This firm made "The Lumberman" jointers.
Similar/identical jointers to those with the Bend Iron Works logos show up (more commonly) with
Palmer D. Weeks tags (we understand this connection, see below), as well as those labeled
Jaro Industries, Inc. jointer Model 216; see
this owwm.org discussion. This connection, which is based primarily on the fact that both sport identical fences, is still mysterious. We would very much like to understand this better.
According to information discovered through correspondence with the Des Chutes Historical Museum.
The Bend Iron Works was in business from 1916 to 1956 and was located at 300 Scott and 2nd Street. They did cast parts for woodwork machinery as per the 1952 ad. In 1956 Hank Pyzdrowski of Bend Iron Works was hired to demolish the Shevlin-Hixon Mill burners. Assisting was powderman Ed Eastman. In 1957 Bend Iron Works became Central Oregon Iron Works and Bend Steel Production with Hank Pyzdrowski as president of Bend Steel Products. The new company no longer produced machinery for woodworking.
In the October 17, 1946 issue of The Bend Bulletin we learned:
Iron Works due for Expansion
Construction of a 36 by 100 foot addition to the Bend Iron Works on Scott street to increase the capacity of the plant was announced today.
The firm plans to expand in the machinery manufacturing business and one order already placed calls for 1,200 jointers made of aluminum. Sawmill machinery is to make up a large part of the output of the expanded plant.
The new addition will house a machine shop in which finishing of the jointer and other machinery will be done. The new structure being built of concrete blocks by R.P. Syverson, Bend contractor, adjoins the large brick building of the iron works on the Scott street side.
Son Joins Firm
The firm, which has been operating in Bend since April 1, 1916, is owned by Charles J. Dugan and his son, Charles, both of whom are active in the management and operation of the business. A large part of the company’s business since it was started has been with sawmill machinery, although it has served much of the midstate area with all types of foundry and metal work.
At the present time a payroll of 20 persons is maintained and at least six more will be required in the new addition.
The contract for production of jointers is with Palmer Weeks, of Portland, and sales and orders for the machine have moved far ahead of production, which has been contracted with other firms as well as in Bend.
Information Sources
- We learned of this maker from a discussion in an owwm.org forum.
- Digital archives of The Oregonian newspaper (Portland, OR).
- digital archives of the Bend Bulletin (Bend, OR).
- Correspondence with curators of the Des Chutes Historical Museum