Photo Index - Cowan & Co., Ltd. - Upright shaping machine

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Cowan & Co., Ltd.
Galt, ON, Canada

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Shaper, Wood
Machine Size:	n/a
Submitted By:	Art Shaw

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Upright shaping machine
Date of Manufacturer:	1870s
Serial Number:	unknown
Last Updated	6/22/2013 8:13:52 PM

Comments:

This is my latest investment in folk art. I bought this beauty on Kijiji this week and made the trip on Thursday to bring it home, about 550 km each way. It was used all its life in Saunders Lumber Mill in Dutton Ontario and I bought it in West Lorne, about 25 km from Dutton.The jack shaft and pulleys came with it but no bearing stands, and a box of flat cutters to go under the collars. I have attributed it to Cowan & Co. because of the illustration from their 1880 catalogue as shown in photo #6 (provided by L S Barker, Melbourn, Australia)

Photo 1:

Comments: This is how I first saw it, in the back of the seller's truck.
Source: Photo by Art Shaw

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Photo 2:

Comments: There is no makers name anywhere, but the location is Galt Ont.
Source: Photo by Art Shaw

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Photo 3:

Comments: This shows the height adjustment mechanism for the spindles
Source: Photo by Art Shaw

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Photo 4:

Comments: The driven pulleys and bearings
Source: Photo by Art Shaw

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Photo 5:

Comments: The top is made of alternating strips of maple and mahogany, but I think it has had extensive repairs. These big brass cutter heads came with it but they might be for a different machine. It has been used with collars which are still in place on the spind
Source: Photo by Art Shaw

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Photo 6:

Comments: This illustration is obviously the identical machine. It is supplied by L S Barker, from his 1880 catalogue of Cowan & Co. I had previously attributed it to Cant Gourlay & Co becaus of an illustration of a similar (but not exact) machine from their 1882 p
Source: Courtesy of L S Barker, Melbourn, Australia.

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