Double A Products Co. (Double A is short for Ann Arbor) was founded in 1934 by Will P. Childs, John W. Childs, Herbert H. Upton and Finley Riggs in Ann Arbor Michigan. They made a variety of small wood and metal working machines, for five & dime stores and Sears. The company moved to a better facility around July 1, 1940. During World War II, Double A produced gun parts for the Government. In 1957, as Double A Products Co., they were acquired by the Hydraulics Division of Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co., best known for their machinist's tools; Double A made a line of hydraulic valves. Double A Products has also been referred to as Double A Engineering.

Double A Products was an early maker of Companion, Dunlap and Craftsman machines for Sears, Roebuck & Co., under model number prefix 109.

There is a Yahoo discussion group for owners of Double A metal working lathes.

Information Sources

• The 1934 Polk's Ann Arbor Directory, page 593, lists "Upton-Riggs & Co Inc Herbert H Upton Pres, Finley B Riggs V-Pres, K E Veck Sec, Harold G Crane Treas..." Harold G. Crane was active in woodworking machinery maker W. B. & H. E. Boice which in 1936 would become Boice-Crane Co.
• 1934 Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record (Volume 54). ""Double A Products Co, Inc., 122 North Fourth, Ann Arbor, to deal in electrical plants. Will P. Childs, 824 Arch st.; 3,000 shares N. P. V."
• 1934 Michigan Investor (Volume 33, page 22). "In preparing for greater business the Double A. Products Co., of Ann Arbor, has taken over the Luick Brothers Lumber Co. building. The company manufactures hand and electric power tools and bench machinery."
• 1935 Polk's Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County Directory, page 216. "Double A Products Co Wm P Childs pres John W Childs v-pres Finley B Riggs sec Herbert H Upton treas power tools 122 N 4th av".
• 1935 issue of Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record (Volume 55, page 65). "...by the Wolverine Wood Products Company in Ann Arbor has been announced by the Double A Products Company, which will use it for storage purposes. After remodelling operations, the latter concern will occupy the structure and eventually will boost its working froce from 25 to 50 men. The Double A company manufactures hand and electric power tools and bench machinery."
• 1974 book, Pictorial History of Ann Arbor, 1824-1974, by J. F. Cocks. Page 95: "To bring power tools, such as saws and drills, within the reach of average householders, Double A Products Company was organized in Ann Arbor in 1934..."
• 1999 Moody's Industrial Manual, page 2848, in a writeup on Brown & Sharpe: "On Jan. 29, 1985, sold Double A Products, Inc., and Co.'s Fluid Power operations to Vickers, Inc."
• According to an online history of Ann Arbor, courtesy of the Ann Arbor District Library, Double A Products Co. was founded in 1934.
• A Double A logo reads, "Double A Products Co. / Manchester, Michigan 48158 / A division of Brown & Sharpe Mfg . Co."
• A page at the Manchester Area Historical Society reports that Double A was acquired by Brown & Sharpe in 1957.
• We have found a single woodworking machinery patent assigned to this company; there are a couple of dozen other patents assigned to Double A, but they are all related to hydraulic valves and related components. The last patent assigned to this firm was granted in 1986.
• More history and machine information can be found at Tony Griffith's Lathe web site.