Back when we made our own stuff; Curtis Mathes Plant 1961.

[Glenn Waters]

Here are some very awesome photos from my collection.

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[freakaftr8]

There's that european looking bezel again! Looks like the CRT's mounted from the outside of the cabinet! What a trip! Anyone remember seeing one of these units?

[jr_tech]

The speaker placement in the first picture is rather unusual.... wonder what the designers had in mind?

jr

[DaveWM]

I wonder what became of all that fabricating machinery?

[Glenn Waters]

Here some more awesome stuff from the past at Curtis Mathes in Texas!

[Phototone]

Having shot thousands of factory photos (I am an industrial photographer) I can with certainty say that those photos of the assembly lines of cabinets and finished units are "set up" photos, to look good for the photographer, and not exactly what you would see if work was actually being done. In general there would be lots more space between units but that would not look so "organized" for the photo.

[Eric H]

I don't see my set in any of these. maybe it's a 1960 model, but it's still cool that some of these people shown probably had a hand in building it!

[Glenn Waters]

Hi Phototone,
You are correct; I am certain that the photos were made to make the plant and assembly lines look as awesome as possible. Staging was a Curtis Mathes specialty. When I worked for the company we took great pains and setting up each showroom to the setting of each console under the correct lighting etc. Even the companies history was stretched in the catalogue.

[wa2ise]

I doubt OSHA would allow the use of this machine in an American factory today. Looks somewhat dangerous. And the big wheel on the right with belts could catch wayward hands and take fingers off... Though it looks to have some safety features, like two push buttons to make the user use both hands to enable the machine to punch the sheet of metal. Thus making sure no hands get punched.