Likely gone for good much like the College Engineering ones. When you can buy a fully machined far eastern item for less than the cost of a raw casting I can't see there being much call for them now.

Having said that I don't recall them doing castings for workshop items and can't see them in my paper catalogue that must be 10yrs old.

Edited By JasonB on 08/11/2022 18:39:59

Nothing to stop anyone treating the "sight unseen" items as a project that can be remachined or scraped to whatever accuracy they feel they need. Still cheaper than castings and most of the donkey work has been done for you.

Or buy from a more local supplier who has done the sight seeing for you and supplies items generally upto the job.

Edited By JasonB on 08/11/2022 19:09:09

Yes but what we are all wanting to know now is what were the things that we were never going to make anyway.

Hi, I've now found my copy of Reeves 24th edition, and that has the workshop equipment castings listed, so I guess they must have stopped doing them by the time the 25th edition first came out.

I can't remember exactly, but I think they had some sort of reorganisation of the company when their name changed to Reeves 2000.

Regards Nick.

Name change was around 2000 so fair to say the first print of the 25th edition came out fairly soon after that so possibly not been listing them for 20years

The name change around the year 2000 came about after the business bcame insolvent after change of management following the retirement of the two very active principals, messrs Farmer and Crisp. It was bought out by a firm with, AFAIK, no previous direct link with model engineering.

Having visited Reeves in both of its guises, the current operation seems on a rather smaller scale than its predecessor, the premises has more the atmosphere of a retail shop than the previous "hands on" atmosphere. Although still a major supplier, it seems that their range of products has reduced, possibly in line with demand.

I have only dealt with the Reeves 2000 company. I used to call in, unannounced, on the way home from the East Midlands before I retired. Now days I deal with them through their website although I did collect some castings from them last Fedruary. The business appeared not to have changed except for a dedicated car park.

They have allways been welcoming and efficient (you have to expect delays when ordering popular castings). It is very obvious that most of their business is done through the internet but they will use the phone instead of email. They are not cheap and other firms sell some similar castings for considerably less money (so much so that I question their valuation of stock)

I receive promotional emails from Reeves and it appears they are trying to reduce the stock of less popular items. My gut feeling is that the demand for workshop tooling castings is very low.

JA

I have just received the latest promotional email from Reeves. They are moving to a small industrial estate two and a half miles from their present site.

They say for more details just call or email them.

JA

I suspect it is the same in many of the 'traditional' hobbies which boomed in the 1960s and 70s, began changing in the 80s and 90s, and have now changed quite radically, in much the same way as in the club you mention.

I used to deal quite often with Reeves, prior to their demise. I have never really dealt with Reeves 2000 so can't comment on their offerings.

Marcus

It must be over thirty years ago now when I was working and staying in Coventry. Then the 'old' Reeves was based at Marston Green so it was not much trouble to visit the premises to purchase any materials that I needed. At the trade counter I received excellent service and advice from some very affable and helpful staff and my requirements were always immediately available. However, on more than one occasion, when it was no longer convenient to visit the Reeves premises, I used, or tried to use, their mail order service. After a wait of literally weeks for the deliveries I resorted to the local metal merchant and sourced my material over the counter. I never did put any more custom the 'old' Reeves' way and was not surprised when the original firm failed if this was the level of service it was providing to its mail order customers. I have never used the 'new' incarnation of the company so cannot comment on its products or services.

Funnily enough, I bought an Iron base casting for a GHT rear toolpost and drawing included some considerable time ago and recently made a start on that project, partly because of the need for something to write about in the club newsletter and partly for convenience, rather than keep messing about getting parting tool aligned in the front QCTP. Included with my Reeves order, were the 2 castings for the multi station tailstock Turret, also included drawing. Not touched them yet. I notice that project is available elsewhere, completely made up with what looks like a ground finish and for what I thought was a good price, given the amount of work involved. A now deceased club member once said I could spend my life making tools to make other tools and never get around to what you really want to make.

If that's what floats your boat options are to cut from solid, fabricate or make your own patterns and get castings done. No different really to those of us that like making models of subjects where castings are not available.

If the number of people that like making tools from castings was high enough I'm sure the likes of Reeves and College engineering would still be happy to provide castings. On the other hand if they are a slow selling item and sit on the shelf for a long time then it's not really viable for the suppliers to continue to keep these in stock.