Founded in Jan. 1887 by a group of ten local business men, Dake Engine Co., the company got started by manufacturing a double reciprocating, square piston steam engine. Early on, the company began to specialize in marine equipment such as steam-powered steering gear, anchor windlasses, capstans, and hoists.
After WWII, the with the demand for steam powered engines and marine equipment declining, the company began to focus on manufacturing large presses, again mostly used in ship yards.
In 1985, Dake purchased Kysor International of Cadillac, Michigan and acquired their line of Johnson band saws, and then expanded their line to include both horizontal and vertical band saws, followed by other machine tools including cold saws and drill presses.
Information Sources:
- The Company Web Site has a History Section where much of the information above was acquired.
- American Steam Engine Builders: 1800-1900 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2006 page73
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=19992
- A one-page article describing the Dake engine is available under the entry for Phelps Machine Co. of Eastman, QC, which in 896 acquired the rights to the engine for the Canadian market.