Machinist - A true craftsman 1926 - Side by Side

by Mike Savad

Title

Machinist - A true craftsman 1926 - Side by Side

Artist

Mike Savad

Medium

Photograph - Hand Colored Photo

Description

Hand colored photo from 1926
Original title: J. E. Reuter Instrument Making Shop
Photographer: Unknown
Location: Arlington, VA

J.E. Reuter is pictured here at work in the instrument shop at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory (F.N.R.L.).

Established in 1919 at American University under the leadership of Arthur B. Lamb, the F.N.R.L. was originally part of the War Department. It succeeded various wartime efforts to secure a domestic supply of nitrate compounds, which were essential for manufacturing explosives during World War I. With a staff of around 110, including 35 to 50 chemists, the lab focused on the development and production of products derived from atmospheric nitrogen, such as munitions and fertilizers.

In the machine shop, Reuter would have crafted specialized instruments, equipment, and components required for the lab's research. He likely worked on precision parts used in experimental reactors, chemical processing equipment, and instruments for measuring chemical reactions. His work would have been integral to the creation of machines designed for the synthesis of nitrogen compounds, supporting both the lab's industrial production needs and its scientific experiments.

Coloring notes:
He makes small parts for small things so all his tools are small. I think he was making a brass stopper that a hose fit into, and I think he's cutting knurls into the side. The background has a building of some kind, that's why there is no sky.

Uploaded

September 27th, 2024

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