After three sessions of restoration work, the Niles Tool Works slip roll in the East Broad Top Boiler Shop was given a test run this past Saturday during the March work session. I have posted video on YouTube of the FEBT Restoration volunteers operating the roll for its first run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKgyUr6FIwA

Hope you will take a look. The Slip Roll is the machine on the right in the HABS/HAER Photo



In the coming session we will be working to make the roll fully operational and plan to bend steel for demonstrations of the machine. It is the fourth piece of equipment in the shops to be reactivated. Two lathes in the Machine Shop also received finishing touches and will be reactivated in May when the three phase power is back on (That will make six machines!)

Thanks to the FEBT volunteers and everyone who has supported our efforts and we hope you will continue to do so.

http://www.febt.org/donate.html

Do you have a listing of the shop equipment that still survives in the machine shop?

Take the virtual shops tour:

http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Shops/top.html

It needs updated but includes a page for every building and machine.

Having not been in the shop since about 1980 all I can say is WOW! Great work guys.

John Bohon

I love to see old machinery being brought back to life. It is especially meaningful if it operates to its original capacity. (This includes railroad rolling stock) If they could run some iron through the rolls and post that on YouTube it would be great.

To that end I have to wonder if that rolls are in their original location. For instance if a sheet were run through at a large radius wouldn’t it hit the wall? Also how do the handle a large sheet? Is there a crane? Same questions for the brake.

You are dreat service to preservation and the best of luck with the project.

CCdW

What was shown was a test run only, to test the machine's main mechanism and the power rig. A number of other things need done to the machine before it can actually roll steel. If you notice the roll is running in reverse because only the reverse belt is reinstalled so far. The lift mechanism for the rear roller needs finished and some other things. Possibly in the summer we will be ready to roll some steel.

There is no indication the roll has been anywhere than where it is. It is integrated into the floor in a concrete foundation. It is further from the window than it appears, easily able to roll 4'+ deep sheets. More perplexing is how close it is to the bending brake which would make getting full cylinders off the machine tricky. There are a couple beams laid across the roof trusses above the brake and roll that we believe were used to help support the steel sheets.