Thread: Another Sad Day for the Machines

Today I saw a post about a machinery auction that was on today and the Auction started at 10am,
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f253/a...-today-174266/

I read the post at 2pm, 2:30 I arrived at the auction in the hope that there may still have been some unsold items. Unfortunately the auction was all done and dusted. Viewing was at 7am, aution at 10am and items must be removed that day.


Editorial by Edie McGregor
My family first came in contact with this premises in 1941 after the War office relocated the business Wendel Electric Company for war production. The business was established in Coburg by the Wendel brothers and Arch Cawthorne. One by one, each of the four brothers sold Arch their share of the business and he was making battery chargers and electric radios in the Coburg premises. When war production was required, his company was relocated to the Richmond site into a two storey factory with a sales and service area onto the street and a two storey manufacturing building to the rear.
The property had its own story to tell as it’s oddly shaped structure can attest. It was first used to produce mattresses and this was followed by Illford who produced film in long vats in the area we know as the tunnel. This building is ten foot wide and runs the length of the rear yard. The vats were deep and had spools of film soaking in emulsion in the dark. Armature winding was carried out in the top floor.
The building was owned by two sisters when Wendel Electric Company moved there. Over time, one of the sisters sold her share to Arch. He continued to rent the other half from then on. As technology progressed, Arch manufactured operating theatre lights in the post war period and, after a period of ill health, he passed away.

The premises and the business was taken over by Arch’s son-in-law Les Williams in 1977. He continued to make the operating theatre lights along with light engineering and manufacturing as to sample. The items produced at the factory were many and varied as were the treasures unearthed there after Les recently retired. Many an antique vehicle was repaired there and the son of the house was an avid wine collector. The machinery is an exciting collection of pre-computerised and “vintage” variety.
I had the pleasure of working with my brother, Les, during the early 1980’s and we never knew what we would be making or selling next. I learned so much in this time about the use and care of the older machinery whilst I was studying accounting. It has been with mixed feelings that I help prepare for this sale as it is the end of an era and full of nostalgia for me. I have a great love for the building and the equipment and I invite you to share my memories and attend the forthcoming clearing sale.

UNRESERVED AUCTION – CLEARING SALE

SUNDAY 28^th July, 2013 AT 10AM

11 GOODWOOD ST, RICHMOND, 3121

THIS WAREHOUSE IS A TREASURE TROVE FROM EARLY 1900’S

SUIT ENTHUSIASTS, COLLECTORS, ENGINEERS, HORDERS

Please note: limited parking behind police stationin Church St

Early viewing time 7am

[FONT='Times New Roman', serif]Subcontractor onsite with forklift & tilt tray available for quotes to move items[/FONT]

Lathes, Machinery, Tooling and Tools – Nuttal 4 jaw geared head 6ft bed lathe, Taret multi head lathe, Libby Taret lathe x 2, screw press mini lathe, antique treadle lathe, adjustable face grinder milling machine, circled cutter, nibbler junior, hyd mill auto feed, small south bend lathe, The Buttler tool shaper, twin head drill, Qualos horizontal milling machine, electric power hack saw, Sumer Skill surface grinder, Churchill cam grinder, Schaudi cam grinder, radial arm drill, Wickman Surface tool grinder, McPherson small shaper, sheet metal folder, J Heine & Sons metal shears, grinding wheels, Height Verner record pipe bender, Trebel cylindrical piper roller, Hipswell ped drill, Herbet B ped drill, fly press, spot welder, overhead belt driver drill etc., pipe threader, linc welder x 2, linisher, sheet metal cutter, pedestal type reamer, Brown & Sharpe overhead belt driven mill, hyd power pack, valve spring compressor, air compressor, engine stand, vices – large small offset etc, lathe steadies, tool holders of all sorts & sizes, collets, morse tapers, lathe tools, clamps all sorts, machine vices, files, strapping machine, key way cutter, mill cutters varied and many, taping heads, angle plates large small face plates, Honey Well gauges, parallel t slot bars, magnetic table, 3 & 4 jaw chucks, comp fluid pump, arch welders, lathe tables, d/e grinder, adjustable stands, steel wheels and pulleys, various stands, stone dresser, offset vice, Nuttal variable speed box band saw, oxy gauges hoses etc, 3 phase ext. Leads, hundreds of drills, taps, dies, reamers all sorts and sizes, bearing blocks, tool boxes, tin pigeon holes, shelving, nuts, bolts, screws, spray gun, parts draws, wad punchers, old tools, sockets, spanners, chain block, scrap copper brass steel, too many tools & machinery to list go to website for photos.Collectables short list – treadle lathe, Champion new record stationery engine, Bartram Stationery engine, early time clock x 4, early chain saws, beaver fan, timber pigeon holes, workshop and engineering assorted manuals, Champion spark plug cleaner, Vane tune up machine, McPherson charts, kit bag, Styrup pump, CI early hospital light bracket and table cog wheels, CI early jacks, facing swaggers, oilers, early drilling apparatus, shoe last, buggy steps, early spirit lamps, lanterns, tin box, tongs, various tools, early 1900s engineering and hospital benches, first aid boxes, military flame thrower and generator, Victor 18 mower, bikes, CI G Mann & Co London Avery scales, machine ends, fire extinguishers, ring feeder. There is too much to list. This is one of those treasure troves not to be missed.

Go to our website for photos

Please note 7 days for removal. All parking will be tight so be early.

INSPECTION DAY OF SALE FROM 7.00am... STRICTLY PAYMENT AND REMOVAL ON DAY OF SALE ONLY… STRICTLY PAYMENT BY CASH, EFTPOS OR CC (CC FEE 1.5%) ONLY, CHEQUES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED… 15% BP APPLIES TO ALL SALES…