The titular Hutchinson was Mackintosh Hutchinson, a woodworking machinery inventor who moved from Toronto to Philadelphia in the early-to-mid 1920s. From that time until at least 1949 his firm made a variety of woodworking machinery, especially combination machines aimed at the construction trade.
A 1930 price list provides a list of products made, including the
Beaver "portable" combination machine, available with electric or gasoline motors, and mounted on either stand or a trailer; the
Speed Marvel combination machine, bigger and heavier than the Beaver, available with or without a jointer; the
Handy Hutch tablesaw, available with optional 4-inch or 6-inch jointer;
Speed Marvel 16-inch bandsaw;
Speed Marvel jointer, in 4-inch and 6-inch versions; the
Practical Bench Saw, available with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 HP motors, with the 1/2 HP version being available with optional 4-inch or 6-inch jointer; the
Speed Marvel Shaper with 5/8-inch spindle and 3/4 to 1½ HP motor;
Ever-Ready Combination Woodworker, the most complete version including tablesaw, shaper, 6-inch jointer, 14-inch bandsaw, hollow chisel mortiser, and 36-inch lathe, all powered by a 1/2 HP motor. The various Ever-Ready units were each available as a separate machine, e.g., a 14-inch Ever-Ready bandsaw.
Information Sources
- The June 1926 issue of Building Age and National Builder lists pamphlets available on woodworking machinery, including three from Hutchinson:
- Don't Let Dollars Slip Through Your Fingers. Folder 6 pp. Illus. Describes Speed Marvel Worker.
- Bench Jointers. Folder. 4 pp. Illus. Presents Speed Marvel 4" and 6" jointers.
- Beaver. 4 pp. Illus. The same issue carried an ad for their "Speed Marvel" combination machine.
- A 1930/1931 Porter-Cable catalog shows two products ("The Beaver" and "Ever-Ready") from this company, although it's not clear what the relationship was between P-C and Hutchinson. 1931, 1933, and 1934 catalogs added additional products.
- Ad in 1949 issue of Hitchcock's "Wood Working Digest" features Hutchinson's new "Speed Marvel 8-inch jointer", with 60" tables and new improved 36" fence.
- Undated brochure for "The Beaver / 'World's Greatest Little Woodworker / Hutchinson Machinery Co. / 18 South Seventh Street / Philadelphia, Pa." A foldout pages shows construction details and gives the price: $365. The back page shows the "Speed Marvel" radial saw.