Harris Disc Cutting Lathes
These were made by Vic Harris and the badge, if I remember correctly, lists an address in Ashfield NSW. Vic was very well known in radio and hi-fi circles and made some damn fine playback cartridges. The base is made of heavy cast iron.
Nuttall Disc Cutting Lathes
The other brand of Australian-made disc cutting lathe was Nuttall. The Nuttall Lathe Company Pty Ltd produced a small number of disc cutting lathes in the 50s or 60s for the Australian Record Company Ltd, which was later taken over by CBS to become CBS Records Australia. I believe they produced only two or three disc cutting lathes as their core business was producing industrial lathes, many of which are still in use in engineering workshops around Australia today.
I have never seen a Nuttal Lathe although an old friend of mine owned the assets of the Nuttall Lathe Company and he showed me the drawings for the disc cutting lathe. I once sold a Grampian mono cutterhead and custom amplifier to a lawyer who owned a Nuttal lathe. I have never been able to find that lawyer and he is not registered in the state of NSW. I can only imagine his disc cutting business outgrew his law business
