DeWalt History

Raymond E. DeWalt followed in his father's footsteps by holding mill and constructions jobs from the time he left school. No matter what the job, the question of high labor costs always concerned him. To help cut these costs, occasionally he rigged up a machine to meet some special need.

Eventually, Mr. DeWalt was offered a position as head of a woodworking mill that manufactured almost everything from boxes to full-fledged houses. There was more to do than could be done, and the President of the company would not allow an increase in payroll. He simply had to get more work out of his men. Mr. DeWalt designed a yoke and attached it directly to a motor and saw, then mounted it on a standard arm. The saw could be raised, lowered, slid back and forth, moved to any angle, or tilted to any bevel. It did the work of four men and cut his labor costs beyond his fondest dreams.