Industrial Cathedral

Industrial Cathedral
"Industrial Cathedral" charcoal on paper 131 x 131 cm Jane Bennett. Finalist in 1998 Dobell Drawing Prize Art Gallery of NSW Finalist 1998 Blake Prize Winner 1998 Hunter's Hill Open Art Prize

About Me

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Sydney, NSW, Australia
I'm an Industrial Heritage Artist who paints "en plein air".If it's damaged, derelict, doomed and about to disappear, I'll be there to paint it.
Showing posts with label welding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label welding. Show all posts

Saturday 20 May 2017

Steady rest

I've been painting the machinery in the William Wallbank and Sons ex- foundry in Auburn, before it is all stripped out and sent to a scrap metal yard.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress -
AWW8 'Boys toys -Steady rest 1'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 


























I've been painting a series of still life studies on salvaged "press plates".
These leftover circles of mild steel were found lying on the machine shop floor, and were being gathered up to be thrown away.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW8 'Boys toys -Steady rest 1'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























It was fascinating painting the relics of industry on salvaged objects that were part of the waste product from that industry.
The lustre of the smooth metallic surface shows through every brushstroke, reproducing every sparkle, shine and glimmer of the knobs and finials.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress - AWW11
'Boys toys -Steady rest 2'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available



















Although the William Wallbank foundry dated from 1932, some of the machinery was much older. I found a nameplate on one from "Russia", which meant that it must have dated from before the Soviet era, and probably from before World War I.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW11 'Boys toys -Steady rest 2'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























The steady rest on a lathe, has a frame and 3 adjustable jaws to support a workpiece such as an axle or a shaft while it is being turned, milled or drilled.
It prevents slender, flexible pieces springing back and forth, and also allows deep cuts, drilling, boring, or internal threading.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW10 'Boys toys -Boring machine'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 



























The over arm with the top jaw can be unfastened and swung out of the way so that pieces can be removed and replaced without needing to adjust the jaws.
There should be 0.001 inch clearance between the jaws and the workpiece.
The bearing surface is usually machined directly on the work.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW10 'Boys toys -Boring machine'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 

























When the work is too small or awkwardly shaped to machine the bearing surface, a 'cathead' can provide the bearing surface.
The cathead has a bearing that is surfaced, a hole through which the work extends, and adjusting screws to fasten the cathead to the work.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm 2017
Available 



















When it isn't possible to hold the work in the chuck, one end can be supported by the headstock centre and the other by the steady rest.
A leather strap or rawhide thong is used to tie the work to the driveplate and to prevent it from moving off the headstock centre.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo
16 x 16cm 2017
Available 




















After the locking screws on the adjustable jaws are tightened, the bearing surface needs lubrication with heavy oil before turning on the lathe.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Work in progress on the easel -
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control'
oil on steel press plate tondo
16 x 16cm 2017
Available 




















The bearing surface and adjustable jaws always need a heavy oil film between them, as when the workpiece heats up it will expand, closing the distance between it and the jaws.

Plein air oil painting of machinery in abandoned William and Wallbank and Sons Foundry by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
AWW9 'Boys toys -Control' 2017
oil on steel press plate tondo 16 x 16cm
Available


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Thursday 29 November 2012

Wrong side of the tracks - Darling Island Bond and Free

Recently I have been painting yet another magnificent ruin from the notorious Wakil collection of derelict buildings.
The Wakils, who also own the Terminus Hotel and the old milkbar on the corner of John and Harris Street seem to be obsessed with playing a 30 year long game of Monopoly...with real buildings.
This is the Darling Island Bond and Free Store at 12 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont.
My first drawings and paintings of this building date from nearly 30 years ago, and the changes are almost imperceptible. On the southern side, windows were cut into the brickwork during the 1980s. The plane trees have grown so that they obscure my view of the row of charming 1880s terraces next door. The residents of 14 Pyrmont St had planted ivy which crept up the wall, but later they cut the ivy and it died off before it could continue its conquest.
Otherwise it is as though I have been sent back in the Tardis to the Pyrmont of the 1980s.

Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Painting "Darling Island Bond and Free"
en plein air, in front of 27 Pyrmont Street
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Enquiries

Originally this bond store was home of "Australian Thermite Company Pty Ltd" and must have been built either just before the First World War or during its first few months.
As far as I know, the cutting for the Pyrmont Goods Line which curves around the north of this building dates from about 1911-14 (?) so the Bond store would have been built around then. It also has a faint whiff of the utilitarian 'Federation Free' style architecture seen in other red brick storehouses around the Pyrmont peninsula such as the Royal Edward Victualling Yards.


Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My painting of "Darling Island Bond and Free"
2012 oil on canvas 61 x 51cm
on my french box easel, in Pyrmont Street
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Thermite is a mix of aluminium oxide and another metal oxide (usually iron).
It was used for welding in-place of thick steel sections such as locomotive axle-frames so that the repair can take place without removing the part from where it has been installed.
Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
"Darling Island Bond and Free"
2012 oil on canvas 61 x 51cm
Sold
Enquiries

A thermite weld is spectacular.
Molten metal drops into the mould in a blinding flash.
The still glowing edges are trimmed still glowing and then polished until you can't see the join with the steel rail on either side.
It is a very traditional work process, first patented in the 1890s, but it would still have been the last word in modern technology when 12 Pyrmont Street was first built.
Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Painting 12 Pyrmont st,
from Jones Bay Road 27-12-2012
Enquiries
Rail under stress can easily buckle.
Thermite can be used for quickly cutting or welding steel such as rail tracks, without requiring complex or heavy equipment.
However, thermite welding must be done carefully as defects are often present in such welded junctions.
Also the rails must remain straight, without dipped joints, which can cause wear on high speed and heavy axle load lines.

Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
P271 'Darling Island Bond and Free,
12 Pyrmont street' 2013
oil on canvas 46 x 46cm
Available

Thermite is not technically classed as an explosive, however anyone who's watched a certain early episode of 'Breaking Bad' will appreciate its force and effectiveness!
Back in those days living next door to a Bond store full of thermite would definitely have qualified as living "on the wrong side of the tracks".
Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Painting 12 Pyrmont st,
from Jones Bay Road 27-12-2012

I'm not sure when the "Australian Thermite Company" building became the "Darling Island Bond and Free".
It must have been at least a couple of decades after its construction, as I have seen some unfortunately undated photos which must have been taken after 1916, but before 1948, as they show the empty yard to the east of the original 1904 Power Station building before the second power station was completed in 1951.
The faded letters "Darling Island Bond and Free" can still be just made out on the south and east side of the building.
Plein air oil painting of abandoned derelict 'Darling Island Bond and Free' warehouse, Pyrmont st Pyrmont by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Painting 12 Pyrmont st,
from Jones Bay Road 27-12-2012

I'd like to thank the people who took photos of me while I was painting and sent them to me. Unfortunately their emails bounced and they used nicknames so I don't know how to personally credit them, but I'm grateful as I was far too hot and tired to cross the street to take photos.
I'd also like to thank the occupants of number 14 Pyrmont Street for reviving me with kindness and their excellent coffee while I was painting on an extremely hot day.
I displayed this painting in the Xmas exhibition at the Frances Keevil Gallery
The opening was on Saturday 1st December 2012, from 5-7pm.
The exhibition continued until 31st December 2012
FRANCES KEEVIL GALLERY,
Bay Village, 28-34 Cross Street Double Bay, NSW 2028
Hours M-F 10am-5pm Sat 10 - 4pm Sun 11-4pm
ph/fax: 02 93272475 mob: 0411 821550
info@franceskeevilgallery.com.au
Page of Jane Bennett paintings

For more information see My Pyrmont page in this blog


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