H. B. Smith Machine Co.
Smithville, New Jersey
"H. B. Smith, founder of the H.
B. Smith Machine Co. (1847) of Smithville, New Jersey, pioneered the use
of cast iron in woodworking machinery. Unlike his competitors, he
used all iron construction in his major machines from the very beginning.
Even so, some minor Smith machines were built with wooden frames to meet
the needs of smaller shops. ...William C. Bolger pointed out its importance
in Smithville: The Result of Enterprise (1980): 'The statement that
'It is all iron' is significant, both in terms of the man and his future
career as a manufacturer of woodworking machines. His reputation
in the machine business was due as much to his use of iron as to the designs
he patented.'" (Dana Martin Batory,
Summer 2004, Fine Tool Journal, 54(1), pg.
11).
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