In the latter part of the 20th century, Wohlnip Products, Inc., of East Orange, NJ, made a bench drill press. This seems to have been a short-lived diversion from their main business of making machine tooling such as collets and drill stops.

Sometime between 1970 and '72, Wohlnip Products became Precision Slides & Machines, Inc. of Trenton, NJ. This firm is no longer in business.

Information Sources

• 1940 Catalog of Copyright Entries lists "Nipken, Walter, Newark, N. J." Answer to your problem. © Sept. 19, 1940 AA 347676. 41225".
• 1941-09-26 Reno Gazette-Journal: "Walter Nipken, tool engineer at Air Associates, Inc., Bendix, N. J., today identified Karl Reuper, machinist in the plant which makes airplane equipment, as leader of a spy ring which has sent to Germany important American defense secrets. Nipken was a witness at the trial of Reuper and fifteen others charged with espionage conspiracy. Nipken, German-born and naturalized in 1926, informed the FBI of Reuper's activities early in January, the day after Reuper had asked him last January 4 to give blue prints and drawings to Germany..."
• 1953 issue of Mechanical Engineering: "Drilling Tool Accessories—The Wohlnip Engineering Co. has released two bulletins on its products. The Wohlnip Non-Rotating Drill Stop, for controlling the depth of drilled holes, is illustrated in one bulletin. Available sizes are listed, with prices."
• 1957 Oranges Directory lists "Nipken Walter pres Wohlnip Products Inc 634 Central av h at Irvington".
• 1960 issue of Machinery: "Drill Stops—Wohlnip Products, Inc., East Orange, N. J. Bulletin No. 110 giving a description of the company's precision Micro Drill Stops. They are used on drill presses, radial drills, lathes, turret lathes, hand and automatic screw machines, and boring machines."
• 1961 Oranges Directory lists, under Engineers, "Wohlnip-Products 634 Central av EO". Also listed at that address are John Hoffman (machinery dealer) and Hollywood Theatres (motion pictures). Elsewhere in the directory are "Huerda Zofia v pres Wohlnip Products Inc 634 Central av EO r at NY"; "Nipken Tania Mrs sec and treas Wohlnip Products Inc 634 Central av EO r (4E) 158 S Harrison EO"; "[Nipken] Walter (Tania) pres Wohlnip Products Inc 634 Central av EO h (4E) 158 S Harrison EO".
• 1962 issue of Manufacturing Engineering and Management lists Wohlnip Products, Inc., as makers of collets.
• 1970 issue of Manufacturing Engineering & Management mentions Wohlnip cross roller slides.
• 1970 issue of American Machinist: "Adjustable drillhead operates at high speed—The Wohlnip two-spindle high-speed adjustable drillhead Model 2-250 can operate at constant running speeds up to 8000 rpm, according to its maker. The drillheads are lightweight,..."
• 1970 issue of Automotive Industries: "High Speed Adjustable Drill Head—The Wohlnip Model 2-250 high speed, 2- spindle adjustable drill head is guaranteed operable at constant running speeds of 8,000 rpm. It is adaptable to standard drill..."
• 1970
• 1972 issue of Machine Design. "Slide Assemblies—Precision cross-roller slides, dovetail and ball-slide assemblies, cross-roller linear bearings, and building block components are described in this 16-page bulletin. Features, dimensions and specifications are given. Bulletin 1971. Precision Slides & Machines Inc., Three Kulick Rd., Fairfield, N. J. 07006".
• "Wohlnip" is likely composed of parts of two surnames. The "nip" part is from Walter Nipken, company president between at least 1957 until at least 1963. We have not been able to identify the contributor of the "Wohl" part; one of several candidates is Karl E. Wohlers, listed in the 1957 Orange Directory as a mechanical engineer.
• The 1961 Oranges Directory listed above names Mrs. Tania Nipken as the secretary and treasurer of Wohlnip Products, Inc. These directory listings are the only mentions of Tania Nipken we can find. In 1946, Walter Nipken married Eleanor Reidy. Walter Nipken was granted several patent, and Eleanor Nipken was co-inventor on a 1956 patent. We have not found death records for any of Walter, Eleanor or Tania, and we have not been able to determine the relationships between them other than the marriage of Walter and Eleanor. One possibility is that Eleanor Nipken went by the nickname "Tania".