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McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:53 pm
by Glenn Brooks
If you wise want to see the most perfectly arranged and spacious 12' x 12', one man machine shop - make a trip out to the McCormic-Spillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona, a superb of Phoenix. Just visited today, to ride the City owned 15" gauge Paradise and Pacific Railroad, but while there discovered the Park's amazing little museum. The museum includes a restored, yet original, 1930's era, belt-driven, machine shop- originally owned and operated by Walter Lee 'Gabe' Brooks, on his Powderhorn Ranch out in the desert near Phoenix. Gabe's shop includes a 1925ish 12"x48" southbend lathe, a 10" camelback drill press, 10" grinder, power hacksaw, horizontal mill, shaper, and a shop built sheet metal cutter- EVERYTHING BELT DRIVEN FROM AN OVERHEAD BELT SYSTEM - including the little 16" power hacksaw.

Oh yes, Gabe's round overhead lights are hung on a rope pulley system with lead weights on the end. You want more light on the work area - reach up and pull down the lamp shade. The weight on the end of the line goes up in the air towards the pulley mounted in the rafters and suspends the lamp shade exactly where you want it.

Also included in this 144 square foot space is a slanted plans/drafting table, and 8' long work bench, and tooling for all the machinery.

Soon as I get home, Iam gonna rip my shop apart and build me some clear grain 4x4 fir work tables to put together a 12' x 12' workshop space! Maybe even cover my sterile off white Sheetrock walls with some honest rough sawn 4" fir boards. Here are some pics... all in less than 144 square feet! fantastic!!
Gabe's 12' x12' machine shop
Gabe's 12' x12' machine shop
Side view of building. 1900 Pullman baggage car in background
Side view of building. 1900 Pullman baggage car in background
Grinder and SB lathe on the left.  Draftsman table in the back last corner.  Notice face plates and extra chuck vertically mounted on the lathe bench next to the headstock
Grinder and SB lathe on the left. Draftsman table in the back last corner. Notice face plates and extra chuck vertically mounted on the lathe bench next to the headstock
10" camelback drill press in center of shop. Drill bits on racks behind.
10" camelback drill press in center of shop. Drill bits on racks behind.
Shaper and Benchmaster Horizontal mill on the right wall.  8' workbench and more tooling on back wall
Shaper and Benchmaster Horizontal mill on the right wall. 8' workbench and more tooling on back wall
Shop made 1" OD vertical cutter, power hacksaw underneath.  Wall mounted on front wall
Shop made 1" OD vertical cutter, power hacksaw underneath. Wall mounted on front wall
IMG_1358.JPG (49.57 KiB) Viewed 28442 times
Overhead belt drive system for pedestal grinder
Overhead belt drive system for pedestal grinder
Grinder detail - now I know what my old, unknown, spare, dusty,  center spindle fixture is for - a belt driven grinder!
Grinder detail - now I know what my old, unknown, spare, dusty, center spindle fixture is for - a belt driven grinder!

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:33 pm
by 10KPete
By golly I like that set-up!! What a neat little shop. Thanks for the post Glenn!

Pete

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 11:06 am
by NP317
Brilliant set up!
Use wisely what you've got.
~RN

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:20 am
by JackF
It does make one wonder why a 30x40 shop is too small. :roll: I need to make another attempt at organizing. :roll: :wink: :lol:


Jack.

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:23 pm
by OSUMiner
My all time favorite railroad park!!

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:42 am
by AJC
This is a picture of my half-sister with her great grandfather Gabe in Scottsdale Arizona.

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:01 pm
by Steggy
Only thing missing from that shop is an old steam engine to run the line shaft. :D

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:02 pm
by Steggy
AJC wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:42 am This is a picture of my half-sister with her great grandfather Gabe in Scottsdale Arizona.
When was that photo taken?

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:40 pm
by AJC
1963 - 1964

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:55 am
by Harlock
that's a new exhibit since I was last there. I've also been through the railroad shops for the 15" gauge. A lot of Bill Daney treasure hidden back there.

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:53 pm
by Loco112
That small belt driven shop has been sitting there gathering dust since I visited the Scottsdale crew of a week in 1988.

Re: McCormick Railway Park Museum machine shop

Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2020 12:13 pm
by Glenn Brooks
When we visited last, I asked why they don’t maintain the equipment. At least clean up and oil once in a while. Apparently they moved this shop to its current location sometime in the past. Prior to the move, one of the volunteers did regularly clean and oil all the machines. Kept everything in working order. After the move, either they told him to stop, or he somehow no longer participated in the museum/railroading docent activities. Since then, no one has kept up with the maintenance.

One saving grace, at least, is the dry desert climate isn’t at all conducive to oxidation.

We will be visiting again next month. I’ll ask about why they don’t at least oil the ways once in a while.

Glenn