Walker-Turner Co. was founded around the end of the 1920s by
Ernest T. Walker and
William Brewer Turner, who built machines for home and light industrial use. It was acquired by
Rockwell Manufacturing Co. in 1956 and Walker-Turner branded machines continued to be sold into the 1960s.
History
Walker-Turner was founded by Ernest T. Walker and William Brewer Turner sometime around 1927 and 1929. The company was first located in
Jersey City, New Jersey until 1931 when they relocated to
Plainfield, New Jersey. The first machines Walker-Turner made were small, inexpensive, light-weight machines designed for home workshops of the time.
On Feb 17, 1931 the
Plainfield, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announced that Walker-Turner had purchased “the Rushmore Plant at South Ave. and Berckman St.” at 639 South Avenue which had formerly been occupied by the
Bosch Magneto Company.
In 1934 Walker-Turner introduced the 500, 700, and 900 series of their machine lines known as "The Driver Line". The 500 line included the smallest and lightest of these new machines while the 700 and 900 series consisted of beefier and more industrial styled machines.
In 1936 the first 1100 series machines were introduced, the TA1150
table saw and BN1125
band saw. Also this same year, they expanded with the purchase of the
Rivoli Silk Hosiery plant at 768 North Avenue which added 33,000 sq. feet and would become their shipping department.
In 1938 Walker-Turner began its direct geared motor drive machines. They were the MJ744 and MJ917
jig saws, TA990 and TA1162
table saws, and the S980
shaper.
In 1939 Walker-Turner started adding an
Art Deco redesign to many of the 700, 900, and 1100 series machines. This same year
drill presses came to the fore as they began to offer custom multi-headed setups for production work. This year also marked the beginning of the company adding serial numbers to many of their models. There is no reliably structured format to these number, other than the final two digits often designate the year that the model began production.
Starting in 1940, Walker-Turner discarded much of the 1939
Art Deco redesigns it had done to the 700, 900, and 1100 series of its machines. Only the 900 and 1100 series
band saws retain the 1939
Art Deco design. This year they introduced their first
radial arm saw, the RA1100. Also this year Walker-Turner organized behind the
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (a C.I.O. union), lack of progress in contract negotiations led to a five-week long strike. The strike, most notably delayed a shipment of some 300
drill presses to Great Britain for use in making shells for the war effort. Ernest Walker, who was vice president at the time described the shipment as "So important to Britain's armament they had been given priority over all other shipments out of
New York harbor.”
Through 1942-1945, during the years of the United States' involvement in
World War II, much of Walker-Turner's production capacity was focused on the war effort. Catalogs and other documentation from this period may be scarce. Due to paper shortages, some model years may not have had catalogs printed at all and other years likely saw limited print runs. During this time frame, Walker-Turner's first 20"
drill press, the D-1100 is introduced.
In 1948, Walker-Turner was sold to
Milwaukee machine tool maker
Kearney and Trecker and the company becomes "Walker-Turner Division of Kearney & Trecker". Production continued still at the existing facility at
Plainfield. Under a new name, all new machines are re-badged from saying "Walker-Turner company Inc." to "Walker-Turner Division of Kearney & Trecker Corporation".
Starting in April 1950 new serial numbers are brought into use. These new serials are formatted YYMSQD where YY is the year of manufacture, M is the type of machine, S is the specific model of machine, Q is the quarter of the year of manufacture, and D notes deviation from the standard model.
In 1952 a new plant is constructed at 900 South Avenue in
Plainfield.
Walker-Turner Co. was founded around the end of the 1920s by
Ernest T. Walker and
William Brewer Turner, who built machines for home and light industrial use. It was acquired by
Rockwell Manufacturing Co. in 1956 and Walker-Turner branded machines continued to be sold into the 1960s.
History
Walker-Turner was founded by Ernest T. Walker and William Brewer Turner sometime around 1927 and 1929. The company was first located in
Jersey City, New Jersey until 1931 when they relocated to
Plainfield, New Jersey. The first machines Walker-Turner made were small, inexpensive, light-weight machines designed for home workshops of the time.
On Feb 17, 1931 the
Plainfield, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announced that Walker-Turner had purchased “the Rushmore Plant at South Ave. and Berckman St.” at 639 South Avenue which had formerly been occupied by the
Bosch Magneto Company.
In 1934 Walker-Turner introduced the 500, 700, and 900 series of their machine lines known as "The Driver Line". The 500 line included the smallest and lightest of these new machines while the 700 and 900 series consisted of beefier and more industrial styled machines.
In 1936 the first 1100 series machines were introduced, the TA1150
table saw and BN1125
band saw. Also this same year, they expanded with the purchase of the
Rivoli Silk Hosiery plant at 768 North Avenue which added 33,000 sq. feet and would become their shipping department.
In 1938 Walker-Turner began its direct geared motor drive machines. They were the MJ744 and MJ917
jig saws, TA990 and TA1162
table saws, and the S980
shaper.
In 1939 Walker-Turner started adding an
Art Deco redesign to many of the 700, 900, and 1100 series machines. This same year
drill presses came to the fore as they began to offer custom multi-headed setups for production work. This year also marked the beginning of the company adding serial numbers to many of their models. There is no reliably structured format to these number, other than the final two digits often designate the year that the model began production.
Starting in 1940, Walker-Turner discarded much of the 1939
Art Deco redesigns it had done to the 700, 900, and 1100 series of its machines. Only the 900 and 1100 series
band saws retain the 1939
Art Deco design. This year they introduced their first
radial arm saw, the RA1100. Also this year Walker-Turner organized behind the
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (a C.I.O. union), lack of progress in contract negotiations led to a five-week long strike. The strike, most notably delayed a shipment of some 300
drill presses to Great Britain for use in making shells for the war effort. Ernest Walker, who was vice president at the time described the shipment as "So important to Britain's armament they had been given priority over all other shipments out of
New York harbor.”
Through 1942-1945, during the years of the United States' involvement in
World War II, much of Walker-Turner's production capacity was focused on the war effort. Catalogs and other documentation from this period may be scarce. Due to paper shortages, some model years may not have had catalogs printed at all and other years likely saw limited print runs. During this time frame, Walker-Turner's first 20"
drill press, the D-1100 is introduced.
In 1948, Walker-Turner was sold to
Milwaukee machine tool maker
Kearney and Trecker and the company becomes "Walker-Turner Division of Kearney & Trecker". Production continued still at the existing facility at
Plainfield. Under a new name, all new machines are re-badged from saying "Walker-Turner company Inc." to "Walker-Turner Division of Kearney & Trecker Corporation".
Starting in April 1950 new serial numbers are brought into use. These new serials are formatted YYMSQD where YY is the year of manufacture, M is the type of machine, S is the specific model of machine, Q is the quarter of the year of manufacture, and D notes deviation from the standard model.
In 1952 a new plant is constructed at 900 South Avenue in
Plainfield.