Works of wisdom.... & a nice Lockheed score...

[ZRX61]

Got an old Lockheed Aircraft Workers Manual today. It appears to be early '50's.

[The Inspector]

Since the top of the page says VEGA it's a WW2 era handbook since the Vega plant was next to the Locoweed Plant in Burbank and pretty much went away after the war.

[muddyboots]

I never borrow tools. I just steal them. It's the Army way.

[k5083]

I'm surprised you had to buy your own tools to work in an aircraft plant. And that a company too cheap to buy its workers their tools would still bellyache to them about using "company time" to borrow the tools it wouldn't supply from another worker. Must have been quite a buyer's market for labor whenever that manual was published.

August

[The Inspector]

Except for drill motors, rivet guns, and other, specialized tooling mechanics have always been required to provide their own hand tools. When you went to indoc you were handed a list of 'required hand tools' that you were expected to provide like screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers (no claw hammers!!), socket sets, etc. etc. If you are a mechanic for a small or private shop, you need to have your own drill motors, rivet guns, squeezes, etc. at least one MRO requires you to bring your own 100 ft. of air hose and your own extension cord. That's why you always see a 'Snapped Off', MAC, Cornwhole, or other tool salesmans truck parked in front of a hanger every Wednesday and the salesman/owner grinning like a kid with a $100 bill in Toys-B-Us.

A few years ago Boeing started utilizing shop maintained tool boxes and elimininating personal tool boxes as they were running out of floor space due to personal boxes, some big enough to have wires and a number painted on one end (called TACO CARTS) and more than a few interpersonal 'disagreements' over just who's wrench that really was. Every shop has a 'Tool Nazi' who keeps the shop box stocked and orders specialized tools as needed, in addition to keeping their own barchart on speed.

[ZRX61]

Since the top of the page says VEGA it's a WW2 era handbook since the Vega plant was next to the Locoweed Plant in Burbank and pretty much went away after the war.

Publication date is 1943

some big enough to have wires and a number painted on one end (called TACO CARTS)

Those taco wagons are quite collectable, if you see one for less than $500, grab it. The great thing about them is the drawers & cabinets are accessible from 3 sides, not just one like a normal box. I missed one on CL a while back for $200

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/show ... p?t=118026

[ZRX61]

I picked it up from my brother in law who told me he was selling stuff for his "Stepsons mother in laws sister's husbands sister" (huh?). Anywho, He worked at Lockheed back in the day, as did his wife & sister in law. The family are moving him from the High Desert to a home in Florida. Brother in law said the first thing he did was ask about tools etc, but that had all gone.

This manual has "Lillian J Black" on the first page. There's also an R B Black on some of the other paperwork which was either the old guy or his sister.



Anyone recognize this template?



There were also some matches...

[ZRX61]

[The Inspector]

If he's being moved from the high desert to Florida, he won't be a happy camper! Going from 3-7% humidity to about 125% will be like wearing a wet wool blanket.
$3.32/Hr. in 1959 was REALLY good money! The CONNIE matches should bring good money @ an airliners convention since guys regularly get $3-5 each for current SWA swizzle sticks-'Leak to Lookheed for loadership'

[ZRX61]

$3.32/Hr. in 1959 was REALLY good money!

Apparently she (the Lillian J Black in the manual) started there as a "Rosie" in the early '40's. But not sure if R B Black was the other woman or Lillians husband. Apparently all 3 worked there until retirement.

[bdk]

Nowadays usually company tools only. They want to make sure you don't leave your wrench in the bowels of some poor unsuspecting airplane. Every tool needs to be accounted for at the end of your shift.

[ZRX61]

Took me about 2 months to retrieve a screwdriver from the bowels of a P38 QEC assembly some years ago. I just kept trying every few days. I just had to come up with a strong enough magnet to move it about 4 inches over a couple of formers. All the time it was in there I could *just* touch it with a fingertip, but couldn't grab it, even with an ovary snatcher.

[ZRX61]

Latest score:

[The Inspector]

Latest score:

[ZRX61]

It's dated 1943.