Friday, October 25, 2019

McDougal shapers

Located in Galt, Ontario (now part of Cambridge) McDougall was one of many long-gone heavy wood and metalworking tool-making companies located there. Why that machinery industry grew up in the remote and rural Galt, Preston and Hespeler area is somewhat of a mystery but perhaps the early (1854) railway connection to Hamilton was a factor.
The beginnings of the R. McDougall company are obscure but seems to have grown out of another business in the 1880s and it lasted till shortly after WW2 when the company was sold. During that time they were known for their very heavy duty machine tools for industry.
 I was unraveling bits and pieces of the story when I chanced upon a history at the tremendous Lathes.uk site.  Rather than attempting to retell it, the long convoluted story is here.


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