Scully Ark found in Warehouse

[Anavein]

Well long time Lurker 1st time caller.............

Down in OZ here, Have been cruzin around for years doing my homework in the back ground & gathering intell & now I would like to share a story of The Lost Ark of Scully.

Just when you thought there were no more treasures to be found in tombs or caves, I've uncovered a large crate that has had 1 x 601 Scully Lathe sitting upside down in it for the last 10+ years....... You could imagine my concern when I saw it upside down... but apart from 1 little ding, it appeared to be ok. A little rust here & there but nothing CRC & a sledge hammer wont fix.!!! On assembly most of the system seemed to be there apart from a tub for the motor (which we rescued from the Scrap Merchant! thanks Levi) & a control panel (which I'm still chasing). The Grail on top was a Westrex 3DllA head which looks to be in great condition & checks out on testing. The system is far from cutting but the grand plan is to do a complete strip down & rebuild to its former glory. I will however get it spinning first. I'll try & include photos along the way as there are only so many out there in web land.

I am also tracking down the history of this lathe ATM so will let you know how I go with that.....

As for a cutting amp, well you wouldn't believe it but it just so happens that there was a VG66 setup in the same warehouse, in need of a rebuild but at least its a start. Missing the HK66 limiters, 1 x 24v power supply module and a few blank covers, amongst other little things.

Trying to find any manuals/schematics on the VG66 setup & also anything for the Scully/Westrex setup , would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all the OG cats out there who have helped along the way so far, Mega Mike, Sillitoe, Aussie0zborn, black belt, Len & Jacob Horowitz without your help & support something like this is a very daunting project.

And a huge thanks to everyone on this forum for the wealth of knowledge that's here, years of reading and still finding more. As time goes on and more of the knowledge is lost its great to know everyone is playing there part in keeping the art alive for the kids of tomorrow!

PEACE

Corey

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[symatic]

wow what a find! good luck with your rebuild!

[Anavein]

Thanks Si

Much the same boat as your presto all those years ago!!!!!!
Which is looking really awesome btw.............nice seeing it come together

[MEGAMIKE]

the rumours were true..all these years...
good job corey cant wait to help

however is it possible that there is another?? I dont believe franks story that he scapped it in 1991

[Anavein]

Yeah just took awhile to release it from the disk spirits..........

Well that is possible as the history behind this machine so far looks like there were 2 lathes original bought together with consecutive s/n 532 & 531 direct from Scully Machine Company in the 1940's.

So from what I've found so far, it was at Macquarie Auditorium Phillip street Sydney(which was fitted out originally by 2GB radio to record performances there) from the 1940's - 1970 when they sold all there equipment due to closing down.

Early in 1970 Martin Erdman of Du Monde Records bought the entire contents of the recording room from radio station 2GB, which was used to record live broadcasts from the Macquarie Auditorium, which were cut direct to disc. The lot included three racks of valve amplifiers, limiters and equalisers, two disc-cutting lathes and two huge speaker cabinets fitted with Goodman drivers.
Since he was short of cash, Martin made a "ridiculously low" bid of $500, but as it turned out his was the only offer, and he acquired the whole lot.
By 1973 Martin had closed his Ramsgate Studio to join Festival records as a staff producer.

It then ended up at Festival records for a short time as a Mono setup running haeco mono tube gear and a westrex 2b/haeco head. It was in the Dubbing room cutting all the 45 singles.

It then re appeared at Demo Disk in Petersham Sydney in the early 80's, Demo disc was a rehearsal room space, small lathe and press setup.

Around 2005 the lathe was sold to a chap here in Perth that had the intent to setup a Pro studio that never eventuated.

There were also 2 Scully lathes at The Australian Record Company( Later CBS )one mono with the 2B/RA1574A and the other stereo with the 3C/3D and the later 7027A output amplifiers.

Thanks heaps to Mike, Rick, Wazz & Richard for all the help in compiling this history.

So long story short Mega.......there could be a sequel to the Lost Ark of Scully!!!!

[Aussie0zborn]

Demo Disc Studios in Sydney was a rehearsal studio complex with disc cutting and a flexi-disc press.
Stampers were made in a bath tub. Silvering of the lacquer was done in a dish by agitation and no spray gun.

Demo Disc had a Neumann AM32B with Westrex 3DIIA head and Westrex valve amps and I believe this came out of Radio 2GB. I bought this when they closed around 1982-1983. As I later bought two better Neumann lathes, this one was no longer used and I lost the head, sold the amps and some years later sold the lathe too, to a Korean guy who bought about nine Neumann lathes from AU. He sold eight of them to Korea for use as audiophile turntables. This guy also had five Lyrec turntable motors in his garage for many years and couldn't sell them until one guy bought three and in the following week another two guys bought the other two.

Demo Disc also had a Neumann AM131 with mono head and amp which was sold to the late Noel McMillan who owned the Vintage Records label in Sydney. Noel re-issued 78rpm disc recordings on LP compilations which we pressed for him. Because there was no digital de-clicking back then, the albums contained all the clicks and pops from the original 78rpm shellac pressings so we used 100% recycled vinyl. We liked Noel.

There was also a mono Scully at Demo Disc at one time as you correctly pointed out. The real kicker here is that the former owner of Demo Disc found a Scully lathe and I saw it at his place around 2009. As the base was too heavy to carry up the stairs to his place, he left it behind and only took the lathe which he sat on a table in his apartment. He sold it via Ebay to someone in Perth for AUD $5,000. I see you have a Scully base so I don't think this is the same lathe. I'm thinking there is another Scully somewhere in Perth so maybe the hunt is not over yet.

The late Martin Clarke of Clarion Records had a VMS62 Special that he later sold to Festival Records. They dumped it when they bought the VMS66. They scrapped these lathes when they bought a VMS70 and VMS80 at the same time. The VMS70 went to Korea and the VMS80 to the UK where it's still in use now. Why don't you contact Martin Erdman and see if he has any leads?

Independent production companies such as Grace Gibson Radio Productions in Sydney also had a Neumann lathe which ended up with an old fellow in my neighbourhood. I never went to see it but ten years later I asked him about it - he sold it to two young guys around 1997 who took it and never came back to pay for it!! He kept the Lyrec motor until they came back with the money but it never happened.

CBS did have Scully lathes but they also had two lathes made in Australia by the Nuttal Lathe Co. Nuttal made metal turning lathes and was commissioned by CBS' predecessor Australian Record Company to make two disc cutting lathes. I've seen the blueprints and the guy who took over the assets of Nuttall offered to give them to me 25 years ago but I declined. Last time I saw him, he said he wouldn't be able to find them after all these years. The saving grace is that I sold the mono valve cutting amp that came with my Presto 6N to a lawyer in 1987 who had one of these Nuttal lathes. Maybe it will show up one day?

As for what happened to Noel's AM131 lathe, nobody knows. Noel was a bachelor and has since passed on.

Good luck in your search. Keep looking - there's always something out there.

[Anavein]

Quick Mega start the Car......the sequels about to begin!!!!!!!!!!!HAAHA

Wow... old school plating with baths & dishes, who needs million dollar setups, I luv that idea!!! Now we just need to find a press

I wonder what ever happened to the Westrex amps, did they end up in Korea too?

Your not wrong about the base 250kg....pure American muscle, they even filled the later models with river sand to stop the motor resonance.

Did ya mate have the black Scully table, front Scully fascia, stand, motor & pullies, or did he leave all that behind too & just had the lathe unit itself???

Unfortunately Martin has passed away a few years ago, although I have been in contact with his label so maybe something in the future.

Fingers crossed for the AM131, as ya say Oz, never say never !

[Aussie0zborn]

Hey Corey, all I recall was him having it on a table and him saying that he couldn't take the base because of the stairs to his apartment.

Just got a call from my Korean friend... he tells me he bought a VMS70 (no amps or head) from Perth 10-15 years ago and ofcourse shipped it to Korea. How did we miss that?

[Anavein]

HA... I couldn't get it off the trailer let alone up stairs.....


VMS70...???..........wow, I wonder were that was?

Talking to an old Tech the other day & he seems to remember a guy in Leederville who made a copy of a Neumann lathe & had a genuine SX head fitted to it?
I wonder were that ended up?

I think we need to book a flight to Korea, or is that a boat?

[Anavein]

Had the sledge hammer out freeing some rusted parts!!!

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[Sillitoe]

Awesome Corey!
Thanks for having me round today!!!
This system has found its ideal home.
So good watching how fast you’re bringing it back to life with the attention to detail and respect to heritage it deserves.

Brilliant!!!

[MEGAMIKE]

Great work..make it shine

and martin clarke,s 6n is still here .his first lathe

[Anavein]

Awesome Corey!
Thanks for having me round today!!!
This system has found its ideal home.
So good watching how fast you’re bringing it back to life with the attention to detail and respect to heritage it deserves.

Brilliant!!!

Thanks James.......ME CASA SU CASA !!!!!!

What a time warp hey, I got lost somewhere in between the space time of cogs!......All the secret puzzles are aligning.

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[Anavein]

Great work..make it shine

Thanks Mega

I'm keeping all the rust that's been removed........ to sacrifice to the Scuuuuul Gods!!!!!!!!!!!!

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and martin clarke,s 6n is still here .his first lathe

We'll have to summon all our 6N's then for a Vic Damon séance!!!