The firm was formed in 1912 as a holding company producing thread cutting tools (taps and dies). The company was founded by Frederick Payne and Frank O. Wells of the Wells Brothers Co.

In 1912 this firm engineered a hostile takeover of Wiley & Russell Manufacturing Co., combining the two large businesses to create the world's largest tap and die firm. They expanded by buying out most of its local competitors and acquiring other firms for their product lines, including Nutter & Barnes Co. in 1913 and F. E. Wells & Son in 1917. The Nutter & Barnes acquisition gave them product lines in metal sawing, sharpening and grinding, and the F. E. Wells & Son gave them "Little Giant" wood and metal lathes.

In 1921 Greenfield Tap & Die simultaneously acquired two makers of grinding machinery: Greenfield Machine Co. and Morgan Grinder Co. Greenfield Tap & Die continued making universal grinders, cylindrical grinders and internal grinders for a few years before discontinuing those lines.

In 1937 Greenfield Tap & Die acquired another Greenfield maker of taps and dies, the Russell Manufacturing Co., which had been founded in 1913 by Whitman Russell and Charles C. Russell.

Beginning in 1958 Greenfield Tap & Die Corp. went through a series of mergers, ownership and organizational changes. The first of these was a merger with United Tool & Drill Corp. to form United-Greenfield Corp. In 1968, United-Greenfield was acquired by conglomerate TRW Inc. The company is still in Greenfield, albeit much smaller, as a subsidiary of Widia.

Please note that hand tools are outside of our scope. If you have questions related to this company, you can contact the Museum of Our Industrial Heritage.

Information Sources

• The information here is courtesy of Albert Shane, curator of Greenfield's Museum of Our Industrial Heritage.
• The Massachusetts corporate registry database lists this company's first registration as 1912-04-01.
• August 1921 Automobile Dealer and Repairer.

  Greenfield Tap and Die Purchases Greenfield Machine Co. and Morgan Grinder Co.

  At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation, held Thursday, June 9th, it was voted to purchase the entire capital stock of the Greenfield Machine Company, Greenfield, Massachusetts, manufacturers of Cylindrical and Universal Grinders, and the Morgan Grinder Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, manufacturers of Internal Grinders.

  The combination of the Morgan Grinder Company and the Greenfield Machine Company, together with the machines now produced by the Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation, will constitute the Machine Division of the Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation.

  The Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation will operate both plants in the present location, although eventually the Worcester plant will be moved to Greenfield.

  The organization of both plants will remain the same:

  The Morgan Grinder Compamny, Ralph I. Morgan, president; L. M. Crittsinger, treasurer; Charles E. Hildreth, general manager. Greenfield Machine Company, E. F. Smith, president; Joseph G. Stevens, treasurer.

• Garage Journal post Oct. 28, 2008 by member lbgradwell.
• Garage Journal post Nov. 13, 2016 by member bob15.
• Russell Manufacturing Co.
  • 1913-08-14 The Iron Trade Review.

    GREENFIELD.—Charles C. and Whitman Russell are to erect a factory on Mill street. It will be of brick, 80 x 125 feet, one story.
    GREENFIELD.—The Russell Mfg. Co. is planning to complete and move into its new plant here about Sept. 15. The company officers are Whitman Russell, president; C. C. Russell, treasurer; and H. J. Smith, superintendent.

  • March 1914 Mill Supplies

    The Russell Manufacturing Co., Greenfield, Mass., which was organized several months ago with Whitman Russell as president, and Charles C. Russell, sales manager, has completed the erection of its new factory in that city; has it equipped with modern machinery for the manufacture of the machine-relieved type of taps and dies and screw plates, and has begun the manufacture of these products. The company states that it expects to be able to begin making shipments soon after March 1st.

  • June 1914 Machinery.

    Screw Plates: Russell Mfg. Co., Greenfield, Mass. To meet the demand for a simple, quick opening die for threading bolts by hand, this company has brought out a quick opening die screw plate. It is similar to the Russell Style B screw plate, except that it may be quickly opened by means of a small lever, thus disengaging the die from the work. This means a considerable savings of time, as when the thread has been cut to the required length the die is opened and lifted off the work. Another recent products of the Russell Mfg. Co. consists of a full mounted screw plate. This plate evolved from the original adjustable die which was invented in 1871. The die may be adjusted to compensate for wear, or to make a tight or loose fit for the bolt and nut, by first loosening two outside binding screws and then adjusting two taper headed screws which control the position of the cutters. After the adjustment has been made, the binding screws are again tightened and the tool is ready for use. The dies in this plate and in all other Russell plates are made double, so that they will cut from either face.

  • 1918-07-27 Automobile Topics, in an article on Government contracts recently awarded, lists both the Greenfield Tap & Die Co. and the Russell Manufacturing Co., both of Greenfield, Mass., for providing taps and dies to the Bureau of Supplies at Accounts of the Navy Department.
  • 1950 Moody's Industrial Manual, in its entry for Greenfield Tap & Die Corp.: "In 1937, acquired the Russell Mfg. Co., Greenfield, Mass."