If you're into this sort of thing and in the Northeast, the American Precision Museum in Windsor, VT is worth a visit. Among other things, they have Bridgeport

If you're into this sort of thing and in the Northeast, the American Precision Museum in Windsor, VT is worth a visit. Among other things, they have Bridgeport milking machine number 1. A lot of the original work in precision manufacturing was in the arms industry. Interchangeable parts in rifles were a huge deal when they came about: no longer did you need a skilled gunsmith to individually fettle replacement parts when a gun needed repair, you could swap one worn part for another in less time and closer to the action.