Denbigh Fly Press

[is9582]

We still used inches when that thing was made. Goodness knows what has happened since then with that sleeve insert.

Sounds like you will be drilling/tapping out the retaining bolt. ironically perhaps, that means you really will need to ream out the hole afterwards. If a tool galls its way into that hole, it will get stuck like it's been welded.

Good luck!

Right. Here I was thinking I had the answer. lol. I hadn’t remembered to consider the timing of when this flypress was made (which I haven’t really ever found any details for the years Denbigh actively made fly presses, and mine is a bit odd, in that it has a F. J. Edwards Ltd nameplate attached. But I could read and see the remnants of it saying “The Denbigh”, along with their logo or symbol just below the words on both sides. Perhaps this machine was a second, if they even did that sort of thing back in those days?), and the inch to metric changeover there. Man, to have been a fly on the wall, to know what all has transpired with this old piece of iron.

I certainly appreciate you driving home the reason why one would need to follow any operation that could/would create a remnant burr! I think opening up the sleeve, to allow the lock screw to physically contact the tooling shank, is an operation I hope to avoid. It feels like the end results might be fraught with peril. I will however, absolutely obtain a precision reamer, if I do go down that pathway.

Cheers
Lee

 

[Screwdriver]

I believe they were built under license. FJEdwards is a very good name!

Chances are the "Denbigh" is a model name and of course embedded in the casting. One assumes there weren't that many places casting giant forms like this towards the end of the industrial revolution. F.J.Edwards would probably be more like a reseller though one imagines they would probably also assemble and certify their various products to ensure quality.

Back in the days when a brand really meant something....

 

[Seadog]

F. J. Edwards - Graces Guide

 

[Screwdriver]

F. J. Edwards - Graces Guide

So how close do you think my guesswork is? Were they a reseller, manufacturer, assembly sort of company? One assumes at some stage they must have had their own casting abilities. I have had a few items from them with their name cast right into the frame....

 

[Seadog]

I've no idea. There seems to be little info on them on the net.
There were so many companies that were just resellers.

 

[Seadog]

Edwards British Machine Tools | Westermans

Quality, British made machine tools by FJ Edwards. Used equipment available for delivery Worldwide, click for current availability.

www.westermans.com

 

[is9582]

Interesting. I tried to search for a connection, wondering if one company was the source for both Denbigh and F. J. Edwards Ltd, but couldn’t find anything on my own. I came across a photo of one other flypress recently, that had the fully intact The Denbigh and also had the same or similar Edwards badge.

Just another few photos of my #4 Flypress. The first photo (hopefully) shows how there are remaining evidence of “The Denbigh” with the mentioned logo just below. This naming or simply text, seemed to have been removed, or attempted to remove by someone, prior to my recent purchase. That was the main reason I wondered if this unit either didn’t meet the company’s standards, meaning a second, or if removed by an owner, was removed for some unknown reason. There was some material partially covering some of this area, which I had no way to tell if that was just crude from the century or intentionally trying to obscure what was below. The material was almost like a filler, not totally dissimilar from bondo (sp?) from the 1970s / 1980s, used to fill dents and such on auto bodies.

Many Old machines seem to have so many stories they could tell. If only.

Lee