Stanley history as told on PBS

Came across this film yesterday. It was made for PBS in 2018.
It recall the birth, rise and fall (?) of the company to this day.

It's a one hour documentary, but very interesting.  Highly recommended

A couple things learned:
Things we take for granted today...
Stanley was the first to put in boxes a pair of hinges with the screws included.
Later in the 50s they came out with shrink wrap on a piece of cardboard, so you could hang the hardware or tool on a peg board for easy display and retrieval.

Various Stanley products thru the years:

The first genius idea was to put in the screws with the hinges together.
They still do that to this day. So much more convenient !!
BTW National hardware is now owned by Stanley

Tools came in various packaging, but started with a cardboard box
From L-R
Stanley USA (New Britain CT) Stanley Canada (Roxton Pond Qc) Stanley UK



Spoiler alert: The arrival of giant distributors like Home Depot and Walmart changed the landscape...
Hello China :-)

Meanwhile I was planning on doing more yard clean up today, but my back as other ideas, so I guess it will have to wait...

This is were I am now

Hoping to have the fire pit lit again, if the weather cooperate.
All mostly oak's branches

The oak on the side is all cleaned up, remain only my log

Got this small one to finish cleaning up

One side of the driveway is done

The other I was hoping to get done today, but I don't think so...


Now my biggest problem is to figured out how I am going to move my logs.
Fresh oak logs are a tad on the heavy side...

Two down there...
...and one here

I am going to need some younger people with strong backs and forearms :-)

Bob, nursing his broken back this AM and thinking about building
a steam powered log crane Thing-A-Majig.. Hummm



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shop cleaning day...

Image
With the Boring till now put back together and hanging in its spot on the wall (finally). Last touch left is to secured it to its top and bottom cleats, 2 screws each. Not necessary, just making it small earthquake proof, for the tools to remain safe in place without falling over. Being facetious here, where I am, if my underground basement walls move... I have a bigger problem... I really like the contrast between the hardwoods (Yellow Birch, stained) and the color of the till. I'm also glad I gave it a fresh coat of paint prior to re-installing the holders  But the sad shape of the shop is causing me to pause for a minute. While I have a few projects  on the go, it is seriously hampering my efforts, and in response to Sylvain concerns about waiting too long before introducing the grand peanuts into the shop, I know that my first order of priority right now is getting this shop safe..er to walk around. As it stands I can take my life into my hands everytime I walk in, but it ...
Read more

The plane makers of Roxton Pond Quebec, Canada

Image
There was of course Planes and tool makers established in the big urban centers, Montreal (Dawson, Wallace) and Quebec city (VA Emond) but in late19th century, part of Canada's hand tools production was centered in a rural area around the little town of Roxton Pond, Qc in the Monteregie region. Plaque celebrating more than a 100 years of plane making in Roxton Pond erected in 1974 pic from Jacques Heroux Even during the zenith of Stanley Canada operations in Roxton Pond, the town was and remains a small municipality in southern Quebec, not far from the US border. And since we had no wall in place (gentle Canadian political humour :-), Stanley came to town in 1907, with railroad cars loads, but we are getting ahead of ourselves... In the beginning... The area is known as the Eastern Townships (Cantons de l'est) it was first settled in the late 1700s early 1800s by Loyalist, including many Americans who fled after the independence of the States from England. Starting mostly in mi...
Read more

The Bailey No 3 and 4 spokeshaves

Image
Believed it or not, this is also in response to a question asked by Matt about a  Funky Spokeshave he found.  His is a EC Stearns copy of Leonard Bailey patent, so this is where it all start... Leonard, yes that would be THE Leonard Bailey of the famed Bailey/Stanley bench planes fame, was involved with a few small companies to manufactures and sell his designs before and after being involved with Stanley Rule & Level Co. One of them being, the Bailey, Chany & Co.  Manufacturers, Leonard Bailey and Jacob Chany, Boston Massachusetts 1868-1869 Pocket catalog of the firm, shows a full range of Bailey planes from No 1 thru 8 , wood bottom transitionals, and spokeshaves, all of Leonard`s design In May of 1869, Leonard Bailey entered into an agreement with the Stanley Rule & Level Co of New Britain Connecticut.  The agreement provided exclusive rights to manufacture iron and wood bottom planes, spokeshaves and scrapers under patents issued to Leonard. Seven (7...
Read more