Jeffco Lathes

I've seen mention around the forums that there's still a few out there. Anyone got some photo's?

Jeffco lathes, made by Jeffress Bros. Ltd. Machine tool manufacturers, Northgate Rd, Northgate, Brisbane, Queensland.

An advertisement confirming the lathe is produced by Jeffress: 11 Dec 1951 - Advertising - Trove

Jeffress Bro. were going to make the butt ugly JB Minor car:
25 Apr 1949 - THE FIRST BIG NEWS OF THE FAIR - Trove

I know of one in Rockhampton. I saw it from a distance at a local establishment.

I have come across two. One is, at a guess, about 18" swing and about a 5 foot B/C. The faceplate in the photo is 16" diameter. It is capable of swinging about 27" (from memory) in the gap. The other was much older, probably twenties or thirties, and quite a bit bigger - flat belt drive, maybe 20" swing and maybe 10 or 12 feet between centres.The dimensions of the older one are just guesswork. It was about 20 years ago when I saw it.

I've attached a few photos of the smaller one. I would guess its age to be just prior to WW2 or possibly 40s or early fifties.This one has 3 step Vee pulleys on the motor and gearbox drive and a three speed gearbox, giving nine speeds - I assume this was the standard arrangement. I am aware of several others of this model which were still in use about ten years ago when I took these photos. At least one of them was being restored at the time.

Frank

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Originally Posted by .RC.

I know of one in Rockhampton. I saw it from a distance at a local establishment.

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Make sure yer got the box browny with ya next time. :U

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Originally Posted by franco

I have come across two. One is, at a guess, about 18" swing and about a 5 foot B/C. The faceplate in the photo is 16" diameter. It is capable of swinging about 27" (from memory) in the gap.....

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Thanks for the piccys. :cool:

In the Trove pictorial advertisments I've seen that closely resemble the lathe in your piccys it is called the Model 9-48.
If the Trove adverts are any guide the lathe was only made in the early 1950's

06 Apr 1952 - Advertising - Trove

My father has one of these Jeffco lathes under his house in Murwillumbah (NSW). It is still is reasonable condition considering its age. It has a seven horsepower three phase motor driving through an infinitely variable speed cone pulley arrangement. The speed is adjusted by rotating a hand wheel below the headstock. It is very rigidly constructed and the spindle runs on tapered roller bearings. It can easily take cuts 1/8" (3mm) deep at a time, during one careless mishap it snapped cleanly a one inch (25mm) square high speed steel tool bit. If anyone is interested I will take and upload some photos of it.
Ricco.

Is this "Jeffco" the same crowd who would have made my "Jeffwood" Thicknesser at about the same time? Early 50s-60s

Sure is. We also made planers, bandsaws, twin mitre saws, disc sanders, double borers, butchers meat saws
fo Henry Berry. Also made dough mixers.

Cream in did you work there or were affiliated in some way? A short write up sure would be appreciated as there probably isn't any better place for the story.

Creambun, could you please change your location to a Town or Suburb and State PLEASE, it makes it easier if you are chasing an item or require a hand with something.
Some Members won't bother answering if they don't know your location, either.
Welcome to a Top Forum too.
Kryn

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Originally Posted by caskwarrior

Cream in did you work there or were affiliated in some way? A short write up sure would be appreciated as there probably isn't any better place for the story.

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I started working at Jeffress Bros in Northgate in 1969. Early 2000’s when after a takeover a few years earlier, by nephew and nieces and a name change to Jeffress Eng. they closed up shop and moved to Adelaide.
The Jeffco lathes were a little bit before my time.