Visited a forge in rural Vermont last weekend... they were using a 1950s air hammer still running on the original motor

2 comments

2 Comments

...and I'd argue that's actually kind of a problem, not a feature. That old motor is probably way less efficient than anything you'd buy today, sucking up way more electricity than it needs to. Plus it's probably packed with asbestos insulation and lead paint, things nobody wants hanging around their shop anymore. People romanticize old machines like they're indestructible, but they forget that half the time those things are dangerous and cost a fortune to run. Newer stuff might break sooner, but at least it can be fixed with parts you can order online and won't give you cancer.

beth_hunt12d ago

I heard a guy on a podcast say those old motors were wound with a different kind of copper that just doesn't quit, which makes them almost impossible to kill. That kind of longevity is wild to me, especially compared to modern stuff planned to break after a few years (you know, the whole "planned obsolescence" thing). It's pretty cool that something from the 50s is still pounding away without any major rebuilds.