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Bêché & Grohs

Manufacturer: Bêché & Grohs
Location: Hückeswagen
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Bêché & Grohs was established in 1867 by Jean Bêché and Peter Johann Grohs. In their early years they made products outside the scope of this website, namely textile machinery and centrifugal machines. At some point the company's focus shift toward pneumatic power hammers.

In 1910 the Philadelphia-based Nazel Engineering & Machine Works introduced the Bêché air hammer to the US market. This machine had integrated air compressor, needing only an electrical connection rather than the lineshaft, belts and steam lines needed by typical steam hammers of the day. At first Nazel sold machines imported from Germany and later they manufactured the Bêché-designed air hammers themselves under license.

In 1932 Bêché & Grohs designed and built the first counterblow hammer which would speed up the forging of large parts by the use of opposing dies that strike the part on both sides simultaneously.

At some point the company's lineup of power hammers became part of the Schuler Group via Müller Weingarten.

William Wilkins

Manufacturer: William Wilkins
Location: London, England
Country: U.K.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

In September 1841, engineer William Wilkins of London formed a partnership with plane maker Edward Cox. It seems likely that they planned to share Wilkins' machine shop located at 84 Long-acre street, but maintain separate manufacturing activities with Cox making planes and Wilkins making metal lathes and accessories. Only a few months later, in December 1841, their partnership was dissolved. Cox continued as a plane maker, working out of his residence, and was making lathes by 1851. Wilkins' business, meanwhile seems to have failed and the contents of his machine shop were sold at auction in May 1842.

A decade later Wilkins was again in business and making lathes and tools out of premises at 9 High street. This is the last reliable data point we have found on this maker but information is generally scarce so it is possible that he was in business for some years before and/or after 1851.

Information on this maker is exceedingly difficult to come by, complicated by having a common name. We found persons of the same name working in London during roughly 1830-1890 as architect. archaeologist, lighthouse-lamp maker, beer seller, bootmaker, and bricklayer. Searching for Wilkins lathes will reveal some photographs and sale listings of ornamental lathes but these all seem to show the same one or two lathes.

Information Sources

Pre-1840 mentions of a William Wilkins, London architect and archaeologist, is definitely a different person—the architect/archaeologist died in 1839.
1841 Post Office London Directory, under "Lathe & Tool Makers": "Wilkins William, 85 Long acre".
December 1841 issues of London Gazette and shown on a web page on early English plane makers.
December, 1841.—Take notice, that the Partnership between us, Working Engineers and General Tool Manufacturers, carried on at 84, Long-acre, and at No. 10, Castle-street, Long-acre, is this day dissolved. All outstanding debts due to the Tool Trade to be paid to Ed. Cox; and all outstanding debts due to the Engineering Trade to be paid to Wm. Wilkins.
Wm. Wilkins
Edward Cox.
Grace's Guide page on William Wilkins of London. The following data points are noted.
- 1841 Post Office London Directory as listed above.
- 1841-09-28 Morning Advertiser.
  TO AMATEURS, CARPENTERS, CABINET-MAKERS, COACH BUILDERS, and Others.—GENERAL TOOL and PLANE-MANUFACTORY, No. 85, Long-acre, London. E. COX begs to inform the Public that has had 20 years' practical experience in Moon’s General Tool Establishment, formerly of St. Martin's-lane, who has now retired; and that he has entered into Partnership with W. Wilkins, Lathe, Slide-rest maker, &c., as above, and are selling the best Articles that can be manufactured, at much reduced prices. All persons requiring Tools, &c., will find this Establishment worth their notice.
- 1841-12-29 Globe, in a listing of "Partnerships Dissolved".
  William Wilkins and Edward Cox, engineers and tool makers, Long-acre and Castle Street.
- 1842-05-28 Morning Herald (London), ad.
  To Amateur and Professional Turners, Engineers, and Others.—Turning Lathes, and Philosophical Instruments. TOPLIS and SON have been favoured with instructions to SELL by AUCTION, at their Rooms, No. 16, St. Paul's Churchyard, on Wednesday, June 1... Also the turning lathes and tools of Mr. Wilkins, engineer, Long-acre, comprising several excellent iron lathes, with double gear, slide, rests, &c. A 15-inch engineer's powerful lathe, with iron handle and wheel, and all the working tools and anvils, numerous castings for lathe frames, and a valuable assortment of steam-engine and lathe patterns, and other effects...
- 1851 Post Office London Directory, under "Lathe & Tool Makers": "Wilkins Wm. 9 High street, Bloomsbury".
1850-11-07 British patent to a William Crane Wilkins of Long-acre, Middlesex County, Engineer, for "An invention in lighting, and in apparatus for lighthouses, signal, floating and harbour lights." This appears to be a different William Wilkins.
1872 International Guide to British and Foreign Merchants and Manufacturers, published by Ingoldby and Lamb, London, page 282, under "Engineers": "Wilkins, W. & Co., 25 Long Acre, London, W.C." Despite being on the same street as our 1841 W. Wilkins, this seems more likely than not to be a different person. The 1884 J. A. Berly's Universal Electrical Directory and Advertiser, page 128, lists "Wilkins, W., & Co., 25, Long-acre, London, W.C." under "Lighthouse Dioptric Apparatus Makers". This is likely the William Crane Wilkins mentioned above as having applied in 1850 for a lighthouse-related patent.
1992 Christie's auction listing.
An ornamental turning lathe signed Wilkins, London, with iron bed, double mahogany frame, flywheel, crankshaft and treadle gear, shepheard's crook overhead, traversing mandrel headstock, brass pulley with four-row division plate, seven brass screw hobs and two star nuts, index, screw-barrel tail-stock, boring collar and stand, oval chuck and cam ring, eccentric chuck, 13 assorted work chucks, heavy metal turning slide rest, small oak chest containing 22 slide-rest tools, 16 drills and an early type drill slide, a fretsaw attachment, and sundries.
This item sold for £1,980. A 2021 Practical Machinist post advertised this same lathe for sale. The photograph there can be viewed in our Photo Index for William Wilkins

Porter & Burnham

Manufacturer: Porter & Burnham
Location: Hardwick, VT
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Porter & Burnham was an 19th-century American manufacturing partnership based in Hardwick, Vermont, most famous for inventing and producing a highly unique, early patented picture frame vise.

Information Sources

MJD Auctions

Martin Model Pattern & Woodworking

Manufacturer: Martin Model Pattern & Woodworking
Location: Scapoose, OR
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Founded by Gary Martin in the mid-1960s, Martin Model Pattern & Woodworking makes casting kits for small metalworking machinery (among other products and services). Their kits include die filers, gear hobber, pantograph engraver, Quorn Mark I and Quorn Mark II tool & cutter grinders, the Strong Arm shaper, the Tinker tool & cutter grinder jig, the Thomas universal pillar tool, and the Thomas versatile dividing head.

T. W. & C. B. Sheridan Co.

Manufacturer: T. W. & C. B. Sheridan Co.
Location: New York, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

The T. W. & C. B. Sheridan Co. was started in Manhattan, NY in 1835 by Bernard Sheridan By 1856, the company had been passed on his sons E.R. and T.W. Sheridan in 1856, and later operated as T.W. & C.B. Sheridan Company under Theodore W. Sheridan and Charles B. Sheridan. While the company was best know for the production of heavy-duty presses, paper cutters, and automatic gathering machines, they also made wood vereer cutting machinery, which is of the interest of this site.

In 1887, the company acquired an interest in the Sheridan Iron Works in Champlain, New York, whch would serve as their primary factory. In 1964, the company was Purchased by the Harris-Intertype Corporation for over $6.3 million, continuing operations as Harris-Sheridan before the era of production wound down in later decades.

Information Sources

John Shuff

Manufacturer: John Shuff
Location: Waukesha, WI
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

In the 1920s John Shuff was manufacturing a patent attachment for a sticker, which is a small molder. The attachment allows sawblades to be included in the head assembly, both for establishing square shoulders as needed and for splitting a single profile into two separate moldings.

Information Sources

1923 issues of The Wood-Worker have ads for "The Shuff Stick Saw Head Attachment / Pat. Sept. 21, 1920": "Mfrd. by JOHN SHUFF, P. O. Box 45, Waukesha, Wis."
1925 catalog from Woodworkers Tool Works.

American Mfg. Concern, Inc.

Manufacturer: American Mfg. Concern, Inc.
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History:

In 1929 the American Manufacturing Concern, Inc. was established in Kalamazoo by Andrew Lenderink, J. Vander Brook, and Frank F. Ford, with a modest capitalization of $5,000. Their stated business was to deal in "machinery, supplies and equipment". By 1932 they had introduced a printers' saw, for which they offered payment terms of $1 per week. A surviving example reveals a benchtop saw of cast iron construction. The original miter gauge is missing but the miter slot in the table is unusually wide. This company's name is cast into the base.

By 1946 the American Mfg. Concern had been absorbed into another Kalamazoo maker of printers' saws, Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc.

Information Sources

A small tablesaw has "American Manufacturing Concern / Kalamazoo, Mich." cast into it. This saw can be seen in our Photo Index.
Searches for American Manufacturing Concern give lots of results for to a much larger and unrelated business of the same name, a toy manufacturer located in Falconer, NY (near Jamestown). In confirming that this business is indeed unrelated, we researched their history, which is briefly summarized here. The American Manufacturing Concern of Falconer traces its beginnings to 1806 in the form of a sawmill operated by Edward Work. In 1836 the land and operations were acquired by the Falconer family who expanded the business to include windows, doors and architectural trim. In 1888 William T. Falconer, operating the business as W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co., partnered with D. E. Merrill to form American Manufacturing Concern, which produced toys, rulers, and washtubs among other products. This business formally incorporated under that name in 1910, with W. T. Falconer serving as president until his death in 1915. By the 1930s this company was manufacturing chairs and bedroom furniture. Manufacture of toys ceased in 1968. In 1976 the business was acquired by the Fancher Furniture Co., and in 1979 the Falconer business was renamed to the Fancher Chair Co. The Fancher Furniture Co. went under in 2003 but the Fancher Chair Co. remains in business as of 2026.

1918 Donnelley's National Classified Telephone Directory and Buyers' Guide lists "American Manufacturing Concern, Works & Everett / Jamestown 479" under the categories of Advertising Novelties; Rulers, Advertising & Stationers ['Falconer' brand]; Toys—Chests & Benches, Blocks, Blackboards.
Jan-June 1965 Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series Vol. 19, Part 1, No. 1, Books and Pamphlets page 30: "AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CONCERN / Falcon toys, 1965. 77th ed. 11 p. © American Manufacturing Concern; 23Feb65; A749464."
The History page on the FancherChair.com website provides a very brief company overview.

1929-09-21 Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record page 28, in a listing of New Michigan Corporations.
American Manufacturing Concern, 608 Kalamazoo National Bank Bldg., Kalamazoo; deal in machinery, machinery supplies, and equipment. Andrew Lenderink, J. Vander Brook, Frank F. Ford, Kalamazoo—$5,000.
January through September 1931 issues of The American Press, page 40, classified ads.
Printers' Saws—$1.00 per week. You do not pay for the saw—the saw pays for itself. American Mfg. Concern, 608 Kal. Nat'l Bank Bldg., Kalamazoo, Michigan.
1932 issue of American Printer (vol. 95, page 63), small text ad.
Special—$1.00 per week; small down payment brings you an American Printers' Bench Saw. Ask about "Special August Terms." American Manufacturing Concern, M.C.R.R.-5, Kalamazoo, Mich.
1933 issue of The Printing Industry (Volumes 11-12, page 56), small display ad.
Printers' Saws / Printers' saws, casting boxes, $2 per week. They pay for themselves. Why go without? American Mfg. Concern / U. S. 131 at M. C. R. R.-3, Kalamazoo, Mich.
1937 issue of National Printer Journalist (vol. 55 page 64), small display ad from "AMERICAN MFG. CONCERN KALAMAZOO, MICH. U.S. 131 at MCRR 2 / Kalamazoo, Mich." The ad seems to show an image of their printers' saw but Google Books does not let us see the ad except for the text ad the bottom.
1946 MacRae's Blue Book and Hendricks' Commercial Register page 96. "American Manufacturing Concern, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich. (now Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc.)" A search for other mentions of American Manufacturing Concern in relation to Hammond Machinery Builders failed to produce any other data points.

Russell Machine Co.

Manufacturer: Russell Machine Co.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

The Russell Machine Company was a manufacturer of woodworking machinery, including edge banding machinery. Little is know about the history of this company.

Rosenquist, Inc.

Manufacturer: Rosenquist, Inc.
Location: North Wilkesboro, NC
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Rosenquist, Inc. designs, supplies, and services specialized equipment for the woodworking industry, focusing heavily on radio frequency (RF) laminating systems, edge-gluing machinery, and reconditioned or custom-fabricated wood processing equipment.

C.F. Scheer & Cie GmbH & Co

Manufacturer: C.F. Scheer & Cie GmbH & Co
Location: Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg
Country: Germany
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

The C.F. Scheer & Cie GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1890 in Stuttgart, Germany, as a metal foundry and machine shop. In 1899, Christoph Friedrich Scheer took over management of the company. Over the years, the company produced woodworking machinery—such as dowel boring machines, beam saws, veneer saws, and multiple boring systems (based in Wiernsheim/Germany)—as well as leading granulation and pelletizing technology for thermoplastics. In 2015, the company became part of the MAAG Group.

Information Sources

More information on the history of this company can be found on the companies website.
Scheer on hoechmann.com where additional information can be found

Lincoln Sander Co.

Manufacturer: Lincoln Sander Co.
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

The Lincoln Sander Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, located at 650 Evans St., manufactured heavy-duty industrial sanders designed for woodworking shops and production lines, including smoothing wood turnings and flat surfaces.

Gregory-Butts Co.

Manufacturer: Gregory-Butts Co.
Location: Tacoma, WA
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Wood Working Machinery

History:

Little is known about the Gregory-Butts Co. of Tacoma, WA othter than they were a manufacturer of a molding and scroll sanding machine. Internet searches have not been able to turn up any further information on this manufacturer.

Stanley Machine Tools Co., LTD.

Manufacturer: Stanley Machine Tools Co., LTD.
Location: Halifax, Yorkshire
Country: U.K.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Stanley Machine Tool Co. Ltd of Halifax, Yorkshire, was a British manufacturer of heavy metalworking lathes and sliding-bed lathes. Founded in the 1890s, the company originally operated as tool makers under the name Stanley Iron Works. Following financial difficulties in 1912, the business was acquired by Henry Holmes, Lewis John Akroyd, and Alfred Charnock. In 1938 after buying out Holmes and Charnock, Lewis Akroyd and the managing director (son of original designer Edgar Thomas) reorganized and officially named the enterprise the Stanley Machine Tool Company. During the Mid-20th Century, the firm built a strong reputation for heavy-duty industrial machinery, notably sliding bed lathes (such as Schlesinger-pattern sliding bed lathes). Around 1971, The company was purchased by an industrial financier and the business entered receivership and was subsequently acquired by Brooke Tool Engineering (Holdings) Limited. The lineage of the name eventually integrated into Broadbent Stanley Ltd based nearby in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire.

Wadell Machine & Tool Co., Inc.

Manufacturer: Wadell Machine & Tool Co., Inc.
Location: Somerset, NJ
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Founded in the 1930's, the Wadell Machine & Tool Company began manufactrer cylinder boss boring and socket grinding machines for DC-3 airplane reciprocating engines - at one time being the sole source for Pratt & Whitney and Curtiss-Wright. In the 1950's, they expanded their line to include boring and turning machines, grinding machines, chucking machines, spindles, angular positioning tables and rotating adjustable boring heads.

Wisconsin Equipment Corp.

Manufacturer: Wisconsin Equipment Corp.
Location: Medford, WI
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Wisconsin Machine Corp. (WMC) was fonded in 1971 manufacturing the initial line of "Wisconsin Forcemaster" press brakes in Wisconsin. In 1973, Facing dissolution, Wisconsin Machine Corp sold its press brake designs, patents, and manufacturing rights to the newly formed Wisconsin Equipment Corp. On July 22, 1977, HTC, Inc. — a wholly owned subsidiary was created specifically by Hydra-Tool Co., Inc. for the acquisition—purchased all assets of the Wisconsin Equipment Corporation. In Late 1977, manufacturing operations for the press brakes were moved from Wisconsin to Mississippi, and Wisconsin Equipment Corporation was dissolved.

The Wadsworth Core Machine & Equipment Co.

Manufacturer: The Wadsworth Core Machine & Equipment Co.
Location: Akron, OH
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Wadsworth Core Machine & Equipment Co. was incorporated in Akron, Ohio, in February 1911 to manufacture specialized mechanical core-making equipment for the foundry industry. Along with core making machinery, they also made other foundry tools and machinery such as steel core drying plates, core cutting-off tools, and coning machines. These machines produced sand cores utilized by metal casting foundries. By 1932, the Wadsworth Core Company faced financial hardships and operations and manufacturing were taken over by the Ferriot Brothers on Miller Avenue in Akron, who continued to manufacture core machinery, replacement parts, and foundry supplies before pivoting heavily into molds and equipment for the emerging rubber and toy manufacturing industries.

Wadell Equipment Co., Inc.

Manufacturer: Wadell Equipment Co., Inc.
Location: Edison, NJ
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Wadell Equipment Company filed a public registration statement for stock offerings through the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1967, noting roots in the regional New Jersey industrial sector around Clark and Edison. By the early 1980s, the company was active in specialized machining and manufacturing, supporting industrial trade programs. In 1985, Wadell Equipment Co. operated as a subsidiary of Wedco Technology Inc.

Pasadena Hydraulics Inc. (PHI)

Manufacturer: Pasadena Hydraulics Inc. (PHI)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

This company was originally founded as Preco Inc. in Los Angeles, CA in the early 1940's as a manufacturer of bench-type molding presses for laminating documents and identification cards. Early on, the company changed its name to Pasadena Hydraulics Inc. or simply PHI. The company expanded its capabilities and markets by producing larger presses and incorporating new technologies. In 1977, PHI became a division of Tulip Corporation. In 1990, PHI-Tulip moved from their facility in Los Angeles, CA, to the City of Industry, CA. In 2014, PHI and Tulip Corp. separated into two distinct companies and PHI became an employee-owned company.

Optical Gaging Products, Inc.

Manufacturer: Optical Gaging Products, Inc.
Location: Rochester, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Optical Gaging Products, Inc. was founded in 1945 in Rochester, NY and was a manufacturer of optical comparators and precision non-contact and multisensor dimensional measurement systems.

Unittool Punch & Die Co.

Manufacturer: Unittool Punch & Die Co.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Unittool Punch and Die Company was founded in 1958 to manufacture C-frame punching units and unitized tooling as well as punch presses and press brakes. In 2022, the brand joined forces with UniPunch Products, Inc. to combine their product lines, sales channels, and manufacturing into a single location in Wisconsin.

Kaltenbach, Inc.

Manufacturer: Kaltenbach, Inc.
Location: Columbus, OH
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

Fonded in 1887 by Julius Kaltenbach as the KALTENBACH Company in Lörrach, Germany, this manufacturer focused on machine tools and metal-processing equipment. Kaltenbach, Inc. is later established in the U.S. with executive and operational offices in Columbus, Ohio, serving as the North American hub for the brand's heavy-duty steel and non-ferrous metal sawing machinery. Eventually, the Columbus operation is officially rebranded into Structural Machinery Solutions (SMS).

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 Powr Press Corp.

Manufacturer: Pneu Powr Press Corp.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Country: U.S.A.
Manufacturer Type: Metal Working Machinery

History:

The Pneu Powr Press Corp. was founded in Buffalo, New York, and specialized in pneumatic power and cut-off presses used 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.

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 the hoechsmann website where more information can be found