Tony

If you haven't already seen it, there is some info in the archive at lathes.co.uk.

Mike

Hey,

I know it’s been a while, but did you find anything?

i am in the same shoe and was wondering if you gathered anything and wouldn’t mind sharing.
I’ve got a 20” horizontal and a vertical as well.

many help would be awesome.
Greg

Greg,

You don't give any clue as to the age of your kit, but if it's really old, this publication has lots of words and pictures.

Link to VintageMachinery.org

It looks to be more geared towards publicity than operating instructions etc, but interesting, nevertheless, I thought. Covers a couple of grinding machines, too.

John

Hello . I was interested in the posts on the early Archdale Milling machine .

I did my apprenticeship with James Archdale at their works at Blackpole just outside Worcester city centre . I was there from late 1957 through to 1961 . At that time the workforce was about 1200 and a full range of both milling machines and radial and heavy duty drilling machines was in production along with various special purpose machining lines for the motor industry . . The Company was a fairly recent acquisition by the Staveley Machine Tool Group and two of the Archdale brothers – Mr Fred and Mr. Jim – were still in charge. They both made regular trips through the works and never missed a thing !.

Some time after probably during the 1960s The Staveley Group moved all the standard machines – the milling and radial drills etc up to Asquith`s works in Halifax , leaving Archdales in Worcester with the special purpose motor industry machines . The Worcester works finally closed in 1972 . I don`t recall when the original Birmingham works in Ledsham Street closed . The Worcester works was largely of post-war construction and two things that I remember was the line of I think 14 or so Genovoise jig boring machines – this was at a time when a jig borer , especially a Genovise , was something of a rarity on any shop floor, let alone 14 of them !

The other thing I remember was most of the works floor was faced with wood blocks – certainly in the machine and fitting / assembly areas . This was a – easier on the feet of the works personnel and b of course , prevented any damage to any tool or machined component dropped on the floor. Again unusual .

I have a few very old Archdale catalogues, if the original enquirer can post a photograph of his machine I will see what I can find . For many years Archdales fitted a small plate with the serial number and possibly the catalogue number to each machine .

Some years ago I had need for some information or a drawing for a machine part and I eventually traced the drawings to a company called J . H. Shand Ltd. also a member of the Staveley Group , down in Axminster , Devon, only to be told that all the remaining Archdale material had been burnt not long before as being of no further use or interest ! In very recent years even the Worcester works has now been demolished and re- developed – A sad end to what probably was, in its day, one of the finest machine tool manufacturing facilities anywhere.

MARK RIGG

BRIDGNORTH

Thanks for the history of Archdale Mark.

I have an Archdale radial arm drill circa 1921 which I bought from a factory closure sale in Birmingham. Great machine, pleasure to use with all the controls to hand.

It was in a store room partially buried. I bought the complete room and and demolished a wall to get it out selling most of the other contents of the room. I recruited 2 scrap men with a useful Hiab lorry to get it home and as we were gently pushing the drill through the factory delicatley balanced a pallet truck we were constantly heckled by people wanting to buy it, lots had looked at it but were more cautious than me about buying it and getting it out of the room.

Peter

If you need to be sure that your 10mm cutter doesn't cause problems then you should use a proper milling machine