"National Power Tools" was a brand name for small machines made by the National Woodenware Co. of St. Thomas, Ontario. Their 4" jointer and 8" tablesaw were sold in Canadian Tire stores and other retailers in the 1960s and '70s. By the mid-1970s the woodworking machinery part of the business had been purchased by George Boyce. With large orders in hand from Canadian Tire and Sears, he expanded the business but got into financial difficulty. The assets were acquired by Erie Iron Works, a maker of wheelbarrows, fertilizer spreaders and the like. Thus far we have not seen any woodworking machines carrying the name of Erie Iron Works. In any event, that firm disappeared during the 1980s.

The National Power Tools line, and National Woodenware Co., are both long dead. There is a company called Canadian Woodenware Co. in St. Thomas, but it is an unrelated business. (An owwm.org discussion has quite a bit of information on Canadian Woodenware Co. and their lineshaft-driven factory populated with Canadian-made woodworking machines.)

Do you have more information?

I am especially interested in woodworking machinery manufacturers from Ontario, so if you have any information on relevant woodworking machinery companies and products, I strongly urge you to contact the Historian.

Information Sources

• A new-in-box jointer says that the company had been in business for over 30 years. The box also had a Canadian Tire Corp. decal. A correspondent reports visiting the factory sometime around 1982-1987.
• An 8" tablesaw is labeled, "National Power Tools / National Woodenware Co. Ltd. / St. Thomas, Ontario". A 4" jointer is reported with identical labeling.
• The 1916 Vernon's St. Thomas City Directory lists "Canadian Woodenware Co. A. J. Voege mgr, Gravel rd". Also listed is "Canada Wood Products Co (W F Thomas), 406 Talbot", and "National Woodenware Co, H C Thomas, 406 Talbot".
• The 1917 Vernon's St. Thomas City Directory lists "Canadian Woodenware Co., The, A J Voege mgr, fcty 5 New". Also listed is "Canada Wood Products Co, 406 Talbot", and "National Woodenware Co (H C Thomas), 406 Talbot".
• The 1919 Vernon's St. Thomas City Directory lists "Canadian Woodenware Co. August J Voege mgr, 5 New". Also listed is "Canada Wood Products Co, W F Thomas, prop, 406 Talbot", and "National Woodenware Co, 406 Talbot".
• The 1922 Vernon's St. Thomas City Directory lists "Canadian Woodenware Co. August J Voege prop, New". Also listed is "National Woodenware Co, H C Thomas, mgr, 406 Talbot".
• Miscellaneous Wood Industries, a 1962 publication from Canada's Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Industry and Merchandising Division, lists "Canadian Woodenware Co. (The), 5 New St., St. Thomas".
• The 1967 edition of Thomas Food Industry Register mentions National Woodenware Co., Ltd., 150 Edward, St. Thomas, as a maker of brooms and whisks.
• Thanks to the current owner of Canadian Woodenware Co. for confirming that his firm is unrelated to National Woodenware Co.
• Correspondent Steve Thomas sent us the following message.

  I worked at National power tools in the mid 1970s, and the company was completely separate from National Woodenwares by that time. A man named George Boyce had purchased the business, and on the strength of a few large orders from Canadian Tire and Sears, he started a large expansion and investment in new equipment, and moved the factory into a larger building further west on Edward street. The company went broke soon after, and was sold to, and absorbed by Erie Iron Works, which is now also gone.

  Canadian Woodenwares is my tenant. I own the building. I am not sure when the name of the name of the business was changed from National Woodenwares to Canadian Woodenwares but it was before the current owner purchased the business, and probably in the 1970s. Anyway, he is well aware of the businesses history in as much as he has several examples of advertising and products manufactured there when operating as National Woodenwares. It has operated continuously making wooden products at 5 New street at least since 1916. The current owner would have no knowledge that the business had ever been linked to power tool manufacturing, and I didn't know for sure, since I have never seen documentary evidence linking the two similar named companies, although I did suspect it. Jeff's label with both companies names on it would be proof.

  Anyway there must have been some confusion when the Jeff was talking to Hessel, the current owner. While the business has changed hands several times down through the years, and changed names at least once, it has been at 5 New Street for nearly 100 years.