Let’s go back to a time when the UK had Factories to produce products for sale around the world
Each part sold supported our Nations GDP
What did these industries need? Workers
So the UK School Education system produced them in their tens of thousands
Secondary Schools supplied the workers,
Technical Schools supplied engineers and designers
While Grammar schools supplied the academics, or so they thought
Those factories were mainly ‘Tin bashing’ a colloquial name meaning making things with metal
Which could be Ferrous or non ferrous,
Such as Aluminium and Brass Castings for the automotive industry
Press work making formed parts for Auto or Domestic products
Not forgetting high volume Capstan lathe parts and the Plastic moulding trades
While other Factories made products from Wood,
Furniture for homes and schools, with windows, doors & frames for them all
The curriculum for Secondary schools was the same over the UK
Lads were educated in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Metal work, Wood work, Technical Drawing, and English
Back then Schools had segregated lessons, Boys had different lessons to the Girls,
I start with my own journey through life with the things I made that survived the years since
Tea or Caddy Spoon
We start with my first ever metal work part made at school, I was 11 at the time
Back then this was a normal kitchen item, a Caddy spoon
There were no tea bags back then, tea was sold lose
My actual Tea Spoon
Made from 1/16” or 0.064” as it was then, now 1.6 mm Copper sheet
Marked out using a scriber, and dividers, odd leg callipers, then drilled and hand filed to size
The spoon was then formed hammering in a wooden block with frequent heating with a gas torch to keep the copper soft , when done the handle was hand planished and finally polished
Ash Tray
The Next item was an Ash tray, back then almost everyone smoked
Men, women, teachers & doctors, you name it they smoked
This led on from the caddy Spoon
My Ash tray
Made from 1/16” or 0.064” as it was then, now 1.6 mm Copper sheet
Cut from a sheet into a big blank then hand marked out with a scribe
Using the same method as the spoon above the copper blank was fitted in a wooden block with a hollowed recess
The copper was then hammered into the dished shape again with frequent heating with a gas torch to keep the copper soft
Once filed and levelled it was planished and finally polished and a green baize cloth circle glued on the underside
Toasting Fork
Back in the days of Coal Fires it was customary to toast Bread by holding it close to the fire
But not any bread, it had to be from a “cut loaf” one where you cut of a 1” thick slice
Stabbed it with the toasting fork and held it close to the fire to brown
My Toasting Fork
This is made of 1/16” or 1.6mm Brass with a 5/16” or 7.9 mm round brass shaft
Hand cut and filed then soft soldered together and finally hand polished
Coal fire Poker
No self respecting coal fire can go without a poker to move around the coals to keep
The fire going and settle the ash into the pan
My Coal fire Poker
Likewise this used the same decorative brass end finial as the Toaster,
With a Square mild steel shaft and twist for a handle which was made by heating
The steel in a Blacksmiths forge and twisting in a Swage block
To finish the iron rod was straightened on an anvil
Moveable Spanner
This was a pleasure to make, and was used extensively on my old Vindec bicycle
My Moveable Spanner
There are 4 part to this functional tool, the Main backbone and fixed jaw, the moving jaw,
The adjustment nut and a sheet steel frame, all held together with countersunk steel rivets.
The task involved Knurling the bar then drilling and tapping the nut and parting off to size
While the Moving jaw was turned down to size then threaded with a die
While both jaws were case hardened
Screw Driver
This was in use right up to the early 2000's when I retired it
My Screw Driver
The manufacture of this involved an number of manufacturing processes
Starting with a rod of ¼”, 0.250 “ , 6.4 mm Silver steel which was heated in the forge and hammered to a tongue at both ends
One end was hand ground to produce the Screw driver blade then the whole bar cleaned with emery cloth
The Screw driver blade was fitted inside a two part moulding die
Which was preheated on the Gas torch, while a pot of broken up aluminium parts was melted in the forge
When the slag was cleared from the pot the Aluminium was poured into the Mould
and allowed to cool , the die disassembled and the screw driver removed and cleaned up
It went in the lathe were the handle was sized up to diameter and length then knurled
The final task was to harden and temper the blade
G Clamp
Not used much through the years, it did help during my welding
My G Clamp
This was made from 5/8 x ¼ Mild steel bar
With a ½” round bar turned down to 3/8” for dieing to 3/8 Whit Tread
with a little handmade cup washer for the end
The Bar was measured & marked then heated & bent then hand filed to size
Around 1969 Dads garden shed had been broken in and some tools stolen
I mentioned this to my metal work teacher
Who a week or so later called me over and gave me some Drawings of an Asp and Staple
After 47 years service it was finally removed and retired
Wood Work items to be continued
My kindest and most sincere regards and respect go to
Joe Lyons, Metal Work
Horace Tickle, Wood Work
With a special thanks to
William (Bill) Black, Physics
Jeff Cane, Chemistry
Not forgetting Mr Patterson Head Master
Who trusted me enough to go on an Evening institute Electronic Course,
When I was just 14 years old
With the proviso I paid the £1 10s myself
I think that 30 bob ( £1.50 ) was one of my better investments
