Thread: JS Richardson, Sterling Machinery and Pexeme

Seems Quasimodo is also curious (an old thread here)

Always hard to find John, I have been collecting information on Woodworking machinery for a while now and the rarest as far as my searching and availability goes is on Australian machinery companies, I just don't come by it all that often, and the amazing thing is there were an incredible amount of manufactures say from the 30s right through to the 70s and they were the best time for manufacturing in Australia.
I have some good information on some of the Melbourne makers such as Wolfenden and L.S.Barker, but, for instance, New South Wales maker Thornley still eludes me.
I Recall there was a Richardson company in Melbourne that specialized in Blowers and dust extraction, wether there was a connection I could not say.

I'll keep looking.

Melbourne Matty.

Have to agree with you Matty - there were a large number of makers, with very little documentation. Those JS Richardson drill presses must have been the mainstay of Australian manufacturing - they are probably the most prolific (along with Waldown, now Brobo Waldown).

I believe Richardson (blower manufacturers) they are now part of Flakt Woods. Not sure if they were ever associated with JS Richardson (drill press). They made the most beautiful (to my eyes at least) cast iron housing centrifugal blowers. I think the model 1 1/2D was about 6" or 8" and the 2D about 8" or 12" inlet/outlets, and a VB4 even bigger still. One of these is definitely on my hit list.

I'm sure they were made in Melbourne, as you said, but also in New Zealand.
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Regards
John

Originally Posted by jcge

They made the most beautiful (to my eyes at least) cast iron housing centrifugal blowers. I think the model 1 1/2D was about 6" or 8" and the 2D about 8" or 12" inlet/outlets, and a VB4 even bigger still. One of these is definitely on my hit list.

Regards
John

John I would have to agree with you also, I have a couple of Richardson 2D blowers hidden away, and I don't know why, I just keep finding them, they are such a good looking item and can be worked to move serious volumes of air, I do also have the small 1 1/2D and I am in the process of setting up decent dust extraction on my four sided moulder, the Premo you may remember.
The small richardson 1 1/2D I have is also set up with a direct drive motor, the other 2D blowers are belt drive with 3 belts, 7 HP is the go for the 2D and 3 HP would be the minimum for the 8 inch 1 1/2D.
Same again I have no catalogs on Richardson Blowers, and this is a Catalog I would love to find for sure....

Melbourne Matty.

Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970

I am in the process of setting up decent dust extraction on my four sided moulder, the Premo you may remember.

That will be a sight - looking forward to seeing pics Matty.