Benjamin E. Jarvis, Inc. began manufacturing a 12-inch belt-driven motorized bandsaw in 1922, which makes it one of the very earliest motorized home-shop bandsaws. (J. D. Wallace Co. introduced a 14-inch direct-drive bandsaw in 1920.) Benjamin E. Jarvis and Leonard C. Lotz received a 1924 patent for the motor mounting used in the saw. By 1928 both Jarvis and Wallace had added 16-inch models to their respective bandsaw lineups.
In 1928, their sales agent was Walls Sales Corp., makers of the pioneering Hormel-Wagner Simplex belt grinders.
Information Sources
- A couple of Kindt-Collins Co. catalogs from the 1920s show a 'Motor-Driven Bench Saw': a 12-inch bandsaw. The accompanying illustration shows a label, 'Jarvis Bench Saw Patent Pending'. The bandsaw in the Kindt-Collins catalog is a close match to one in the patent granted to Jarvis and Lotz, both of New Jersey.
- Thanks to Robert Bernstein for bringing this maker to our attention. He reports that the bandsaw is shown in Kindt-Collins catalogs G and H, and not in K.
- Thanks to Allen Laughlin for posting excellent pictures of his saw, including the label that has the maker's name.