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Waldemar Design and Machine LLC (WDM)

Manufacturer: Waldemar Design and Machine LLC (WDM)
Location: Spencer, TN
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Waldemar Design and Machine LLC (WDM) is a manufacturing company that is a specialized builder of plate and angle roll bending machines in Tennessee. In the late 1960s the company started inside a small 24x28-foot concrete block farm shop in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1975, WDM moved to Lebanon, Pennsylvania. During this period, it manufactured products such as sawmill equipment and RV frames. In the 1980s, the business relocated to Liberty, Kentucky, where it began focusing heavily on roll bending machines. In 1989, WDM officially began its specialized production and design of plate roll-bending and angle-rolling machines. Again, in 2015, Operations were moved to Spencer, Tennessee, which serves as the current home base.

Owatonna Tool Co. (OTC Tools)

Manufacturer: Owatonna Tool Co. (OTC Tools)
Location: Owatonna, MN
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Owatonna Tool Co. began in the 1930's by Godfrey Kaplan, who operated a small machine shop. Kaplan's son Rueben, invented and patented the "Grip-O-Matic" universal gear puller. By 1934, they were selling a variety of mechanic's tools to farmers and service stations. During WWII, the company expanded considerably, providing tools for the war effort. In 1950, they began working in ultra-high-pressure fluid power technology that launched the company onto the track of hydraulic presses and power packs. At some point in the hisotry of the company, they simplified their name to OTC Tools. In 1985, OTC Tools was accquired by Sealed Power Corp., later renamed to SPX Corp. In December 2012 SPX was purchased by Robert Bosch GmbH and OTC became part of their Bosch Automotive Service Solutions division.

Pneu-Power Press Co.

Manufacturer: Pneu-Power Press Co.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Pneu-Power Press Co. was founded in Buffalo, New York, where they specialized in pneumatic power and cut-off presses utilized in roll forming and tube/pipe processing. In 1981, the company was acquired by Michigan Roll Form, Inc. Within three months of the acquisition, the entire Pneu-Power Press manufacturing operation was moved from Buffalo, New York, to Michigan Roll Form's plant in Grand Haven, Michigan.Legacy.

Hempel

Manufacturer: Hempel
Location: Nürnberg, Bavaria
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Hempel is a former manufacturer of of automatic turning lathes that since 2009 is further led by the French company Hempel Machines CNC.

The company was founded in 1950 and had to file for bankruptcy in 1993 when HWM Holzdrehtechnik took over the succession and the product range.

Information Sources:

Hempel on thehoechsmann website where more information can be found

Elk River Machine Co. (ERMC)

Manufacturer: Elk River Machine Co. (ERMC)
Location: Elk River, MN
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Elk River Machine Company was founded in 1952 and has developed and manufactured machines and tools to improve production methods and meet special problems in a range of fabricating industries, including press brakes and shears. The first COMBO press brake and shear was developed in 1966.

The distinctive COMBO character and basic engineering principle are protected under U.S. Patent No. 3616525

Criterion Machine Works

Manufacturer: Criterion Machine Works
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Criterion Machine Works was established in 1935 as a job shop in Beverly Hills, California, initially producing parts for multiple industries as well as the movie industry. Over the decades, it grew into a supplier of precision tooling, specializing in modular boring systems, boring heads, bars, and tools designed to improve machining productivity.

Headquartered for many years in Costa Mesa, California, the company surrived for more than 75-year. In June 2013, Allied Machine & Engineering acquired Criterion Machine Works and subsequently transitioned its manufacturing operations to Dover, Ohio, integrating Criterion's product line into its broader offerings for hole-finishing and precision machining.

Bley Press Co.

Manufacturer: Bley Press Co.
Location: Elk Grove Village, IL
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Bley Press Co. was a manufacturer of arbor and hydraulic presses located in Elk Grove Village, IL.

American Pullmax Co., Inc.

Manufacturer: American Pullmax Co., Inc.
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

American Pullmax Company, Inc. was a manufacturer and distributor of specialized metal fabrication machinery based in Chicago, Illinois. The company is best known for introducing and manufacturing the Pullmax reciprocating sheet-metal cutting and forming machines to the North American market.

The reciprocating metal-cutting technology was patented in 1938. The first Pullmax machines were produced in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1939 by AB Elektrosvets (later renamed Pullmax AB). To meet heavy industrial demand following World War II, the Swedish parent firm established Pullmax Inc. in 1947 as a dedicated U.S. sales arm. At this time, seeking to expand beyond importing, the American Pullmax Company set up a major manufacturing and assembly presence in Chicago, Illinois.

Information Sources

More information on the history of American Pullmax can be found on the Company Website

Gimson & Co.

Manufacturer: Gimson & Co.
Location: Leicester, England
Country: U.K.
Manufacturer Type: Steam and Gas Engines

History:

In the early 1840s Benjamin Gimson and Josiah Gimson of Leicester established Gimson & Co. as a foundry and machinery business. The business became insolvent in 1847 but was able to resume operations. At some point after 1840 they took over the existing Vulcan Works in Leicester, and then in 1878 they moved to new works, Vulcan Foundry, the new works being larger and with better rail access.

Leicester housed several footwear manufacturers and the Gimson firm built boot and shoe machinery for that market. They also manufactured steam engines, which was a large portion of their business at one time but the boot and shoe machinery began to dominate.

In 1896 the business was reorganized as a private company, with directors all being members of the Gimson family. In the early 20th century they had a short-lived venture into the manufacture of commercial trucks. Lifts (elevators) would prove to be a better market for Gimson & Co. In 1930 a subsidiary business, the Gimson Shoe Machinery Co., was acquired by the British United Shoe Machinery Co., and the remaining part of the business specialized in lifts and in heavy engineering. Now known as Gimson Engineering Ltd., they specialize in lift engineering and repair.

Information Sources

Wikipedia entry for Gimson and Company.
Grace's Guide entry for Gimson and Co.

Mackies (1921) Ltd.; Mackies Engineering Co.

Manufacturer: Mackies (1921) Ltd.; Mackies Engineering Co.
Location: Bristol
Country: U.K.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History:

In 1921 Mackies (1921) Ltd. was established to manufacture woodworking and metalworking machinery among other products. Their product line encompassed planers, jointers, saw benches, bandsaws, power hacksaws, grinders, and polishers. The company's factory was the Kingswood Hill Works

By 1938 the Kingswood Hill Works were being operated by Mackies Engineering Co. and were still making woodworking machinery. The company continued under this name until the late 1950s when it disappears from the records.

Information Sources

A 1921 issue of The Fruit Grower lists "Mackies (1921) Ltd., Spraying Machine Mfrs., Kingswood Hill Works, Bristol."
June 1925 Indian and Eastern Engineer page xxvii has a 1/4 page display ad from "MackieS (1921) Ltd. / Kingswood Hill Works, Bristol, England". There is an illustration of a hand jointer. "Manufacturers of sawmill machinery.... planing machines, saw benches, rack saw benches, band saw machines, hack-saw machines, grinders, polishers".
Snippet from a 1938 issue of Journal of the Bath and West and Southern Counties Society, page 104: "...only one was present for demonstration. This was the Horse-drawn Strawson "Kikado" Charlock Destroyer, entered by Mackies Engineering Company, Kingswood Hill, Bristol. The
February 1939 The Timber Trades Directory lists this firm in the category of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers: "Mackies Engineering Co., Kingswoodhill, Kingswood (Bristol)."
1950 The London Directory and International Register of Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Shippers lists under woodworking machinery makers in Bristol, "Mackies Engineering Co. Kingswood Hill Works, Kingswood T. N. 73636".
1955 Farm Mechanization Directory lists "Mackies Engineering Co., Kingswood Hill Works, Bristol" as a maker of pumps and sprayers, and of a "30-inch dia. saw, belt driven."
A video from Vintage Iron UK includes a brief look at a pedestal grinder from Mackies Engineering Co.

A. J. Kirkwood & Co.

Manufacturer: A. J. Kirkwood & Co.
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History:

A. J. Kirkwood & Co. was a machinery dealer that traced its roots back to 1858. In 1875 the dealer C. L. Rice & Co. changed ownership and the name became T. S. & A. J. Kirkwood, after brothers Thomas S. Kirkwood and Arthur J. Kirkwood. In 1885 Thomas retired from the business and the name changed to A. J. Kirkwood & Co. In 1892 the business was acquired by the big Boston machinery dealer, Hill, Clarke & Co.

We do not normally list dealers in our Manufacturers Index, but we do list A. J. Kirkwood & Co. because we have seen a wood planer with that company name cast into it. This planer was almost certainly manufactured by someone else and sold by Kirkwood as part of a house brand line.

Information Sources

1886 book History of Chicago: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Volume III, by Alfred Theodore Andreas, page 487, in the section on machinery manufacturers.

A. J. Kirkwood & Co.—This house is not only on e of the oldest dealers in machinery in Chicago, but anywhere in the West. It was founded, in 1858, by George W. Dunbar, who established himself as an agent selling machinery for eastern manufacturers on commission. His place of business was on Dearborn Street, between Lake and South Water streets. Mr. Dunbar was succeeded by the firm of C. L. Rice & Co., who then changed the location of their warerooms to 108 Madison Street, where they continued in business until the fire of 1871, when they were burned out, with a total loss. A singular incident connected with the burning of their stock is given by Mr. Kirkwood. t the time of he fire the firm was carrying an immense stock of engines and machinery of all kinds, which was, of course, rendered valueless, except to be sold as old iron. This stock, which was valued at $100,000, was accordingly sold after the fire to a heavy dealer in old iron, who bought it all, placing its value, roughly estimated at $1,500. The dealer counted on a handsome profit. His chagrin and surprise may better be imagined than described when, on attempting to remove his stock, he found it had been fused by the intense heat, so that on cooling it had become one homogeneous mass. The only way to remove it, was by mining it out. The iron merchant was dismayed at the task before him, and offered Mr. Rice five hundred dollars to be relieved from his contract. This offer Mr. Rice did not feel inclined to accept, so that the dealer in old iron had to stick to his bargain. He did so, but his profits, after the job was through, were all on the wrong side of his ledger. After the fire, the firm of C. L. Rice & Co. at once began building machine shops and warerooms on the corner of Canal and Harrison streets, which were occupied in the fall of 1872. About that time C. L. Rice & Co. sold the business to Thomas S. Kirkwood and William A. Dunklee, who three years later removed it to the present location. In 1875, Mr. Dunklee retired from the firm which then changed to T. S. & A. J. Kirkwood, and so continued until January 1885, when T. S. Kirkwood retired, retaining an interest in the business as special partner. Since that date the style of the firm has been A. J. Kirkwood & Co.

Thomas S. Kirkwood was born at Niagara Falls Village, Canada. His father, a Scotchman by birth, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, was Dr. T. A. A. Kirkwood, and a man who stood high in the profession of which he was a member. His mother was Anna Boyes, daughter of Colonel Boyes, of the British army, and who died while in active service in the Indies. In 1861, Mr. Kirkwood located in Oshkosh, Wis. Three years later he came to this city, and worked for Keith Brothers until 1871, when he began in business on his own account as a member of the firm of Kirkwood & Dunklee. Since retiring from active business, Mr. Kirkwood has been travelling in Mexico for the benefit of his health, which for a time had been seriously impaired by years of unremitting labor.

Arthur J. Kirkwood was born at Niagara Falls Village, Canada, on May 28, 1844. In 1863, he went to Oshkosh, Wis., where he engaged in mercantile pursuits nearly ten years. In 1872 he came to Chicago and joined his brother in the business in which he is still engaged. Mr. Kirkwood married, in 1872, Miss Ella Weed, daughter of the late Jacob Weed, of Oshkosh, a well-known lumberman of that place and also one of the oldest settlers of Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkwood have two children,—Ella and Arthur.
1892-04-16 The Age of Steel, page 6, full-page text ad: "Special Sale of the Machinery in the Store of A. J. Kirkwood & Co., 12 and 14 South Canal Street, Chicago, Ill." There is a lit of new and second-hand machinery. The ad concludes, "Hill, Clarke & Co., Chicago and Boston, Successors to A> J. Kirkwood & Co., 12 and 14 South Canal Street, Chicago, Ill."

Schuchardt & Schütte

Manufacturer: Schuchardt & Schütte
Location: Berlin, later Köln
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

In 1880, after completing his apprenticeship at a steel company that also dealt in machine tools, Alfred Heinrich Schütte founded a trading company together with the merchant Bernhardt Schuchhard under the company name Schuchardt & Schütte in Berlin. Starting in 1893, Heinrich expanded the import of modern American lathes, milling machines, grinders and gear-cutting machines to Germany and throughout Europe.

Starting in 1902, he manufactured equipment and tools himself in Cologne-Ehrenfeld and also sold machines from well-known German manufacturers. Schuchardt & Schütte established branches in Stockholm, St. Petersburg and New York. In 1905, Heinrich parted ways with Schuchardt and founded the family-owned company “Alfred H. Schütte” in Cologne.

The company’s ever-expanding production program required a dedicated factory. The cornerstone for this new factory was laid in 1910 on a suitable site along the Rhine meadows in Cologne-Poll.

In 1912, Schütte began manufacturing grinding and drilling machines here. In Berlin-Treptow, he built single- and multi-spindle high-speed drilling machines, universal milling machines, turret lathes and automatic profile-grinding machines. In 1915, he introduced the Schütte four-spindle automatic lathe and in 1919, he built the first tool and universal grinding machine. After World War I, the business was rebuilt around machine imports. The Great Depression forced the sale of subsidiaries and in-house manufacturing resumed in 1932.

Heinrich's son, Alfred Hugo, took over the company in 1936 following his father's death. In 1940, he introduced tools with independent, flexible longitudinal movements ("Schütte-Block"). The reconstruction of the factory which had been destroyed during the war in 1944–45 took place with the help of his brother-in-law, Paul Frhr. v. Pechmann.

From 1964 to 1993, Claus Henning Welcker, Heinrich’s grandson, served as the sole managing director. Among other innovations, he introduced a grinding machine for artificial hip and knee joints and a fully automatic tool grinding machine. Since 1993, his son Carl Martin Welcker has been the managing director of the company which remains one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of machine tools.

Information Sources:

History of the company on the Schütte homepage
the Schütte family on Deutsche Biographie

Michael Weinig

Manufacturer: Michael Weinig
Location: Tauberbischofsheim, Baden-Württemberg
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

The Weinig company was founded by Michael Weinig and his brother Richard on May 2nd, 1905 as a trading and manufacturing business. During World War II, the company's production came to a standstill.

In 1945, the dormant company was rebuilt under Bertold Weinig. In 1947, production shifted to woodworking machines. As early as 1948, Weinig became the first company in its industry to introduce mass production. In 1973, the company changed its legal structure to a GmbH & Co. KG. In 1983, the company was converted into a GmbH.

In 1964, the company began specializing in the production of molding machines. With the introduction of synchronized assembly-line production in 1970, Weinig became one of the most modern manufacturers of woodworking machinery in the world. In 1979, the company began producing window-making machines.

In 1988, the company was reorganized as a stock corporation. Michael Weinig AG was publicly traded from 1989 to 2002 and has been majority-owned by Kuwaiti investors since 1984.

In 1992, Weinig acquired Waco Jonsereds AB in Sweden.

Under the Weinig brand name, several individual companies offer a product range that covers the entire process chain in solid wood processing. These include manufacturers of rip saws, multi-blade saws, and band saws (Raimann Holzoptimierung GmbH & Co. KG), crosscut saws and gluing presses (Weinig Dimter GmbH & Co. KG), high-speed planers (Michael Weinig AG), finger-jointing systems and double-end profilers (Weinig Grecon GmbH & Co. KG), and scanners (LuxScan Technologies). In addition, the company designs and markets plant projects. The wood-based materials division is represented by Holz-Her GmbH under its own brand, Holz-Her.

Weinig manufactures in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, the United States, and the People's Republic of China, and markets its products worldwide. With 30 subsidiaries and branches, Weinig has a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia entry for Michael Weinig AG
Heike von Brandenstein, Wirtschaft und Tourismus in Tauberbischofsheim, in: Frankenland 3/2018
Weinig on the hoechsmann.com website where additional information can be found

Deka Drill Corp.

Manufacturer: Deka Drill Corp.
Location: Cicero, IL
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Deka Drill Corp. was in business by 1960. They manufactured drilling and tapping machines, including multi-spindle models. In 1966 they were acquired by Amsted Industries Inc., which operated Deka Drill as a division of another company they owned, South Bend Lathe Works. See that entry for the subsequent history and for some Deka-related publications.

Information Sources

Various trade-journal mentions of Deka Drill Corp. (sometimes "Deka-Drill Corp.") and their single- and multi-spindle drilling and tapping machines.
1966 issue of American Machinist, in the Jan-Jul '66 volume.
Amsted Industries has acquired the principal assets of Deka Drill Corp., Cicero (Ill) machine tool manufacturer, for an undisclosed amount of cash. Joseph B. Lanterman, Amsted president, said the purchase includes Deka's plant, its inventories, designs and trademark names. He noted that Deka Drills will continue to be manufactured in the Cicero plant as a product line of Amsted Industries' South Bend Lathe division.

Walter Blombach (Wabeco)

Manufacturer: Walter Blombach (Wabeco)
Location: Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Walter Blombach GmbH, also known as Wabeco, was established in 1885 by Walter Blombach, the great-grandfather of the current owner, Birgit Lennartz. The company makes lathes and milling machines.

Sears | Ever Ready

Manufacturer: Sears | Ever Ready
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History: Label used by Sears for pump motors made by Packard Electric.

Alzmetall

Manufacturer: Alzmetall
Location: Altenmarkt an der Alz, Bavaria
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Alzmetall GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1945 by Harald Friedrich and Peter Meier and received a license from the American occupying forces that same year to engage in precision engineering. The company began making drilling machines in 1947. Already in 1956, the 10,000th machine is rolling off the assembly line.

In 1976 they introduced their first NC drilling machines, and in 1980 they introduced their first CNC machining center, soon followed by fully automated production cells.

In 2008 they acquired the drilling machine operations of a smaller manufacturer in the same city, Donau Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, which they organized as a subsidiary, Donau Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH.

In 2016, Alzmetall Machine Tools (Taicang) Co. Ltd. (WFOE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Alzmetall, was established in Taicang, China, and in 2022, the wholly owned subsidiary Alzmetall Machine Tools USA Inc. was established in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia entry for Alzmetall
History of Alzmetall on the Alzmetall homepage

Donau Werkzeugmaschinen

Manufacturer: Donau Werkzeugmaschinen
Location: Altenmarkt an der Alz, Bavaria
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Established in 1955, Donau Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, and specialized in radial drilling machines.

In 2008 Alzmetall acquired Donau's machine-tool business and organized it as a subsidiary, Donau Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH.

Franz Kuhlmann

Manufacturer: Franz Kuhlmann
Location: Bad Lauterberg, Lower Saxony
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History:

Bernhard Friedrich Kuhlmann, a watchmaker originally from the Münsterland region, took over a watch shop with a workshop in Wilhelmshaven in 1873.
Precision engineering work for the navy soon became the main focus of the business. The factory for navigation, bearing and sighting instruments established by B.F. Kuhlmann can be considered the nucleus of the Kuhlmann company.

In 1899, his eldest son, Franz Wilhelm, took over management of the business and workshop. On July 1, 1903, he spun off the precision engineering workshop and founded his own company in Wilhelmshaven with five assistants and two apprentices. In 1906, the Franz Kuhlmann company was entered in the commercial register.

Beginning in 1916 Franz Kuhlmann manufactured woodworking machinery in Bad Lauterberg/Harz. Later, pantograph milling and engraving machines became a specialty.

In 1934, a new production facility for the manufacture of woodworking machines in Bad Lauterberg was constructed.
In the 1960s, automatic woodworking machines for the furniture, door and window industries were manufactured.

Today, Kuhlmann develops, manufactures, and distributes CNC-controlled systems worldwide, like

HSC milling machines
Engraving machines
Graver grinding machines

and offers service, training, accessories and retrofitting of used KUHLMANN machines and the repective software for generating CAD/CAM data.

Information Sources

1966 book, Kuhlmann 50 Jahre in Bad Lauterberg: 1916-1966, by Franz Kuhlmann. We have not seen a copy of this book.
1972 patent for a pantograph copy milling machine, granted to Franz Kuhlmann, Wilhelmshaven Germany and assigned to "Kuhlmann KG, Prazisionsmechanik und Maschinebau, Bad Lauterberg, Harz, Germany".
Company history on the Kuhlmann web page

Kröner & Reimer

Manufacturer: Kröner & Reimer
Location: Leipzig-Lindenau
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Founded in 1898 by Max Kröner and Max Reimer, Kröner & Reimer manufactured a range of metal-working lathes.

From 1901-01-01 Central-Zeitung für Optik und Mechanik

Information Sources

1902-06-01 Central-Zeitung für Optik und Mechanik (Volume XXIII No. 11), page 120.
Eingesandte Preislisten. ... Kröner & Reimer, Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik, Leipzig-Lindanau. Drehbänke für die mechanische, optische, under elektrische Industrie sowie für Gold- und Silberarbeiter, Instrumentenmacher, Dreschsler, etc.
1908 Addressbuch der Elektricitätsbranche von Europa, page 356 under Sachsen / Leipzig.
Kröner & Reimer, Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik, Lind., Lütznerstr. 86. / Bes:Arthur Kröner u. Max Reimer. Fernspr: 8523. Telegr.-Adr.: Kröner Reimer Leipzig-Lindenau. Giro-Konto: Deutsche Bank, Fil. Leipzig. Gegr.: 1898. Arbz.: 40. / Spez.: Drehbänke für Elektrotechniker und Mechaniker.
1911-12 Adressbuch der deutschen Maschinenfabriken, Volume 5 page 278.
Kröner & Reimer, Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik, Lindenau, Lützner Str. 86. Bes.: Arthur u. Max Reimer. Gegr: 1898. ... Spez.: Drehbänke für Mechaniker.

Robert H. Lash Ltd.

Manufacturer: Robert H. Lash Ltd.
Location: Letchworth; London
Country: U.K.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

In the early- to mid-20th century, Robert H. Lash Ltd. manufactured chucks for lathes and drills. Brand names included Arrel and Herts-Acme.

From 1917-10-05 Engineering

Information Sources

1914-12-04 Engineering pages 666-7, illustrated article on "Surface-grinding machine constructed by Mr. Robert H. Lash, engineer, London." The surface grinder in question is a horizontal belt sander ("Linisher") running on shafts with ball bearing journals. The provided bands have a one-piece (jointless) woven cloth backing. The band is 3 7/8 inches wide and about 33 inches long. The machine was intended for surface finishing of metal, wood, horn, papier mâché, etc.
1917-10-05 Engineering Supplement, page xxx, ad: "Robert H. Last Ltd., 29-31 Portugal St. (Kingsway) London, W.C.2 (and at Letchworth) / 4 Types of Chucks / Made in England / Accuracy, Strength, Quality." The chucks are an Arrel patent self-centreing 3-jaw lathe chuck, Herts-Acme Independent 4-jaw lathe chuck, the Herts-Acme 2-jaw drill chuck and the Excelsior 3-jaw keyless drill chuck.
1918-06-26 Aeronautics page 549.

The "Arrel" Pipe Cutting-Off Machine

The "Arrel" pip cutting-off machine, manufactured by Robert H. Lash, of Great Portland Street, for rapidly cutting off iron, steel, brass, and copper pipes, has been extensively adopted by aircraft manufacturers. It is an extremely simple machine and can deal with any length of pipe down to the narrowest rings and with all diameters within their range of capacity.

Pipes are placed in position on the rests without setting or clamping. The circular knife is fed into the pipe by a slight pressure of the hand lever, and the pipe rotates as the cutting takes place. The high speed of the cutter produces practically a clean cut—any slight burr which remains can be speedily removed by the milling cutter provided.

A 2 in. diameter iron pipe can be cut off in less than thirty seconds.

Buffalo Steam Roller Co.

Manufacturer: Buffalo Steam Roller Co.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Steam and Gas Engines

History:

The Buffalo Steam Roller Co. was the road-building division of the Buffalo Pitts Co. that introduced its first production model steam rollers in 1901. The company was known for heavy-duty, reliable machinery that defined early 20th-century road building. In 1916, the Buffalo Steam Roller Co. merged with the Kelly-Springfield Road Roller Co. of Springfield, Ohio.

Information Sources

Automac (Automated Tool & Machinery Co., Ltd.)

Manufacturer: Automac (Automated Tool & Machinery Co., Ltd.)
Location: Weston, ON
Country: Canada
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Between 1967 and 1983 the Automated Tool & Machinery Co., Ltd. manufactured a comprehensive line of machinery for manufacturing bookshelves, cabinets, etc., from sheet goods. Their machines used the Automac brand name. We have also seen the names Automac Machinery Ltd. and Plada Machines Ltd.; these names were all associated with the same business address and at overlapping times.

The Automac specialty was V grooving machinery that was used on laminated sheet goods to cut joints where the vinyl skin of the laminate is left intact so that it can act as a hinge as the sheet is folded. It was widely used in manufacturing TV cabinets, bookshelves, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, etc. These machines were heavily and precisely built for assembly line use.

Information Sources

June 1968 New Manufacturing Establishments in Canada (PDF) has a listing for Automated Tool and Machinery Co. Ltd., 66 Milvan Dr., Weston, Ont., producing "tools, dies, fixtures".
1971 Canada Trademark Registration for "Automac". First use 1967-07-01. Registered owner Automated Tool & Machinery Company. Registration inactivated 1987-08-27.
1973 issue of F.I.R.A. Technical Bulletin notes that Belgian woodworking machinery manufacturer Danckaert had licensed V grooving machinery designs from Automac.
1977 Miscellaneous Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers, a publication of Statistics Canada, lists Automac Machinery Limited, 40 Millwick Dr Units 1 & 2, Weston, M9L1T3 (O1). The O1 code means 0-4 employees. The 1978 guide gives identical information except that the code is O3, meaning 10-19 employees.
1980 issue of Plywood & Panel, page 38.
Automac Machinery & Plada Machines Ltd., 40 Millwick Dr., Weston, Ontario M9L 1Y3, will be displaying its universal V-groover, Model AVG-30 R; Automac edge belt sander, Model ES 60; and a universal router and groover, Model URG-24. To find out more information, see Ted Benyovits, president, Miriam Benyovits, vice president, or Amit Benyovits, sales, in booth 1038.
1984 issues of Wood Products contain ads for Automac "V" grooving machines.
A Holocaust survivors website has an article on Tibor (Ted) Benyovits (1932-2020), who had written a book, Unsung Heroes.

Stoody Co.

Manufacturer: Stoody Co.
Location: Whittier, CA
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Stoody Co. was established in the mid-1920s by Winston F. Stoody and H. C. Stoody. This firm primarily made welding rod and alloy steels, but in their early years they manufactured a clever patent quick-release lathe tool holder.

Information Sources

A search of Google Books turns up mentions from 1920s through '50s of Stoody Co., 1142 West Slauson, Whittier, CA.
March 1926 Western Machinery World page 139, in the "Trade Notes and Shop News" section.
Whittier. Stoody Co., welders and mfrs. of hard metal, 118 N. Milton Av., bought 2-acre site on Slauson Blvd. for new $150,000 steel frame plant. W. F. Stoody is pres. and H. C. Stoody v.p.
The same March 1926 issue has an illustrated writeup on this company's portable grinding outfit, a two-wheeled cart carrying a three-phase 1 HP motor driving a flexible shaft with grinding wheel on the end, for doing the sorts of jobs that nowadays would be done using an angle grinder.
September 1926 Western Machinery World page 424.
Stoody Welding Co. has new steel-covered saw tool bldg. in Whittier for mfg. welding equip.
1933 The Manufacturing Directory of Los Angeles County and District page 383.
Stoody Co., Slauson Blvd., alloy welding rods, bit grinders and holders, borium drilling tool grinders, grinding equipment, metallic diamond substitutes, tungsten carbide "Stoody" rods, "Stoodite."

Anthon GmbH & Co.

Manufacturer: Anthon GmbH & Co.
Location: Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Founded in 1867, this German manufactuer has a very long history and is still in business today. For a more complete history of the company, visit their history page at https://www.anthon.de/

Information Sources:

Anthon on the hoechmann.com homepage where additional information can be found