https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/570eaf49-11a7-441d-8419-1c475b83854d Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Help us preserve, scan and post more rare and endangered films! Join us on Patreon. Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com One of a series of films that showed "Americans at Work", this episode highlights the role of the iron workers, and tracies the path of fabricated metal pieces to job sites where they become integral parts of buildings. It appears to feature workers of Pawling & Harnischfeger; a Milwaukee based company that was renowned for building heavy cranes and electrical machinery. P&H was established in 1884 and continued as an independent business until they went bankrupt in 1999; the brand remains alive today as part of Komatsu. Here, ornamental iron workers are shown to be modern successors of the blacksmith. This feature shows how they play a vital role in contemporary construction creating both structural and decorative metalwork. Ornate grills, gates and structural supports for various buildings are constructed. Laborers combine manual labor with powerful machinery to cut and join various metal components. Various metals are explored including aluminum; a fairly newer metal. The process of etching and anodizing is featured. The film opens with the title screen (:23). It is presented by the AFL-CIO (:29). Images of intricate grill work (:40), gates, iron frames, doorways and stairwells follow (:56). Steel workers use high speed hand saws (1:07) while wearing protective face gear. Workers wear their company’s hat’s embroidered with P&H (1:26). They operate the steel assembly line (1:37) using metals such as bronze, steel and aluminum (1:45). Metals are shaved down (1:52). Two workers manufacture wrought iron trims (1:58). Others work on stairways (2:22). Platform landings are welded (2:36). The process of cutting and joining follows (2:56). Welding rods are used (3:29). Electric welders make marks on iron bits (3:23). The duties of the structural iron worker is explored (3:55). A level is put to use (4:41). Iron beams are lifted (4:52) using an electric hoist (5:04). The lower set of steps is set into place (5:30). The completed set of stairs is lifted (5:49) and transported to the stockpile. Workers operate forklifts (6:18) and work with aluminum (6:56). The process of anodizing begins with a tank of molten solutions (8:04). A second tank is used for rinsing (8:07). Metals are carted for a dip and another wash (8:11). Silver pieces are converted to gold (8:40). P&H workers work in the Complete Fabrication Department (9:09). Window and door frames are fabricated (9:40). A 1958 Oldsmobile appears (9:54). Young iron workers learn how to work as journeymen (10:16). Hammers and handsaws follow (11:20). An iron bar is bent (12:28). Curved iron framework gets hammered (12:36). Images of intricate stone pillars lining an iron gate close the film (12:57). This was presented by the American Federation of Labor and Congress Industrial Organization (13:16). The AFL-CIO seal (13:29) follows as next week's episode is set up for viewers. “Americans at Work” was a series produced during the late 1950’s by Norwood Studios for the AFL-CIO. In total, 99 films were produced and released weekly. Each episode presented various industrial jobs from telephone linemen to steelworkers describing the work through narration and photography. The AFL-CIO; American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, was formed in December of 1955. It is a national trade union center and largest federation of unions in the US. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBXZc5jAhHU Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:28:31 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/570eaf49-11a7-441d-8419-1c475b83854d All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.