John Cook recalls a typical day in the Fitting Shop in the early 1950s

From drawings & plans, to fettling & fitting

John describes a typical day in the Fitting Shop in the early 1950s
John describes a typical day in the Fitting Shop in the early 1950s
"John_Cook_6_Typical_Work_in_Heavy_fitting_shop_and_des_of_fettling". Genre: Vocal.

In this clip, John describes a typical day in the Fitting Shop in the early 1950s.

A plan would come from the Works’ Office or (more usually) the Fitting Shop Office and there would be a certain task to do on it.

The Fitter would then get the pieces they needed to assemble whatever it was they had been asked to put together. They would get these from the Stores or from the Machine Shops.

After reading the drawing to determine how the item would fit together, the Fitters would “fettle” the component pieces.

“Fettling was cleaning up edges and suchlike, holes, so there were no rough edges. So that they could fit the bits and pieces according to the drawing that we had”

If the piece was part of a main press it would go on to the next stage of assembly until the whole press was complete.

John explains that when it came to the pipes on the press, the Fitters would only do smaller pipe fitting jobs. The Pipe Fitters in the Pipe Shop would do the main pipe work on presses.

Click here to listen to John’s memories of the crane “slingers” in the Heavy Machine Shop.

Click here to listen to John’s memories of his apprenticeship and The Craft School, 1948-1955.

Click here to listen to John’s memories of the Light Machine Shop, 1948-55.

 

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