Porter-Cable

Porter-Cable

File:Porter-Cable logo.png
Company type	Subsidiary of Black & Decker
Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	1906 in Syracuse, New York
Founder	R.E. Porter, G.G. Porter, F.E. Cable
Headquarters	Jackson, Tennessee
Key people	Art Emmons
Products	Power tools, pneumatic tools
Website	www.deltaportercable.com

Porter-Cable is an American company that manufactures power tools. The company is known for introducing a number of noteworthy power tools, such as the first portable belt sander, helical-drive circular saw, and portable band saw. It is a subsidiary of Black & Decker.

History

Porter-Cable was founded in 1906 by R.E. Porter, G.G. Porter, and F.E. Cable, who, starting with a $2,300 investment, opened a jobbing machine and tool shop out of their garage in Syracuse, New York. In 1914, the company began to focus on power tools, starting with a line of power lathes. In 1917, the company bought a plant in on North Salina Street in Syracuse.

In 1926, Chief Engineer Art Emmons invented the portable electric belt sander, called the Take-About Sander, and the company began to develop a niche in portable electric power tools. In 1929, Emmons invented the helical-drive circular saw, a compact, lightweight design that is still the most widely used circular saw design produced today.

In 1960, the company was sold to Rockwell International. Rockwell made numerous changes, including phasing out the Porter-Cable name, relocating the company's base of operations to Jackson, Tennessee, and creating a lower end of power tools to compete with Black & Decker. These tools had numerous reliability problems and harmed the brand's image.

In 1981, Pentair, Inc. acquired Rockwell's power tool group—consisting of Porter-Cable and Delta Machinery—and restored the Porter-Cable name. The company repositioned itself as a manufacturer of professional power tools and ended production of consumer-level tools. In 1989, the company introduced the first electric random orbital sander. Around this time, the company expanded into broader retail channels, including The Home Depot and Lowe's, greatly expanding its production in the process.

In 1996, the Smithsonian Institution established a collection of materials from the company's 90-year history, the first such collection for a power tool company.

In 2000, Porter-Cable consolidated with sister company Delta Machinery, the latter moving its headquarters and distribution center from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Jackson. The same year, Pentair acquired DeVilbiss Air Power Company and, in 2002, Porter-Cable expanded its line-up to include air compressors, air tools, generators, and pressure washers.

In 2005, the Pentair Tools Group—comprising Porter-Cable, Delta Machinery, DeVilbiss Air Power, and others—was purchased by Black & Decker.

Porter-Cable Collector

Dick Jarmon, known as the "Porter-Cable Collector," is a Michigan resident known for his large collection of Porter-Cable tools and literature. He first learned of them at a local distributor and has been collecting them since 1966. He often helps others locate or repair discontinued and hard-to-find parts of Porter-Cable tools.

Jarmon's first job was working at a hardware store at the age of 14, and he eventually went to work for General Motors. Over the course of his 35 years with General Motors, Jarmon often had the opportunity to visit the General Motors plant in Rochester, New York. During his visits to the Rochester plant, Jarmon would sometimes manage to visit nearby Syracuse, the original home of Porter-Cable. It was during these visits that Jarmon met many of the Porter-Cable retirees including Art Emmons, Chief Engineer from 1922 to 1964. Over the years, many retired Porter-Cable employees would donated classic Porter-Cable tools, old papers, and reports that have helped Jarmon understand the products and history of the company. Among the donated tools Mr. Jarmon received from Art Emmons is a Porter-Cable pencil sharpener, one of only two known in the world.

Since retiring from General Motors in 1991, Jarmon has amassed an extensive collection of new and used Porter-Cable tools, some working, some not. His part collection alone numbers over 4,000 unique part numbers.

In 1996, Jarmon donated a number of classic Porter-Cable power tools in his collection to the National Museum of American History to be part of their Porter-Cable exhibit. Among the tools in his collection that were donated: the B-5 Take-About sander, the world's first portable sander; the model K-88 Speedmatic, the world's first helical gear circular saw; an actual prototype of the world's first portable band saw; and one of the world's earliest routers.

References

• "History." Delta Machinery/Porter-Cable web site. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
• Berger, Matt. "Dick Jarmon: Ultimate Tool Collector." Fine Woodworking. January 8, 2008.
• Hicks, Jennifer. "Tool Collector is Porter-Cable's Top Fan." Woodshop News. October 2007.

See also

• Delta Machinery
• DeVilbiss Air Power Company

External links

• Delta Machinery/Porter-Cable web site
• DeWalt ServiceNet (parts and service site)
• "Vintage Power Tools To Smithsonian" (Popular Mechanics article from December 1997)