People think Britain doesn't build anything

Olderisbetter · Feb 11, 2018

Britain does need promoting properly, It is amazing how much it really dose, I know it did more but things change and we need to stay at the cutting edge of it.

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

bricol said:
At the moment, the company I work for has the largest number of employees it's ever had in it's close to hundred year history, never mind all the temps! We've had to extend the canteen, the parking, twice, and take back the ex-foundry we sold 20 yrs ago. Hundreds of our suppliers are busy up and down the entire country. I can't get anything made quick from our normal supplier base as they are so busy. We struggle to get machinists, fitters, designers, mechanical and electrical. We take on apprentices every year - you would have seen some of them on one of the Breakfast TV programmes last year as they prepared for WorldSkills. We export all over the place - from Russia, to China, Japan, the US (I'm off there next week to commision a machine and train operators), Australia, Colombia (that was an interesting trip), Cambodia, Vietnam, Nigeria (even more interesting trip!) . . .

But we are hidden down a dead end road, other side of railway, between a canal and river . . . so in driving past on the main road, you'd never know we are here. So I don't quite agree we don't make anything. The UK makes an awful lot that is relevant for today in todays world.

Well said and nice to hear. I just can't understand these people who love to bash Britain and it's achievements!

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

After reading another post I came across the name Belzona - I had forgotten about them. Actually a British company with locations worldwide. They make a vast range of epoxies and polymers etc.

ronan · Feb 11, 2018

fizzy said:
Nice to see Colchester are still the World's biggest lathe company - and all the parts still made here!

Do they have a special shop where they put the nasty noises in the headstocks :scared:

Richard. · Feb 11, 2018

ronan said:
Do they have a special shop where they put the nasty noises in the headstocks

Its out back where they keep the hammers and chisels. :laughing:

RichardM · Feb 11, 2018

Manufacturing has changed, instead of making lots of basic products, we now make higher value added products.

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

ronan said:
Do they have a special shop where they put the nasty noises in the headstocks

I suspect a hard working life and lack of lube has a lot to do with that.
The Chinese and Indians buy up all our old machines. A 50 yr old Colchester is still better than the new Chinese lathes!

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

Oh and they buy up every Jones and Shipman 540 surface grinder they can find. I know because we ship loads of them. Have to keep telling people to drain the hydraulic fluid!

ronan · Feb 11, 2018

fizzy said:
Oh and they buy up every Jones and Shipman 540 surface grinder they can find. I know because we ship loads of them. Have to keep telling people to drain the hydraulic fluid!

I am looking for one of those, narrowly missed one last week, in good nick too.

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

ronan said:
I am looking for one of those, narrowly missed one last week, in good nick too.

I have just been watching some Youtube videos - now I want one ggrrrr! I will be good though and get other projects out of the way first!

They can be shipped through a pallet network -we do it all the time - but have to be packed right and probably too heavy for a tail lift.

They also buy myfords - apparently pretty good!

ronan · Feb 11, 2018

fizzy said:
I have just been watching some Youtube videos - now I want one ggrrrr! I will be good though and get other projects out of the way first!

BUT BUT BUT, you can use the grinder to work on those other projects !

Olderisbetter · Feb 11, 2018

fizzy said:
I suspect a hard working life and lack of lube has a lot to do with that.
The Chinese and Indians buy up all our old machines. A 50 yr old Colchester is still better than the new Chinese lathes!

I worked for a comany that traded in used macines 30 years ago and all the lathes and classy old hard wearing machines went to India, They would fill containers with anything they could get, Sad that so much stuff was exported...

fizzy · Feb 11, 2018

Olderisbetter said:
I worked for a comany that traded in used macines 30 years ago and all the lathes and classy old hard wearing machines went to India, They would fill containers with anything they could get, Sad that so much stuff was exported...

They are still doing it - we have 5 or 6 regular customers who we collect these machines for and then consolidate into containers. No wonder they are getting harder to find! Plenty went to the USA as well.

I am still amazed that Colchester and Harrison lathes are still the best selling in the World!

mcostello · Feb 12, 2018

Got a 15" X 50" in the shop right now.

fizzy · Feb 12, 2018

mcostello said:
Got a 15" X 50" in the shop right now.

Is it badged as a Clausing?
In fairness Yanks used to make some stunning lathes as well - although I think Bridgeports are over rated.

eternal optimist · Feb 12, 2018

RichardM said:
Manufacturing has changed, instead of making lots of basic products, we now make higher value added products.

We also assemble a lot of stuff. The supply chain has become more spread out with sub assemblies being shipped all over the place before the final item gets built up.

johnny7 · Feb 12, 2018

I've worked in a heavy foundry for the last 39 years, We were BSC until 1984 when the government sold us for peanuts to an almost bankrupt company (Firth BRown), Whil;st we were BSC, A casting could be in the fettling shop for uppards of two years, Now from the patterns coming in to the foundry to the casting being loaded for delivery can be three months!!, We produce a heck of a lot more with much lezz manpower!!

Some of the stuff we make :thumbup:

This is around 560 tonnes of molten steel going in to one sand mold, There's five ladles (Two hanging from cranes and three on stands) and another top up ladle comes in later to fill the heads to the top :thumbup:

Cutting heds off with a 3' HiLo oxy propane cutter and an oxy lance..

Another multi ladle cast, This pic was taken by a proper photographer and is much better than my earlier one which was taken on my phone!!

Cheers, John :waving:

Olderisbetter · Feb 12, 2018

johnny7 said:
I've worked in a heavy foundry for the last 39 years, We were BSC until 1984 when the government sold us for peanuts to an almost bankrupt company (Firth BRown), Whil;st we were BSC, A casting could be in the fettling shop for uppards of two years, Now from the patterns coming in to the foundry to the casting being loaded for delivery can be three months!!, We produce a heck of a lot more with much lezz manpower!!

Some of the stuff we make

This is around 560 tonnes of molten steel going in to one sand mold, There's five ladles (Two hanging from cranes and three on stands) and another top up ladle comes in later to fill the heads to the top

Cutting heds off with a 3' HiLo oxy propane cutter and an oxy lance..

Another multi ladle cast, This pic was taken by a proper photographer and is much better than my earlier one which was taken on my phone!!

Cheers, John

Batter than some art i have seen, Britain at its best.

fizzy · Feb 12, 2018

johnny7 said:
I've worked in a heavy foundry for the last 39 years, We were BSC until 1984 when the government sold us for peanuts to an almost bankrupt company (Firth BRown), Whil;st we were BSC, A casting could be in the fettling shop for uppards of two years, Now from the patterns coming in to the foundry to the casting being loaded for delivery can be three months!!, We produce a heck of a lot more with much lezz manpower!!

Some of the stuff we make

This is around 560 tonnes of molten steel going in to one sand mold, There's five ladles (Two hanging from cranes and three on stands) and another top up ladle comes in later to fill the heads to the top

Cutting heds off with a 3' HiLo oxy propane cutter and an oxy lance..

Another multi ladle cast, This pic was taken by a proper photographer and is much better than my earlier one which was taken on my phone!!

Cheers, John

Fantadtic stuff - but of course Britain makes nothing any more!
That is proper old engineering there.
Yes productivity has increased enormously. I remember my mate's father saying how a nighshift would deliberately break a coil of steel so they would be sent home. Then they wonder where the jobs have gone.

Robotstar5 · Feb 14, 2018

johnny7 said:
I've worked in a heavy foundry for the last 39 years, We were BSC until 1984 when the government sold us for peanuts to an almost bankrupt company (Firth BRown), Whil;st we were BSC, A casting could be in the fettling shop for uppards of two years, Now from the patterns coming in to the foundry to the casting being loaded for delivery can be three months!!, We produce a heck of a lot more with much lezz manpower!!

Some of the stuff we make

Cheers, John

That's some satellite dish :laughing:

People think Britain doesn't build anything

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