In my recent visit to the working boat building museum built in 1793 I took photos of a few old tools.

#1 A drill press that was originally pedal operated. Now motorized.

#2  A hand operated drill press mounted to a structural column in the building.

#3 Bandsaw

#4 another drill press

#5 Pot belly stove, still in use

#6 One of several work benches

Loved the pictures, Al. Brings back so many memories of when I was young, all the boats were wooden. We have a wooden boat school here, and another at one of the Jr. colleges  and another farther North, I am so glad that art is not lost. There are waiting lists to get in.

 

Herb

Thanks for including us in the tour Al, enjoyed it!

Cal

Notice the use of all the wooden clamps in the building of the Dory. These are modern versions of one hanging on the wall in photo #4 which has the wooden threaded screws

thanks Al...

Great tour, Al. Thanks. The stove with the coffee warmer on top is neat. Wonder what it's real use is. 

I've seen a few of those hand operated post drills at online auctions. They go for good money.

 

 

 

Sorry Al, in all the hustle & bustle of life I missed this one somehow...THANK-YOU for providing the pictures and the story. Just think, this place started less than 20 years after the Revolutionary War and the forming of our nation. How cool is that?!

 

This is just amazing to see. The tools are really awesome and especially seeing they're still in use, but the real story to me was looking at the beams & posts and especially the floor. Oh what stories those wall could tell! Just think, None of the powered tools shown existed when this first started...then the evolution of either water powered or perhaps even steam through a power shaft and then eventually to electric power. Yet even today with the powered tools, the art and final assembly comes down to a tool in a true craftsman's hands.

 

Much appreciated and greatly enjoyed. Glad you went & even more so you took the time to share with us!

Thanks all. This is only a part of the museum. I didn't get to visit the lower level, where I'm sure there is much more to see. Next time I'll try to post more of the structural parts of the building and  its surrounding area. There must be photos available of the days when the tools were belt driven. I'll have to inquire about that.

'ight let me tell yall what was in my hometown when i wuz a litl'un, fairly tall building, no ceiling, exposed 2x? from one side to other side/wall of building.Mounted/hung from these 2x?? were a long metal axle/rod that had different size/diameter wide/6'' belt wheels/??? attached over it's chosen machine down on the CC floor. Each of the wheels/??? had a belt going down to it's particular machine. Member now only one axle/rod went from one end of building to the other, all these wheels were attached to this one rod/axle.

  One electric motor at one end equipped with a belt wheel & belt that went up to that ONE AXLE/ROD THAT HAD ALL THOSE DIFFERENT DIAMETER BELT WHEELS.

  When electric motor was started up ALL THOSE WHEELS ON THAT AXLE TURNED, BUT NONE OF THE MACHINES STARTED UP. Each machine had it's on belt TIGHTENER/TENSION-ER FOR THAT PARTICULAR MACHINE TO RUN/WORK.

 IF ANYONE HAS MADE IT THIS FAR , THANK YOU. 

  I'M GONNA QUIT NOW THIS HAS GIVEN ME A HEAD-ACKE.

2 hours ago, olbuck said:

 IF ANYONE HAS MADE IT THIS FAR , THANK YOU. 

  I'M GONNA QUIT NOW THIS HAS GIVEN ME A HEAD-ACKE.

 

Well I enjoyed it Buck. Thanks! Now for that head-ache...get a big, tall, cold glass of sweet-tea...that'll fix anything!! Even better 'cause yours is Georgia sweet tea...Can't even come close to finding anything that good up here...McAlister's comes close but at $6/gallon not that close...

Hope ya' get to feeling better...Maybe some 'ole Goody's Headache Powder with the sweet tea will help...don't see any of that up here either...Take care!

Don't know how I missed this, Al. That's a great tour. Thanks a lot for taking us along. 

Just stumbled onto this Thread.

My Great Uncle owned what was at one time the largest wooden shipbuilding yard on the East Coast. Therefore wooden boats fit well in my background and reading, but practical use no longer.
I recall reading a book called “Skiffs and Schooners” by Pete Culler. He was a Master Craftsman, Boat Designer, Builder, Repairer, and Sailer. That said, in his writings he had words of wisdom about tools.
This was written 1974, his focus was on boat/shipbuilding, but it certainly still applies today to any woodworker.

 

Attached Files

File Type: pdf

Skifs and Schooners.pdf (918.4 KB, 260 views)

 

Pete Culler on Hand Power Tools.pdf

how do we get to the Skifs and Schooners PDF????

I hope to return to the museum soon to take more photos..The museum is a couple of miles up-river from the mouth of the Merrimack river in Amesbury MA.  The waters at this point are too shallow for the larger schooners that were built in Newburyport, but deep enough for the larger yachts that cruise the river today.

We had a recent visit to Newburyport by the 125', 30 million dollar yacht owned by the owner of the New Orleans Saints. He said he had heard that this was a great place to visit. Guess he enjoyed his stay, He loaded with over $4000.00 worth of groceries before leaving.

Old Coastie, Your description sounds a lot like what I remember seeing when I visited the boat shop almost 80 years ago with my dad. 1 main belt drove shafts to belt driven machinery at two levels of the building. Actually was a bit scary for me to watch .

Edited July 23, 20178 yr by It Was Al B

20 hours ago, Stick486 said:

how do we get to the Skifs and Schooners PDF????

Stick. I assumed the Pete Culler on Hand Power Tools.pdf worked.

Al B must have opened it according to his post.

 

Here is another try.

Skifs and Schooners.pdf

4 hours ago, Old Coasty said:

Stick. I assumed the Pete Culler on Hand Power Tools.pdf worked.

Al B must have opened it according to his post.

 

Here is another try.

Skifs and Schooners.pdf

 

thanks, thought there was two separate PDF's...

Al, you lived a dream of mine, I saw this boat shop on one my favorite all time programs on PBS, "Craft in America". They had an Industry segment that featured Lowells Boat Shop, I have watched it several times and each time I get pulled into the shop and I could almost lay a blanket down on that ol wood floor and fall asleep in my imagination, I love that place!

 

This must have been a wonderful tour for you guys. Those images you took are wonderful, thanks so much for the tour, you spurred a renewed desire in myself to take a vacation and get over to that part of the country and see it.

Thanks Al, great tour, and I am so glad you got to walk it and see it. Thanks for sharing.

If you don't mind I'd like to share a segment of Crafts in America showcasing the boat shop? I think it would only add to your topic here and maybe give the folks more sensory perception of what you experienced while on the tour. I am greeeeeeeen with envy, you lucky dog!!!

 

By the way folks, not only is this segment wonderful, but the entire PBS Crafts in America shows are wonderful.

Lowells Boat Shop

PBS Crafts in America

 

 

@It Was Al B, just out of curiosity, do you live in that area?

 

5 hours ago, John Morris said:

@It Was Al B, just out of curiosity, do you live in that area?

I do live in the area. I grew up in Amesbury, where the museum is located . Now living in Salisbury, which is just east of Amesbury, along the shores of the Merrimack river.  Newburyport is south of Salisbury bordering the opposite side of the Merrimack river. 

Edited July 25, 20178 yr by It Was Al B

John, I loved the video.I had never seen it. High school students from all over, not just local schools, come to the boat shop to build these boats.