This firm began in 1903 as Hazelton & Donald Machine Co. of Philadelphia, makers of a patent table saw for cutting non-ferrous metals. In 1905 that firm was acquired by another company created for the purpose, Hub Machine & Tool Co., headed by B. F. Lare. Hub resumed the manufacturing and sale of their metal table saws, introducing a new, larger model, the No. 2, in early 1907. In 1910 the Hub Machine Welding & Contracting Co. was chartered, with twice the capital of Hub Machine & Tool Co., and took over the older Hub company. plus another related business, Mechanical Manufacturing Co. B. F. Lare remained the president of the replacement Hub firm. The company survived into the 1920s but does not seem to have survived beyond Lare's death in 1925.

Information Sources

• A correspondent reported that he was selling a "watchmakers lathe kick wheel" from this maker. "These rested under the jeweler's bench and ran the lathe via round leather belting." This company's name is cast into the swing arm.
• 1903-07-04 Electrical World and Engineer.

  A Metal Saw Table

  The Acme metal saw table, shown herewith, is the invention of F. D. Hazelton and is being put on the market by Hazelton & Donald, of Philadelphia. It is the result of the inventor's own needs while in the electrical business, and is designed more especially for cutting sheet, rod and tube brass, fibre, hard rubber, printer's furniture, and electrotype plates. It is almost indispensable to instrument makers and electrical manufacturers, being particularly handy for knife switchblade work. The machine occupies a floor space of but 18 x 24 inches, is constructed wholly of metal, and is self contained. One important feature is that the saw arbor is but one inch below the surface of the saw table, thus permitting the use of saws of small diameter and consequently obtaining the greatest power and accuracy. The table swings entirely open and may be set to saw to any desired depth, while the slitting gauge may be adjusted for slitting any width up to 12 inches. The cross-cut gauge will swing either way to any practical angle. An improved device is provided for holding the arbor from turning while attaching or removing the saws. A removable throat plat allows the use of wood cutting saws up to 6 inches in diameter. The saw is now in use by such people as Warner & Swasey, Stanley Electric Manufacturing Company, St. Louis Transit Company and many others, although it has been only a short time on the market. The Garvin Machine Company handle New York business in connection with this specialty.

• The 1904-04-10 American Manufacturer and Iron World.

  The Hazelton & Donald Machine Company, Camden, N. J., has been incorporated to manufacture machinery: capital, $50,000. Incorporators: Frederick Hazelton, James Donald and Andrew Donald.

• 1905-02-25 Hardware.

  Camden, N. N.—Hub Machine & Tool Company, 111 Market Street, has been incorporated. Capital, $50,000. Incorporators, Benjamin F. Lare and William Tietgen of Philadelphia; Frank M. Camp of Lansdowne, Pa., and Lewis Starr, of Woodbury. The company is to manufacture and deal in tools and machinery.

• 1905-10-12 American Machinist.

  The Hazelton & Donald Machine Company of Philadelphia, manufacturer of the "Acme" metal saw table, surface plates, bench tappers, etc., announce the sale of its business and plant to the Hub Machine & Tool Company, of the same city, a new concern, managed by B. F. Lare, for many years manager of the Solomon Machine Company. The new management proposes carrying on the business started by the Hazelton & Donald Machine Company.

• 1905-12-14 American Machinist.

  The Hub Machine & Tool Company, of Philadelphia, Pa., (B. F. Lare, general manager) has leased much larger premises at 621 Cherry street, in that city, and will consolidate there the two plants now at South Sixth street and at Discount Place. With the extended facilities this change will give, this company expects to be able to keep more nearly abreast of its orders for small saw tables and the like.

• The Iron Age Directory from 1905 lists, under milling machine manufacturers, "Hub Machine & Tool Co., 116 S. 6th St., Philadelphia, Pa."
• The 1907-01-31 The Iron Age
• 1907-02-07 The Iron Age.

  A New Acme Metal Saw Table.

  A new motor driven circular saw machine particularly adaptable for accurately cutting sheet brass and copper, brass and copper tubes and rods, fibre, commutator bars, and like materials, known as the Acme metal saw table No. 2, is now built by the Hub Machine & Tool Company, Philadelphia. This machine is larger throughout than the old type saw table which has been on the market for some time. and is made either for belt drive from a line shaft or with contained motor drive. On the machine illustrated a 1-hp. Westinghouse direct connected motor provides the drive, the starting box being conveniently located on the front of the machine, as shown.

  The table top, which swings entirely open, being hinged at the back, is 22 x 24 in. in size. The slitting gauge is adjustable so as to take work up to 12 in. wide. and the cross gauge will swing from 90 decrees either way to practically any angle. The various adjustments can be made to 1/1000 in. Saws up to 10 in. in diameter are used on this machine, attaining a speed of 1500 rev. per min. The center of the saw mandrel is only 1 in. below the surface of the table, thus allowing the use of saw blades of small diameter. The saws may be adjusted to various heights, while a patent holder is provided for removing and replacing them on the arbor. This machine is built wholly of metal and is entirely self-contained. The direct connected machine weighs complete 450 lb.

• 1907-02-07 Manufacturers' Record.

  No. 2 Acme Saw Table

  Users of machine tools and kindred equipment who need metal-sawing devices in their operations will be interested in the accompanying illustration of the No. 2 Acme metal saw table. This machine is constructed wholly of metal. It is entirely self-contained, and occupies 26x30-inch floor space, with a table top 22x24 inches. The table swings entirely open, or may be set to saw any depth desired.

  Slitting gauge may be set from 0 to 12 inches wide.

  Cross-cut gauge will swing from 90 degrees either way to any practical angle.

  Ample bearing for both saw mandrel and countershaft.

  Belt shifting mechanism is simple, convenient and effective.

  A removable throat plate allows saws for woodwork up to six inches.

  Center of saw mandrel only one inch below surface of table, thus allowing use of small diameter saws.

  Patent wrench for holding saw mandrel from turning while attaching or removing saws. Saw are extra. Weight, 160 pounds. Construction of the best workmanship throughout. Also built with motor attached.

  A smaller machine is built to occupy floor space of 18x24 inches, with table top 18x18 inches. Both machines are adapted for sawing brass, copper, fiber, rubber and mother of pearl, but they are not recommended for sawing iron or steel. Many were sold last year, and the United States Government is using them. The Acme saw tables are manufactured by the Hub Machine & Tool Co., 621-623 Cherry street, Philadelphia, Pa.

• December 1907 Modern Machinery lists Hub Machine & Tool Co., Philadelphia, Pa., as a maker of "metal saw tables".
• 1910-03-10 The Iron Age.

  The Hub Machine, Welding & Contracting Company, Philadelphia, has been incorporated under the Pennsylvania laws, with a capital of $100,000. B. F. Lare is president; E. E. Pennock, vice-president, and Robert Morris, secretary and treasurer. The new corporation will absorb the Hub Machine & Tool Company and the Mechanical Mfg. Company, and has taken the entire building at 021 Cherry street, giving it about 20,000 sq. ft. of floor space, devoted to the manufacture of the Acme metal saw table and other tools, electric welding and general machine work. A considerable quantity of additional tools and equipment will be required for the extension of the company’s plant.

• 1910-03-17 Electrical World.

  THE HUB MACHINE WELDING & CONTRACTING COMPANY, of Philadelphia, Pa., has been chartered with a capital stock of $100,000. The new company will take over the Hub Machine & Tool Company and the Mechanical Manufacturing Company, and will manufacture Acme metal saw table and other tools, electric welding and general machine work. The officers are: B. F. Lare, president; E. E. Pennock, vice-president, and Robert Morris, secretary and treasurer.

• The 1911 Iron Age Directory lists Hub Machine Welding & Contracting Co., of 621-623 Cherry St., Philadelphia, as constructing engineers, hydraulic engineers, manufacturing plant engineers, mechanical engineers, machinery dealers, metal band sawing machines, metal cutting saws, tapping machines, aluminum welding, and electric welding.
• Philadelphia: A History of the City and Its People, a Record of 225 Years, Volume 3, by Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer, 1912.

  Among the citizens whom Philadelphia is proud to claim among its native sons is Benjamin F. Lare, the president of the Hub Machine & Tool Company, conducting business at Nos. 621 and 623 Cherry street. He was born on the 27th of February, 1864, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Lare. His paternal grandfather, Joel Lare, was a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and a blacksmith by trade. ...

• The Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled in the December 1914 case of Standard Roller Bearing Co. v. The Hub Machine and Contracting Co., a case involving Standard making ten cycle-car axles for Hub. Hub accepted the axles but then declined to pay, complaining the axles were of inconsistent length and the spring mounting holes were drilled in inconsistent positions. The original court ruling was in favor of Standard but Hub won on appeal.
• Annual Report to Congress of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, 1920, lists "Training agentices: industrial establishments providing vocational rehabilitation training for disabled soldiers, sailors, and marines under direction of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920", including Hub Machine Welding & Construction Co., Philadelphia.
• The 1920 Industrial Directory of Pennsylvania, by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Statistics and Information, lists Hub Machine Welding & Contracting Co., 22d & Race Sts., Philadelphia. They employed 28 males, no females or juveniles. The 28 included 5 office workers.
• Findagrave.com has a listing for Benjamin Franklin Lare, who died 1925-06-25.

  Benjamin attended Friends School until 16, then to Philadelphia. First employed by Keystone Mfg. Co. for 5 years & second Cutler Electric Co. as a machinist, then foreman with Ajax Metal Co. until 1889. In 1889 he became manager of the Solomon Machine Co. until 1903, when he started his own business at 116 S. 6th Street. In 1904 he removed to 621-623 Cherry St. & formed a corporation known as The Hub Machine Welding & Contracting Company. He was elected President of The Hub Machine & Tool Company, 621-623 Cherry Street, Philadelphia. Robert Morris was Secretary & Treasure. They manufacture the Acme metal saw table, the Acme hand tapping machine and the Acme testing set. He established a second plant at 117 W. 51st St., New York City, NY entirely for electric welding.

  He was a republican, a member of 36th Ward Republican Club & the West End Republican Club. He belonged to Stationary Engineers Club, is identified with The Eastern Star Lodge & St. Albins Commandery.

  After the death of Benjamin his wife Matilda moved to California.