This maker of woodworking machinery is known to have been active in the late 1950s, and likely for quite a few years before that as well. Their manufacturing facilities and product lines were reportedly acquired by Jos. Poitras & Sons Ltd., with Continental Machinery continuing as a dealer. Continental's 15-inch bandsaw seems to have ended up in the hands of General Manufacturing Co. of Drummondville, QC, as the General model 190 is identical to the Continental bandsaw of that size.

Information Sources

• We have made a concerted effort to find more information on this maker, but have little to show for it. Either they did not do much promotion or their promotion was in French-language periodicals that are not available to us (Canadian French-language newspapers and magazines are not nearly as readily available online as their English-language counterparts).
• A Photo Index entry says that the company was established in 1947 and the manufacturing facilities sold to Poitras in 1953. These dates are consistent with our other evidence to date.
• August 1953 "Canadian Forest Industries: "Continental Machinery Co.. 1364 Notre Dame St. W., Montreal. Que." There is a similar listing in a 1958 issue of Canada Lumberman.
• From postings to oldwwmachines mailing list discussing a planer from this firm. The planer has flat leather belt drive, which implies that is is probably pre-World War II.
• Numerous for-sale listings of 18" or 19" bandsaws. We have not found any period ads, catalogs or manuals that tell us how Continental characterized this saw. Several features of the saw evolved over the years, including both the frame and the wheel covers. Their 15" bandsaw seems to be much less common and we suspect it was introduced only shortly before that product was acquired by General.
• We have seen on online for-sale ad for a 1" shaper from Continental. The seller said that Continental was bought by Poitras.