Welcome, Tradesmen!
To the men and women who who work with their hands, who strive through hard work, skill and devotion to make this a better country. We applaud and thank you! Hall of fame: honoring the people behind the tools that changed our lives. Tradesmen and contractors today enjoy almost unlimited choices of tools and equipment, but it wasn't always this way. Only a generation or so ago, the tools used in construction and in many other types of work were restricted to relatively few options. When a carpenter or mason arrived on the job, he generally carried every tool he needed or owned--in one toolbox. That's not to say those tools were primitive or that workers were under-equipped for the jobs at hand. The tool-making segment of the hardware industry in America was well-established 50 and even 100 years ago, but mainly it produced tools based on traditional, time-tested designs. New ideas developed slowly, one tool at a time. Individuals, not R&D departments, exercised their creative impulses both inside and outside the manufacturing centers. Often, when a tradesman saw a need for some specialized tool, he would get help from a local metal shop or fabricate it himself. Self-reliance was the order of the day, the tools were simpler in design, and the materials used to make them were readily available.Inventors and inventions abounded. Of course, not every great idea stands the test of time--many of those early, one-of-a-kind tools never got much further than their inventors' toolboxes. But some of those inventions earned their keep on the job, claimed their place in history, and are still helping tradesmen earn a living today. The TOOLS OF THE TRADE. Hall of Fame celebrates the original thinkers whose vision, creativity, and persistence brought those ideas into the world, helping to make our work easier, more satisfying, and more productive. Steve Wilson, Engineer responsible for the development of the Paslode SK 312, a milestone in pneumatic nail drivers. Every once in a while, a design or invention comes along that changes everything--the way work gets done, the way the competition follows instead of leads, the designs of future products from that point forward.
Get involved with NBTf today!
|  John Ratzenberger's Tinkering Days Across America
Plant the seeds of discovery and invention at John Ratzenberger's Tinkering Days. Participants will imagine, build, fix and create inspired by some of America's best manufacturers, machinists, tradesmen, technical programs and more! NBTF is in the planning stages for John Ratzenberger's Tinkering Days. Check back soon! | |
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For Tradesmen 
