I'd known grandkids were so much fun, I would have had them first!!"  I love my kids, but the grandkids are a blast.  Besides, when I am done spoiling them, I can give them back. :D :D

Thanks,
Jim

[Deadwood]

Jim I was just paying you back for you initial butter-up....

Quote: "Many knowledgable and intelligent people on this forum..."

The truth of the matter is, I call everyone "Young Fellow" or "Young Lady" no matter the age. Most of the time it's to the older people. It really makes them smile...and their day.

A few years ago I was in Metropolis Ill at an Arby's there. An elderly woman walked in so I said "I'll hold the door for you young lady." That was when she told me she was 92. Being the kind of silly guy I am, I said "Well you look a lot younger than that. In fact if I was not married, I'd take you out on a date." Now that made her smile and that's the point, make people laugh and smile.

Now in reference to old manuals, I have another book that I just love. It's on woodworking, but in doing a quick search for this post, I could not find it. Still it was written in the late 1800's and used terminolgy such as "the colonies", "deals of timber" and other old world terms. It was pretty neat, but some of the projects in the books were just as relevant today as they were then. Everything from hen house construction, to building a carpenters toolbox was covered.

[JimBuis]

I've got a book on boilers, steam engines, and other old steam stuff from 1890 or so.  It is pretty neat to read that old stuff and see the amount of engineering, good mechanics, and just plain good thinking that went into the old equipment and the old ways of doing things.  I have always appreciated such stuff.

My grandpa was born in 1886 and I practically grew up on his knee.  My Dad was born in 1918, so I heard a lot about how to do things in a practical way.  That upbringing along with growing up on the farm gave me that appreciation for the practical things in life.

I took over the school Wood Shop last June.  I had big ideas about all of the things I was going to change, improve, and add on.  I could not figure out for the life of me why the shop has been here for almost 50 years, but is so poorly organized and equipped.  Now I understand,  by the time I teach classes every day, I am so wrung out I hardly have any energy left to fix all of that stuff I was so smart to think of.  I am slowly doing that stuff, but only by working on the weekends and holidays.  I'll be working through Spring Break to try to do more of that stuff.

I can just imagine how it was to do this sort of stuff without power tools, no running water, having to walk across the yard to the outhouse, and walking uphill both ways through waist deep snow.  I am glad I live in 2006 instead of 1906 or 1806. ;D

Jim

[sawguy21]

My dad had a large collection of Popular Mechanics and Mechanix Illustrated dating back to the 40's in his shop. I spent hours reading them when I was a kid. There was some great stuff there. I think they got thrown out when mom sold the house :'(
I do have a copy of Farmers Shop Book by Louis Roehl originally printed in 1923. Mine is the nineteenth printing from 1951. There is a chapter on fitting handles to farm tools, another on harness making and repair. Those are almost lost skills. I'm looking at a page on setting hand saws.  Lots of woodworking projects too.

[Deadwood]

That comment about smart thinking back in the day made me think in turn. We have this old horse drawn cultivator. Anyway it lacks hydraulics to pick it up, but the old-timers figured out a mechanical system of gears, chains, camed lobes and springs to make the entire tine system pick up when you get to the end of a row. Just pull a rope and the entire gear train is set in motion. I have no idea when it was made, but a 100 years later the thing still works.

I'm not saying I want to go back to the old days, I am just saying how they worked with what they had was pretty ingenious at times.