During the 1970s this firm made small home shop machines.

Information Sources

• Ad from June 1980 issue of Workbench, courtesy of Brian Kachadurian.
• Correspondent Pete Marziliano forwarded us the following obituary from the Bakken-Young Funeral Home of River Falls, WI.

  Dorr D. Beale age 91 of River Falls died on Saturday, March 5th at the River Falls Area Hospital. He was born the son of Rupert and Elgia Alice (Wallace) Beale on January 7, 1914 in Gillman, Iowa. Dorr graduated from high school and attended the University of Minnesota where he graduated from the Minneapolis School of Business. On June 18, 1938 he married Arlene Nelson, to this union two children were born, Judith and Kathleen. Dorr worked at a funeral home and sold oriental rugs to put him self through school and support his family in the early years. His first business operation was a small grocery store he operated with his wife, Arlene in downtown Minneapolis. He later began his career in hardware and power tools.

  Dorr was an inventor, designer, businessman, author, and entrepreneur. He designed and patented a line of power tools that became the 5th biggest seller of power tools in the nation—Shop Master, Inc., a line of home tools that were light and convenient. He became the President and ran the company until its merger and later sale in the 1950s. He was one of the creators and founders of the Do-It-Yourself Trade Show concept for hardware professionals and handymen. This first show was in Minneapolis in the early 1950s, and was such a huge success that went on to become a national institution. He later started Rocco Products in the 1960s, a manufacturer of band saw blades and the Royal Norseman Go-Carts. In the 1970s, he emerged with a newer line of power tools called Du-er Tools. After retiring, Dorr did consulting. He is credited with at least 20 patents on inventions of his own making [We have found only two U. S. patents issued to Mr. Beale]. Most notable were the 24” band saw and the Royal Norseman Go-Cart.

  Other projects he worked on prior to their commercial release were: the electric knife, the electric card shuffler, and the folding hand truck. Dorr was the recipient of the Who’s Who of American Business Men for 8 years and various local awards for his contribution to the hardware business and the Minneapolis business community. Dorr and his family moved to Edina, Minnesota in 1950s, when the area was only farm fields. They built their dream home and remained residents of the area until 1997 when they moved to the River Falls, Wisconsin area where Arlene grew up. Dorr’s philosophy in life and business is finding the discipline to maintain a positive attitude. That positive thought process comes through recognition of your own value and capabilities. He is preceded in death by his wife, Arlene and daughter, Judy. Dorr is survived by his daughter, Kathy of Overland Park, Kansas. A private memorial service was held. Arrangements were with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services of River Falls.