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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum - definitely worth a visit

    Happened to be in Lithgow (NSW) a few days ago, and visited the Lithgow Small Arms Factory museum.
    https://www.lithgowsafmuseum.org.au/

    It would have to be one of the most interesting museums I've been to, and I think anyone with an interest in Australian history, firearms or metalwork/machining would enjoy it.

    As well as the museum itself, for those who are interested you can also go out to the workshop where they have a collection of some of the machines that were used in the factory. A couple of the volunteers are retired toolmakers from the factory, and will happily show you around the machines.
    Some of the less common ones were:
    • a single point barrel rifling machine with a tiny shaped cutter that was pulled through the barrel as it was turned to create the helical rifling, and automatically retracted and indexed for the next cut
    • An early NC Bridgeport mill controlled by punched tape
    • A Cochrane-Bly vertical miller-shaper - with a milling head and a shaper/slotter head permanently mounted.


    Unfortunately I was so busy talking to the guy and looking at the machines I didn't get any photos, but here's a couple that my wife took.





    3 sizes of drill presses….



    Multi spindle drill, with a vibrating tumbler for deburring to the left



    Nice little Herbert turret lathe








    And this beautiful little lathe.
    The cross slide etc appears to all be ground. No maker/brand markings on it that I could see.



    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Katoomba NSW
    Posts
    209

    Default

    I live half an hour from Lithgow but I've never been to the museum. I'm putting it on the todo list.
    Built: a Bench,a Desk,an Archery Display,

    Those were the droids I was looking for.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    SA
    Posts
    11

    Default

    Heading there in a couple of weeks, looking forward to the visit.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    N.W.Tasmania
    Posts
    1,407

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by S.W View Post
    Heading there in a couple of weeks, looking forward to the visit.
    It might pay to check their opening hours. In years past I have tried twice to do a tour, only to find that they were not open on the day. I don't go that way much any more since both my parents passed, - they live at O'Connell, just out of Bathurst, which was between 30 and 45 minutes away, but I do hope to make it one day, as the reports all seem pretty good.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default

    Here’s a link to the opening hours etc.

    https://www.lithgowsafmuseum.org.au/visitorinfo.html

    Steve

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Does the Small Arms factory Museum stand alone or is the current Military Ammunition manufacturing facility close by?

    Just curious
    Grahame

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default

    The museum is in one of the buildings on the main SAF site.
    I know that they are still manufacturing sporting rifles on site under the Lithgow Arms brand but don’t know anything about the ammunition side.

    Steve

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