Sogard tools

The handles of these tools were manufactured of gray-enameled die cast rather than tenite, but the general aesthetic was the same. The crisply-designed tools manufactured by Millers Falls Company during this era have collectively become known as Buck Rogers tools, an appellation derived from the similarity of the handles on the bench planes to those commonly seen on toy space guns. Garth Huxtable did much of the design work. The Millers Falls Company plants were non-union shops until the mids.

Rogers was old school, practicing a type of management that labor historians refer to as paternalism. He knew the names and family circumstances of virtually all his workers, was proud of the importance of the company to the community and was willing to take a substantial hit to the bottom line in order to avoid layoffs.

In return, he expected loyalty, good work, and respect from his employees. Although paternalism has come in for criticism by a number of historians who consider it a self-serving deception perpetrated on workers by management, compared to the slash-and-burn tactics of the late twentieth century, the system as practiced by Millers Falls was fairly humane. Attempts to unionize the factories in and came to naught—most employees believed they were as well off as they would be with union representation.

Greenfield and Millers Falls were small towns, and Philip Rogers was a native; his approach to managing his workers was deeply rooted in this reality. Personnel decisions that might seem quirky today followed a logic that anyone familiar with small communities in s would find easy to understand.

A valued worker rumored to be considering a position at another firm might find himself being approached by a company official bearing the news of a job for his wife, so that the family might enjoy a larger income while he remained at the plant. If accepted, the worker and his family would see a rise in income; the worker would understand his efforts were appreciated; and the Millers Falls Company would benefit by having earned loyalty of two employees.

The factories were places where a young man might work alongside his father, uncles and grandfather, and company management viewed such networks as evidence of sound labor practices. At Christmas, Rogers was known to walk through the factory, his pocket filled with cigars, offering one to any worker whose name he did not know. There is no report of his ever having to relinquish one of his smokes. Again, James Wooster:. Sogard appears to be the sole U. Steve Brackett has done some on-site research into the Sogard company, and I have put together what he and I have found on Sogard in this page from my Millers Falls No.

This brace may have been made in Orange, Massachusetts. The middle one of these is molded plastic. The two at right are painted wood.

The two handles at left apparently represent an attempt to make this drill function like a breast drill. They are shown approximately full size. Note that the side handle's atttchment screw a carriage bolt runs through the entire length of the handle, making it quite strong. The crank handle's axle is just riveted to the crank, however. All the main gears have the number "" cast into them; probably this is the supplier's part number.

Not shown: Some of the early drive pinions are anchored to the spindle with a roll pin; the rest, by a solid pin. The numeral "4" is cast into this gear. Others have the numerals 1 through 6 in them, probably signifying pattern numbers. There is a variation in their widths. The main handles appear in two types as shown at left.

The screw threads on the caps are quite coarse. Some caps were stained inside; others weren't. Some handles are overcoated with glossy lacquer; others have a flat finish. In the lineup at the top of this table, the drills are identified as follows, running from left to right: Sogard roll pin Millers Falls No.

The rest have smaller spindle threads whose chucks will not fit on the other spindles. Their main gears all have red centers. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Many thanks to him. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. WAR H 42 HR 1 R 16 RBI 12 Batting Career Pitching Career Batting Postseason Pitching Fielding Postseason. Sign up for the free Stathead newsletter and get scores, news and notes in your inbox every day.

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