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Saw some amazing old boiler work at the museum in Pittsburgh
I was at the Heinz History Center last weekend and they have a whole section on steel and boilers. There was this huge riveted boiler from the 1890s, and the plate seams were just perfect. You could see every hammer mark from the riveting crew. It made me think about how much the job has changed, but the basic idea is still the same. Has anyone else seen a really old piece of work that made you stop and look?
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cora_west55mo ago
What museum was that again?
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miaprice5mo ago
Was it the one with the weird modern art wing? I got so lost in there last time, ended up in a room that was just a giant pile of stuffed animals. Some of those exhibits feel like they're just messing with you. The whole place is a vibe though, even the confusing parts.
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dakotag265mo ago
Yeah the "they're just messing with you" part. I mean, is it that deep? Maybe it's just a pile of stuffed animals.
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grantc803mo ago
Question whether this is some profound moment or just old junk. I get appreciating craftsmanship, but those riveters were just doing their job for a paycheck, not trying to make art. You see the same thing in old cars or tools, just people putting things together the best way they knew how. The perfect seams and hammer marks, that's just what happens when you do the same thing 500 times a day for years. It wasn't some magical lost skill, it was hard labor with basic tools. Is the museum trying to make this into something bigger than it actually was?
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