Anyone catch The History Channel show on machine tools?

[AndrewR]

I watched parts of it in between NYPD Blue. It's amazing because I can practically watch anything on that channel and would have never thought that I would find the history of machine tools interesting.

Let's see: There were lathes, grinders, shapers, milling tools, and drills. Did I miss anything?

 

[Windogg]

I could survive on just TLC, Discovery, and History Channel.

 

[Jmman]

I spend more time watching those channels than any others......I almost never watch network tv anymore........

 

[AndrewR]

I'd add The Food Network and Animal Planet.

 

[Jmman]

That's true too...I have to get my fix of Iron Chef and the crocodile hunter......

 

[Windogg]

How could I forget my good buddies Emeril and Chairman Kaga?

 

[Ornery]

Missed that program, but it would be cool to see the history of machine tools. I always marvel at the work that was accomplished by earlier generations with comparatively primitive tools and methods.

I've worked with carpentry tools and such all my life. Not much to impress me along those lines. But I saw my first lathe cut metal in a 10th grade "cold metals" shop class. I was slack jawed while the cutter just carved a steel bar like butter. My only experience with metal to that point was struggling to drill through steel plate or hack sawing a bolt or two. Never dreamed metal could be manipulated so easily.

Saw my first numerically controlled milling machine about 5 years later at Masco Machine. Mercy! :Q They build a lot custom machine tools. Been there running CNC machines for over 20 years now. They do have some pretty cool machines going out the door.

It's easy to take the technology for granted after a while. But sometimes I'm in awe of what can be done. Hell, I marvel at the technology that goes into these PCs all the time. The complexity and precision of the hard drives and the CPU itself are mind boggling. The equivalent of a super computer 15 years ago is at your fingertips for a few hundred dollars. Gotta love it!

 

[Thump553]

Didn't catch it - our cable doesn't have the History Channel.

But did see last night on TLC a show about the Hubble telescope-fascinating & great pictures from outer space. Catch it if it repeats today. Was on 10-11 PM Eastern time.

 

[teckmaster]

I watched like the last 20 minutes of that show. I found it very interesting because I am taking machine shop classes with an Adult Education Program. It's amazing to know what they used back in the 1700's and what we have access to today. I was thinking of buying the video.