Page History: History of the Crescent Machine Company

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Page Revision: 2008/03/30 23:31

By Keith Rucker, e-mail: krucker@owwm.com



Here is a time line of the history of the Crescent Machine Company. This timeline is rather incomplete at this time and I will add to it as I gain more information:

1893¶

Crescent Machine Company was founded in Leetonia, Ohio

1898¶

Crescent's first Band Saws were manufactured

1904¶

Changes to the Crescent Line (compared to 1903 catalog):

• 40-inch Combination Band Saw deleted from line
• First mention of providing motor driven machines
  

1905¶

Patent Number 779,158 issued on Jan. 3 1905 to E. Harrold and C. G. Wilderson titled "Upper Adjusting Device for Band Saws."

1906¶

Built a new factory because they had outgrown their old one

1908¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Double Spindle Shaper
• Planer and Matcher
• Boring Machine
• 18- and 24-inch Planers
  

1909¶

A large warehouse was added to the factory

1910¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Variable Speed Planers added to the line
• Round Safety Head Jointers added to the line
• Safety Guards added to Jointers
• Safety Guards added to Saw Tables
• 20-inch Band Saw improved
  

1912¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• 30 x 6 Surfacer added to the line
• New style guard for band saws
• 5 1/2 and 6 foot swing saws added to line
• 16 and 20 inch jointers added to line
• Post borer added to line
  

1913¶

New Features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Crescent Universal Woodworkers Nos. 51 - 59 introduced (other evidence actually dates the introduction to 1912 but this is the first catalog to feature the Universal Woodworkers)
• Self Oiling Loose Pulleys on all countershafts
  

1914¶

Patent Number 1,088,501 issued on Feb. 14, 1914 to C. G. Wilderson and E. Harrold titled "Woodworking Machine." The drawing on the front of the patent is of a Crescent Variety Wood-Worker, which was introduced to the Crescent line sometime between 1904 and 1910.

New Features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Crescent Universal Woodworkers Nos. 101 - 112 introduced
• 26 x 8 surfacer, remodeled and changed to variable friction feed
• Improved fenders on band-saws
  

1916¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Hollow Chisel Mortiser added to the line
• 4-inch Bench Jointer added to the line
• Saw Guards Improved
  

1918¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• New Cut Off Table added to the Line
• Spreaders added on Table Saws
• Hinged Guards available for Band Saws
• 40-inch Angle Band Saw added to the Line
• Direct Motor Drive option available for Planers and Jointers
• Belt Guard added to Swing Cut-Off Saws
  

1921¶

New features to the Crescent Line listed in that years catalog:

• Improvements to the No. 3 Saw Table
• Improvements to the No. 5 Saw Table
• Improvements to the No. 2 Motor Driven Saw Table
• New Motor-Driven Shaper
• Hollow Chisel Mortiser added to the Line
  

1925¶

Patent Number 1,528,592 issued on Mar. 3, 1925 to C. G. Wilderson titled "Combined Guide and Support for Band Saws."

1940¶

Crescent Machine Company sold to Pittsburgh Equitable Meter and Manufacturing Company. The Pittsburgh Equitable Meter and Manufacturing Company is owned by Colonel Willard Rockwell who later formed the much more recognized Rockwell Manufacturing Company. Machinery was still sold under the Crescent name.

1945¶

Pittsburgh Equitable Meter and Manufacturing Company becomes Rockwell Manufacturing Company. Crescent machinery is now labeled Crescent Machine Division of the Rockwell Manufacturing Company. Rockwell also acquires Delta Specialty Company in 1946 and sometime after that many old Crescent line machines were labeled as Delta/Crescent.

ca. 1950¶

Rockwell sells most of the old Crescent line to the Enterprise Division of William K. Stamets Co. of Columbiana, Ohio. Rockwell keeps the 8" jointer, 12"-14" tilting arbor saw, and light duty 20" wood cutting bandsaw.

1952¶

The Crescent Machinery Plant in Leetonia, OH is closed due to a strike led by the employees of the factory. Instead of meeting the strikers demands, Rockwell just closed the plant and moved all production to Bellefontaine, Ohio (the same year they also closed the old Delta Milwaukee plant in Milwaukee due to a similar strike).

Incidentally, according to Fine Woodworking Issue 119 (July/Aug 1996), page 22, the parts franchise for Crescent is now operated by Jefco Industries of Columbiana, Ohio. Since Jefco Industries and the William K. Staments Company are both located in Columbiana, Ohio, I can only guess that the two companies are somewhat related to each other. The Jefco Company is now called J.E.S. Technology, Inc.

I am not sure if J.E.S. Technology, Inc. still has any parts for Crescent machinery but if you want to take a chance, here is how to get in touch with them. They do have some old manuals and parts lists for Crescent machines that they will make a copy of if it is available.

J.E.S. Technology, Inc.
1028 Lower Elkton Road
Columbiana, OH 44408-9407
Phone: (330) 482-5533
Fax: (330) 482-9758

Ask for Ed Keeting

If you know any thing else about the history of Crescent, please let me know and I will add it to this page.