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[Marks DTM Calib]

There are still some bespoke items that need to be made by hand but, in the main, things are 'manufactured' by a robot these days.
The only way to make lots of money is to make lots of the same thing, so it makes sense really.

Yes there was one of those "Grand Design" programs recently where they were making a circular staircase from plywood parts, fitting together like something from Ikea. They had the parts cut out using a laser cutter :-? What ever happened to marking it up using a pencil and using a jigsaw ?.

Ken

Because if they had a CNC controlled laser based cutter tehy would have used it 100 years ago!

[sassanach]

 i would just like to point out that the correct term for a "sheet metal worker"here in the carrot crunching end of the island is "tin basher"

[Debs.]

"Hallo, Daaaarling! I hear young Samantha has got engaged, you must be thrilled"
"Yes"
"And what does her husband-to-be do?"
"He's a sheet-metal worker"
"Oh. Er, well, bye darling, must dash. I'll call sometime"

.....maybe the two "e`s" should be an "i"......so making the nominative a descriptive!;D

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I am afraid that from 1900 onwards British manufacturing was actually in decline, with the major competitors of Germany and the USA, followed later by Japan, taking many of the old Empire's markets with better quality and cheaper products being produced. 

British engineering had become less and less competitive with the pressure from the trade unions to pay the work force higher wages, just when "rising sun's" like Japan had a very large and cheap work force going begging with an eager appitite to become the industrial might of the world.  In the examples of ship building, railway locomotive building and of course the car industries, these market forces become too great for not only Britain, but Germany and the USA as well, with their heavy engineering capabilities being wound down as orders declined, workers demanded higher wages and health and safety became a growing issue. One example is the fact that Toyota is now the world leader of car production, beating all the efforts of Detroit!

This has of course continued into modern times, with now the likes of China taking the batton of mass production. Unless the working man is prepared to work again for poor wages, in dirty and dangerous environments, then heavy engineering will not in the foreseeable future return to our lands.  Of course the likes of Britain, Germany and the USA now concentrate on the modern reality of the high tech industries and financial markets.  I repeat this is the reality of today, which we must for now accept.

I personally regret the passing of the great days of heavy railway (yes, the likes of the great North British locomotive works and the Great Western Railway at Swindon, plus the rest! ) and ship building industries on the Tyne, at Belfast and elsewhere, but the facts are it has gone due to world market pressures. Life moves on, and many men are living longer due to the easier working conditions in the twenty first century.  That has got to be good! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

[cem_devecioglu]

That's substantial engineering. I certainly wouldn't get that prop on my 3 1/2" lathe !.

I liked the flame cutting out the crankshaft parts. I have done some at night classes, but that was 6mm sheet. Those crankshaft parts look about 2ft thick.

My Grandpa was a foreman millwright at NB Loco, building steam engines. I'll try and dig out some photos I have of his work.

Ken

Will be very interesting

[cem_devecioglu]

I am afraid that from 1900 onwards British manufacturing was actually in decline, with the major competitors of Germany and the USA, followed later by Japan, taking many of the old Empire's markets with better quality and cheaper products being produced. 

British engineering had become less and less competitive with the pressure from the trade unions to pay the work force higher wages, just when "rising sun's" like Japan had a very large and cheap work force going begging with an eager appitite to become the industrial might of the world.  In the examples of ship building, railway locomotive building and of course the car industries, these market forces become too great for not only Britain, but Germany and the USA as well, with their heavy engineering capabilities being wound down as orders declined, workers demanded higher wages and health and safety became a growing issue. One example is the fact that Toyota is now the world leader of car production, beating all the efforts of Detroit!

This has of course continued into modern times, with now the likes of China taking the batton of mass production. Unless the working man is prepared to work again for poor wages, in dirty and dangerous environments, then heavy engineering will not in the foreseeable future return to our lands.  Of course the likes of Britain, Germany and the USA now concentrate on the modern reality of the high tech industries and financial markets.  I repeat this is the reality of today, which we must for now accept.

I personally regret the passing of the great days of heavy railway (yes, the likes of the great North British locomotive works and the Great Western Railway at Swindon, plus the rest! ) and ship building industries on the Tyne, at Belfast and elsewhere, but the facts are it has gone due to world market pressures. Life moves on, and many men are living longer due to the easier working conditions in the twenty first century.  That has got to be good! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

very good Lizzie.. 

so basic principles of economy politics work here as usual..

but I think there is no reason for the Brits to be desperate ..dont forget you produce vstol Harrier..

edit: your problem is just a matter of production cost which you can solve by breaking the heads of workers

I must be desperate in the name of my country

[cem_devecioglu]

I'm sure nobody here know what I will tell..

There is a famous saying in my country :

if you will be hanged

be hanged by English rope ...  Yes..thats true..

[Varche]

Well said Lizzie. You beat me to the current Toyota situation.

Absolutely NOTHING to do with the EU I am afraid.  The decline happened well before those days.

varche

[Elite Pete]

I, like many here, am proud of my ability to 'make things'.....practical, engineering-skills, learned and refined by use and the joy of achievement.

Viewing this http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons#The_Manufacturing_Process

I am minded of the wonderous pool of talent and skill that British engineering once so-proudly boasted.

"Britain: the little country that could!"

What happened......where did it all go?

I think every woman should be taught to cook


Runs and hides

[Nickbat]

It's not just the issue of cheap labour. Although Toyota are the largest, BMW, Audi and so on do very well although their German labour force costs are high.

We used to design high quality cars. Sir Alec Issigonis designed a car which was well ahead of its time when first manufactured. As well as poor government, our manufacturing base was also hit hard by the unions. Remember Red Robbo? 

[Debs.]

I, like many here, am proud of my ability to 'make things'.....practical, engineering-skills, learned and refined by use and the joy of achievement.

Viewing this http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons#The_Manufacturing_Process

I am minded of the wonderous pool of talent and skill that British engineering once so-proudly boasted.

"Britain: the little country that could!"

What happened......where did it all go?

I think every woman should be taught to cook


Runs and hides

1...2...3...10......`coming, ready or not!

collecting my axe.....

[Pitchfork]

I, like many here, am proud of my ability to 'make things'.....practical, engineering-skills, learned and refined by use and the joy of achievement.

Viewing this http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons#The_Manufacturing_Process

I am minded of the wonderous pool of talent and skill that British engineering once so-proudly boasted.

"Britain: the little country that could!"

What happened......where did it all go?

I think every woman should be taught to cook


Runs and hides

1...2...3...10......`coming, ready or not!

collecting my axe.....

Oh dear! You have asked for trouble I fear

[Elite Pete]

I, like many here, am proud of my ability to 'make things'.....practical, engineering-skills, learned and refined by use and the joy of achievement.

Viewing this http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons#The_Manufacturing_Process

I am minded of the wonderous pool of talent and skill that British engineering once so-proudly boasted.

"Britain: the little country that could!"

What happened......where did it all go?

I think every woman should be taught to cook


Runs and hides

1...2...3...10......`coming, ready or not!

collecting my axe.....

Thats the first time a woman has ever said that to me

[Lizzie_Zoom]

It's not just the issue of cheap labour. Although Toyota are the largest, BMW, Audi and so on do very well although their German labour force costs are high.

We used to design high quality cars. Sir Alec Issigonis designed a car which was well ahead of its time when first manufactured. As well as poor government, our manufacturing base was also hit hard by the unions. Remember Red Robbo? 

But Nick I'm afraid to say that in those horrible days of the 1970s Britain was completely and utterly going down the toilet, fast!   We were the joke of the world, being the "sick man of Europe"  By then the 1960s mini, although a classic, was about the only British car to be proud of, and it was already fast becoming mechanically out dated.

The Conservative political slogan in the 1979 General Election campaign was "Labour isn't workin", and how very true that was with the likes of Red Robbo certainly doing incrediable damage to what little there was left of "quality" British car manufacturing!

[Tony H]

Thats brought back memorys of my first job Debs, as an apprentice toolmaker back in the 70's. I was involved in the manufacture of products as diverse as baring Keep rings that weighed over five cwt used in power station applications and components parts of the Roll Royce RV211 engine. sadly the company closed down many years ago.