Thread: W.Canning & Co.

Nice pedestal Dale - the lettering is very crisp, and I like the radius blend to the base. I've not heard of Canning before.

I picked up a similar style iron pedestal (edged cutouts to all four sides, but without the radius blend to the base and no sign of a makers name) attached to the bottom of a GMF (Aust) grinder...

John

You should post a photo I would be interested to see.

From
Practical Handbook of Electro-plating, 14th Edition 1940
Published by W. Canning & Co.
This is about the simplest machine in the book.
Some, like the other picture, are complicated and huge.

Peter

Thanks for that Peter, yours looks to me like a slightly earlier version with the extra detail in the base. The mounting arrangement at the to looks identical to my eye..

Interesting to me is the use of the term Lathe, which I have seen used in reference to jewellers buffing/polishing mop machines also. I have always associated it to metal and wood turning lathes. I should look up the definition of lathe and expand my understanding.

Peter - great pics you have posted there. The work heads with loose and drive pulleys atop the pedestals make perfect sense.

That hubcap polishing machine is a beast !!!!

Regards
John

Peter,

That book sounds like an interesting one, thanks for sharing the images. I agree with John, that hubcap polisher is a beast, but the lady doesn't look like she likes the machine much.

Cheers,

Camo

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Thanks for that Peter, yours looks to me like a slightly earlier version with the extra detail in the base. The mounting arrangement at the to looks identical to my eye......

Dale,
The bottom is cut away for a belt from under the floor, and outside the base.
Inside the base = safer
If the drive was from the back or overhead, cut-outs at the bottom are unnecessary.
As the drive systems were changed to electric, the cut outs were likewise not needed.
There are many pictures of the stands in the book, but none exactly like yours.
It looks to me like a contemporary of the ones with cutouts though, just a different drive orientation.
More modern ones, that is those from between the wars, would look like the one centered in the pic.

Peter

Peter, Thanks for the additional info & image.


I have to strip, paint and decide what to put on top. Were these old castings surfaced with lead filler, where we would now use bog?

Don't want to wander too far off topic, but metal polishing and plating was / is HUGE business, but rarely seen compared to engineering and woodworking machinery workshops. The plants are just too dangerous.
I saw at least 4 in the 60s 70s and 80s. They were all over the place. One in Nunawading, another in Burwood another in Richmond, also a smaller one in St.Kilda. I knew enough about the processes to see obvious very hazardous practices.

At the back of the book I have, there is a chapter on treating poisoning & treating things like Cyanide Eczema, Nickle itch, Chrome Dermatitis and how to bandage and treat Chrome sores... with "Canning Chrome Ointment No.1" ....

The chemicals are pretty scary. I used to have some for very small plating processes in Gold, Silver and Rhodium.
I was required to have a cyanide antidote kit, and be trained to use it.
Gave up that stuff years ago, it's just too much compliance for a small workshop to manage.

Peter

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Peter, Thanks for the additional info & image.


I have to strip, paint and decide what to put on top. Were these old castings surfaced with lead filler, where we would now use bog?

I've never had any joy using lead on cast iron, so never pursued the idea. Not to say it isn't possible with the right flux or alloy. Just don't know.
There might be a Tin/lead + something else alloy that works...others might know.
I did lead filling on steel at the Dandenong GMH poduction line when I was a kid. Earned good money doing that. Some of the old guys were pretty crook ... you could pick the ones that were "leaded"

Peter

In regards to chrome plating I was told by guys in the Motorcycle clubs i have had affiliations with that the only good chrome comes out of Japan. It is the only place "Real" chrome is done, as everywhere else the old fashioned chemicals have been banned and replaced by more safety conscious ones and this leads to a lower quality and less durable chrome.

This could very well be right, but I suspect that cost cutting also factors in with modern chromed items.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

only good chrome comes out of Japan. .......

Dale,
And it so close to Australia Day

...that sound to me like an Anti Australian Technical Ability Urban Myth to me.

Did you hear the story about the drilling the hole in the wire....??
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/wire.asp



Peter

Originally Posted by lightwood

Dale,
And it so close to Australia Day

...that sound to me like an Anti Australian Technical Ability Urban Myth to me.

Did you hear the story about the drilling the hole in the wire....??
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/wire.asp



Peter

Peter,

Don't confuse patriotism or technical ability with Government legislation and environmentalism.

I believe it all came down to Japan not worrying about the by products effects on workers or environment, the newer products being used elsewhere not producing the same finish but in a much safer fashion. Take your pick on stand point people vs product.
"Save the Whales!"

Anyway that was what I was told by these guys, it could be urban myth, but it wasn't directed purely at Aussie chroming. They wouldn't touch jap bikes but would fit japan chromed aftermarket parts to American iron. They also sent out special local made custom parts to Japan for chroming rather than get it done locally, an expensive way of doing it.

I had some contact with a plater when I was at uni and looking to get some ABS plastic black chromed for a concept vehicle we were design and prototyping.. He did say from memory that they couldn't do some of the things they used to due to the new process. I can remember if it was directly related to the chroming or the base copper layer they had to apply and the thickness of the copper. So may be unrelated.


That wire story is a crack up.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

They wouldn't touch jap bikes but would fit japan chromed aftermarket parts to American iron. They also sent out special local made custom parts to Japan for chroming rather than get it done locally, an expensive way of doing it..

Dale,
Classic!!

I've been a member of a US vintage vehicle owners club....

and that sounds VERY much like a Jap bike owner V's a US bike owner peeing contest.


Remember...we are posting in a topic where W.Canning was an unknown name to some a day or two ago.

I'm pretty certain I've ID'ed the company that made / sold that stand, and the era it was from. Did it from book, with pages and pictures.
And now we are wandering well of topic into more of an opinion based discussion. Something I don't want to get involved in.
Had a gut full of that stuff a while ago....so I'm going back to reading books, and occasionally these forums. Then maybe popping my head up when I have something material to add.

Peter