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I have started a long term project of building a 1/12 scale [doll house size] 1870 to 1900 Era Machine Shop. This will be a display of scale machinery that I will build. All of the machines will run and be powered by flat belts connected to line shafts attached to horizontal beams by way of various line shaft hangers. My plan is to power the entire machine shop by a live steam engine located on the side of the building. The machine shop and foundry was going to be a scale model of the W.A.Young and Sons Foundry and Machine Shop located in Rice Landing Pennsylvania. At the end of April this year 2017 all of my plans changed. Upon doing research on the internet , I found a similar foundry and machine shop about 50 miles east of where I live. Hidden away on Eureka Street in the small gold rush town of Sutter Creek California is the Knight Foundry. The Knight Foundry and Machine Shop was founded in 1873 by Samuel Knight and operated as a cast iron foundry and machine shop until 1996. What makes this historic site so unique is that it is the last water powered machine shop and foundry left in the Unites States. After attending a open house on April 22, 2017 I was hooked. I am now a full time volunteer working there on the forth Saturday of every month, which is work day. Having an extensive wood working background , myself and two other men are restoring, recreating and reglazing all the windows in all of the buildings. I also help every second Saturday of the month which is tour day. I work as a Docent in the Pattern Making Shop or where ever they may need a guide to explain the site. What a great way to volunteer some of my time and skills to help restore and preserve this very historic industrial site. The Knight Foundry is located 45 miles east of Sacramento CA. in the Mother Lode Gold Rush town of Sutter Creek CA. Feel free visit their website at www.knightfoundry.com
Now for my machine project it will be a mix of the W.A.Young and Son site as well as the Knight Foundry.
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