Photo Index - Emrick, Inc. - Emrick/Universal Woodworker

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Emrick, Inc.
Kalamazoo, MI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Other
Machine Size:	small capacity
Submitted By:	Jonathan Shores

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Emrick/Universal Woodworker
Date of Manufacturer:	about 1947
Serial Number:	27603
Last Updated	11/25/2009 5:07:55 PM

Comments:

A suitably challenging contraption required some nerves and fearless approach to woodworking I am sure. I must have figured this would get used a bit, but it never made it out of the back of a shed. Can't even remember where it came from after 10 years of dormancy, a forgotten relic. Probably not many around. I am considering a revamp for display and conversation...like how it worked. I found a 1947 Popular Science ad placement for $34.95, which would be about like paying $340, today (assume ave. 3.75 inflation). So it was not cheap. For a guy with little garage space, it may have been OK. Garages were small back then and by the time you got a '40 Packard 610 squeezed in, well this is about all the shop there could be. Escapes me why this machine draws my attention, but maybe it cites a bit of history by its presence; evoking the dawn of the DIYS era. Certainly this is not a production tool, but it was not so designed. This one is missing the tool rest base, but could be fitted with a suitable substitute from angle iron scraps and a couple stings with a buzz box. Hope you get a kick out of seeing this funky machine; a real tribute piece, or more likely just another evolutionary dead end in the annals of wood working machines.
One function is the 6" table saw, which has me baffled. I can only guess that the table is positioned on the lathe tool rest base...wow, that is scary to think about. Generally a pretty good bead laid down on welds and the steel is good "arn", just not much of it. I can 1-arm this pup onto a truck bed, so it is a portable machine type. I wonder about the success of this machine. My guess is a few guys from WWII, (ex-Navy welders, perhaps) figured there was a niche for this type of machinery during the home building and ownership boom. The workmanship is quite good, despite the light duty nature. I call it a sufficient design with skilled build up. Not a real friendly machine, but then guys were not wearing motorcyle helmuts, either.

Photo 1:

Comments: 5/16" drill bit is for scale.Not sure if the idler pulleys are set correctly; morse #1 taper spur; table height is compound adjustment with track clamp and post wingnut anchor (not clear in pic, but just below the rt. edge of table, grinder/buffer goes on
Source: own pic

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Photo 2:

Comments: can see well the funky idlers and top of pulley
Source: own

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Photo 3:

Comments: 5/16" bit is for scale; will fit in the lathe driver, guess it is morse#1, 1/2 inch jawed chuck is driven by geared spindle; this is more advanced than the drill stands that are just a lever pushing a sliding spindle
Source: own

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Photo 4:

Comments: poor pic of the lathe tail stock which is a threaded piece with fixed center; piece of wood stock is about 30"; it is placed there for demo purpose only. I would not find this lathe to be easy going; driver is threaded, but won't take any of my attachmen
Source: own

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Photo 5:

Comments: Says 5in1, but how does table saw work into the setup?
Source: own

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