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  1. #1
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    Aug 2008
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    Default Unexpected businesses with engineering shops

    Over the years I have seen a number of online auctions and it always striked me how many businesses you never expect to have engineering shops that have engineering shops.

    The latest one was the ABC selling off their engineering gear which comprised of the usual exotic European machines made in the 1950's or 60's. I remember a few years back the wool board selling off their engineering gear. I thought, why would they have engineering equipment.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Sydney
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    Default

    Companies especially govnment ones used to do their own maintnance.
    Back then they they probly even trained the apprentices to do it.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    Western NSW
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    Default

    I did look at the Schaublin 53 mill and although it was a 1959 model it was in great condition with 3 axis DRO, good vice, slotting head and collets. If it had the high speed vertical head I would have been a lot more interested. Put in some bids and it eventually sold for $3100 inclusive, which is still cheap. I think a machinery dealer brought it (judging by the number of things he brought). Would have been a nice machine but did not really add anything to my SHW mill (think improved FP3 Deckel )Plenty of other good machines with little use and excellent condition given their age.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    near Warragul, Victoria
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    3,718

    Default workshops

    Just about all of the State Govt. utilities here had their own workshops and training . The neighbours son did a Fitting Turning apprenticeship with the SEC , he was in the very last intake in the 1990's . The PMG , the Gas and Fuel , Board of works, railways and others all had apprentice training for Fitter/Turner - it's all gone of course . The weather bureau had apprentice training too

  5. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by markgray View Post
    I did look at the Schaublin 53 mill and although it was a 1959 model it was in great condition with 3 axis DRO, good vice, slotting head and collets.
    Makes you wonder why such an expensive machine like a Schaublin and not just a Bridgeport if it was just maintenance work.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  6. #6
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    Mar 2012
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    Western NSW
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by .RC. View Post
    Makes you wonder why such an expensive machine like a Schaublin and not just a Bridgeport if it was just maintenance work.
    They did have a very nice Bridgeport as well. Made about $4000.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Australia
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    645

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by markgray View Post
    I did look at the Schaublin 53 mill and although it was a 1959 model it was in great condition with 3 axis DRO, good vice, slotting head and collets. If it had the high speed vertical head I would have been a lot more interested. Put in some bids and it eventually sold for $3100 inclusive, which is still cheap. I think a machinery dealer brought it (judging by the number of things he brought). Would have been a nice machine but did not really add anything to my SHW mill (think improved FP3 Deckel )Plenty of other good machines with little use and excellent condition given their age.
    Probably a good thing I missed that auction. Can't imagine where I would have fit it.. I have unofficially been toying with the idea of one. As for an improved FP3? I think they call them FP4..

  8. #8
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    Aug 2008
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    near Rockhampton
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    Default

    So what sort of maintenance work would the ABC use them for? Did they have electromechanical devices to repair like PMG would have had?
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Blue Mountains
    Posts
    195

    Default

    Some of my equipment came from a small basement workshop in a university medical school. The workshop was closed down for OH&S reasons, it became a requirement that two people be present when any machine was used. As there was probably only enough work for one person and more than two would be required to cover holidays and sickies etc. it became uneconomic to run the workshop.
    I purchased the equipment by tender and was asked to do some of the quite interesting work for the school as well. There were also two butchers bandsaws available at the same time, they were used to cut up...er...meat, gave those a miss.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
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    654

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by .RC. View Post
    So what sort of maintenance work would the ABC use them for? Did they have electromechanical devices to repair like PMG would have had?
    Think along the lines of Film and TV cameras, turntables, audio and video recorders etc. Largely imported machines, a lot virtually custom made to suit, so for spare parts it was often quicker to make them than to wait months to have them made OS and shipped here. Then there is a lot of custom stuff to fit out OB vans etc, and maintain them.

    Then there was there own R+D sections developing technology and needing to be able to make prototypes etc before moving the design to contractors for mass production to meet their volume needs. Some shows needed working props and items for the production, they would be done in house where possible. The list goes on and on really.

    These days virtually everything they touch is digital, thank somebody that the days of 55Kg mono audio recorder transports with separate 30Kg electronics modules have passed us by.

    Similarly with tertiary institutes, every faculty was expected to maintain research programs and produce concepts and systems that could be proven to work, then sold to industry. I studied Electronics at RMIT in the 70's and as part of our coursework were were exposed to teaching labs full of machinery, including one of the first NC mills imported into Aus, and basic prototyping labs with general basic machine tools. It wasn't till you got to final year and had to complete a research project, or joined the staff, that you discovered that there was a staffed research workshop 2 floors above with some of the sweetest machinery around that you could get access to if your research project led you in that direction, of course they were very wary of letting students touch it, but you could work alongside the experienced operators to fab parts for your project.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    South Australia
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    Default

    Before I did my Cabinet Maker apprenticeship I worked for short time at Carks Shoes ( yes we used to make shoes in Australia) They had a engineering maintenance shop that was better equipped than some dedicated engineering company's and had a fitting and turning apprentice

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Default

    When it was the highways Dept in SA, they had their maintenance/engineering shops with a very large amount of equipment. As metrification come in, it was decided by the bean counters to get rid of all the old imperial tools, taps, dies etc which was sold by auction for something like $750,000 and be replaced by metric equipment.
    Unfortunately, when the first piece of machinery came in for major repairs, it was discovered that the new metric tools didn't fit the imperial bolts and nuts etc, resulting in having to spend approx $4.5 million on replacement.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Oatley NSW
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    69
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    The Wool Board had their own Engineering Department at Yennora, Australian Wool Testing Authority where they had a complete Engineering Workshop and Engineering Department. They designed and built machinery for washing and testing wool samples and grading them. They custom designed their own electrical/electronics and built them onsite using optics in looking at wool fibres, fibre tension etc. I had worked on many projects with them on these special machines but the Authority decided to close the Engineering side down so the whole department went along with the manufacturing.

    Qantas is another example where in-house maintenance and reconditioning of Planes has closed or gone overseas.

    There is not a lot of manufacturing companies left now, all the big places are gone.

    Keith_W.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    It makes you wonder, if ever we had another major conflict in the area, would Australia's industry start up again?
    If all our supply lines were cut to OS supplies, how long would it take us to start being self sufficient from an industrial manufacturing point of view?

    A bit OT I know but it prompted that thought..

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  15. #15
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    Aug 2014
    Location
    North Queensland
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    Default

    A year or so after finishing my F&T apprenticeship I worked in the workshop of the Chemistry Dept at Queensland University for about a year in late 1960s. Employed as a tradesman but classified as a Laboratory assistant. Good size workshop with about five other employees on maintenance of building, plant, fittings etc and constructing apparatus for researchers, lecturers, post grads etc. Could not afford to stay because no overtime and pay increases were yearly increments so starting rates were low in comparison to general engineering firms elsewhere.

    Gerry
    Last edited by Normanby; 26th Feb 2016 at 07:45 AM. Reason: spelling correction

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