P. & W. Tool & Die Co., DBA Winkle Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, OH, introduced a small hobbyist lathe in 1955. The lathe was designed by Edward F. Winkle, president of P. & W. Tool and Die Co., for his grandson after a factory tour by the boy. After Winkle found there was a demand for the machines, the company began to mass-produce them. They filed a trademark June 22, 1955 for "Mechanic Maker," applying to "Hobbyists' machine tools — namely, miniature lathes with self-contained electric motor." The first use of the trademark was Feb. 1955.
The lathes were unusual in that they were stamped steel, approximately 19 gauge, 27 inches long, and weighed only 16 pounds. They were for wood, plastic, and soft metals. The company introduced a drill press of the same construction in 1956. The lathe was direct drive and the drill press was belt drive.
Information Sources
- Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, 1956, Pg. TM 17.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer, Mar. 9, 1956, Pg. 31.
- More history and machine information can be found at Tony Griffith's Lathe web site.