Tube Mill of W Tonks and Sons for Brass

(c) Vin Callcut 2002-2021.

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

 

A photograph of the Tube Mill of William Tonks & Sons included in their 1939 and earlier catalogues, 'as enlarged and electrified'.  The draw benches were used to draw lengths of tube through the dies, frequently with a floating mandrel inside to retain the shape of the tube as its diameter was reduced. 

At each stage one end of the tube had to be 'pointed' by swaging to a smaller diameter to fit in to the next die size down. Chains were used for the drive so that the tube pulling grips could be hooked in to draw as soon as the work was loaded.   As the hook was disengaged at the end of each draw, there would be a loud 'clang' as the chain dropped, making the tube shop always a noisy environment.

tube mill

(Catalogue loaned by Simon Clarke).

William Tonks and Sons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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