History of Welding?

[BrokenTrack]

After downloading the handbook on welding on another thread(thanks !), I started thinking on a related topic.
Does anyone have any links to any related topics on the very early histories of welding?
I bet it will be some interesting reading material.

This is not a clickable link, but a good read on early welding is "R.G. LeTourneau: Mover of Men and Mountains".

In world war one, he had learned about electric motors, and welding, and really embraced welding wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before it was accepted (think rivets in his era). At one point late in life he tried to find one of his earliest machines still in operation, and found one that he built when he was so poor, he had to steal his wife's brass curtain rods from brazing wire! His wife recognized the welds!

But it is an all around good book too because it was about building tractors...and we all LOVE tractors. He is believed to be the man who invented the modern day bulldozer, and of course the haulpac truck, so he built some massive machines.

 

[Big Barn]

This is not a clickable link, but a good read on early welding is "R.G. LeTourneau: Mover of Men and Mountains".

In world war one, he had learned about electric motors, and welding, and really embraced welding wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before it was accepted (think rivets in his era). At one point late in life he tried to find one of his earliest machines still in operation, and found one that he built when he was so poor, he had to steal his wife's brass curtain rods from brazing wire! His wife recognized the welds!

But it is an all around good book too because it was about building tractors...and we all LOVE tractors. He is believed to be the man who invented the modern day bulldozer, and of course the haulpac truck, so he built some massive machines.

That is a GREAT book. I’m pretty sure I don’t own a copy.

Maybe someone lent it to me long ago, I don’t recall.....