Looking for Info

[cdndewey]

Hello folks....looking for some info on a grinder a buddy of mine just picked up. I'm thinking it's some sort of tool and cutter grinder....it might even be a limited production thing.

I haven't got any pictures, so I'll try to explain it as best I can.

First off it's got a brass plate on it that says:

The Stevens Company of Galt
High Grade Machine Tools
Galt Ont

With a copper plate underneath it that has this stamped on it:

NO. 2
3500 R.P.

It has a motor at the bottom of the pedestal and two arbors foe grinding wheels. The table is moveable in the X-Y-Z axis and the wheels are perpendicular to the table. The table also swings around. There is an attachment that bolts to the table that pivots in the centre and is adjustable on one end. The pedestal rotates about 1/3 of the way up and is inexed.

My buddy is hoping to find some literature on it. Any insight into this machine would be greatly appreciated.​

 

[Terrywerm]

I cannot speak as to who built this machine or give any other details on it, but I would like to add that the brass plate you mentioned may be a vendor plate, not a manufacturer plate. It was a common practice for many years for machinery dealers to attach a plate of some sort to a machine, indicating that they were the selling dealer. In the 1960's or 70's they started using decals instead. The Stevens Company of Galt was most likely a dealer and may still exist. Have you tried looking them up?? If they are still in business there might be an old timer around there that could tell you something about your machine if you were to supply some good photos. As far as that goes, a used machinery dealer in your area might be able to help you too.

 

[Rbeckett]

Dewey,
In this instance a pic is gonna be worth more than a thousand words. Like Terry said the brass plates are probably vendor ID plates and the machine sounds like a tool and die grinder. But a pic would be the best to confirm what it really is. Once we identify it then we can discuss it's finer points and actual uses.

Bob

 

[cdndewey]

There's a raised casting on the base with Stevens as well so I think they manufactured it. I'll get some pics and see if I can post them later.

 

[Terrywerm]

It could be a Stevens, but there is another practice that did occur from time to time, where large machine vendors would contract with a manufacturer to build some machines with the vendor's name on it, not just on a tag, but cast into the base.

The Satterlee company in Minneapolis began in the late 1800's and was bought out in the 1990's by a branch of the Grainger company called Bossert, which was eventually shut down by Grainger. Anyway, a friend of mine has an old open wheel vertical bandsaw that has the name Satterlee cast right into the base. We don't know who actually manufactured the saw, but we know that it was not the Satterlee company, they never actually built anything.

This is similar to the way that Montgomery Ward contracted with Logan to have lathes built with the Montgomery Ward name on them and how Sears, Roebuck, and Co. contracted with a number of manufacturers to build various machines and power tools for them with the Craftsman name on them.

When it comes to old machines with uncommon names on them, anything is possible. On the other hand, the research project should be a lot of fun!

 

[Terrywerm]

I found some juicy tidbits for you. I Googled the following: stevens machine tool galt Ontario

The results were pretty good. Some of the information was on a site that I am not allowed to mention here, but I will paraphrase the basics. You can research it further on your own if you like by using the Google search mentioned above. Keep in mind, I am not saying that the information below is entirely correct, it is simply information that was gleaned and paraphrased from a number of other sites.

J.J. Stevens and R.M. Hamilton had worked for MacGregor, Gourlay Co. but branched out and started their own company in 1886 to pursue some of their ideas for metal working machinery. They were subsequently bought out by MacGregor, Gourlay Co. in 1895 after coming up with many design improvements and patents. These companies were located in Galt, which later was incorporated into the city of Cambridge Ontario. The article does not state what name Stevens and Hamilton sold their equipment under, nor what type of equipment they built, but it is known that MacGregor, Gourlay Co. became a part of Canada Machine Corporation in the early 1900's. I have no idea if J.J. Stevens had anything to do with making your grinder, but it is a possibility. RM Hamilton stayed on with MacGregor Gourlay once they were bought out, but nothing is said of what became of Mr. Stevens.

Further research shows that Stevens, Hamilton and Co. was listed as a manufacturer of shaping and drilling machines. In addition, in 1892 they began making Hackney hammers, which had been made in the USA prior to this date. The article does not state if they were now the only manufacturer of those hammers or if they were making them under license for the Canadian market.

So there you have it. A start. It will be up to you to take the research further.