Wells Brothers & Co.

[woody 73]

Old and Vintage and not forgotten... The Wells Brothers.

Special Notes: There seems to be a little confusion as to some of the starting dates of their company, as best I can I am using the following dates until I learn otherwise.

In 1876 (?) two brothers Frank O. Wells and Frederick E. Wells had left the Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. in order to start their own business, in Greenfield, MA. The Wells Brothers started making their brand of "Little Giant" Trademark taps & Dies along with other tooling. In 1879 (?) with the entry of Franklin E. Snow they became the Wells Brothers & company competing with Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. just down the road.

Special Note: Be sure and have a close look at both of the Tap Wrenches, one from Wiley & Russell and the other from the Wells Brothers.

In 1888 (?) a new move to a larger factory and Incorporation of a new name Wells Brothers Co; this lasted till April the 2nd, 1912 when the Wells Brothers joined up with the Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. to form the Greenfield Tap & Die Co. with Frank O. Wells as their first President.

I have a nice selection of links for you to enjoy on this nice Friday Morning along with a few pictures; just another vintage tool to keep your eyes open for.

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=1269

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-and-history/wells-brothers-taps-dies-115729/

http://industrialhistory.org/histories/wells-bros-company-and-the-samson-tire-upsetter/

https://www.etsy.com/listing/156499581/measuring-wheel-wells-bros-co-little

https://books.google.com/books?id=2...hDoAQgvMAE#v=onepage&q=wells bros co.&f=false

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-wells-brothers-company-taps-dies-box

https://archive.org/details/greenfielddirect1889mass

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=5105

http://datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=19769&set=4

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=13413&set=2

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=27555&set=3

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=42213&set=4

https://www.americanprecision.org/i...il&utm_term=0_9c1996d897-d183a90445-433541185

 

[woody 73]

Special Note to myself I was never using the dining room table in case my wife ever asks...

http://datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=54300&set=6

 

[larry_g]

Did you find any link to the current Wells-Index company who manufacture milling machines?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[woody 73]

Did you find any link to the current Wells-Index company who manufacture milling machines?

lg
no neat sig line

Larry Hi,

I have not heard of wells-index but you got me curious so I looked it up and this is what I found on the Web:

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2280

 

[f66]

Saw this thread and wanted to post pictures of a Wells Tap and Die Set I have.

 

[twertsy]

The small newspaper clipping shows December of 1876.

By 1919, they are referred to (in several sources) as a division of Greenfield Tap & Die. This is because they merged with Wiley & Russel in 1912 to form Greenfield Tap & Die.

The longer clipping is a nice historical review.

Woody, I have a much larger article that explains everything about them in Frank Wells' Memorium. Shoot me an email and I will send you the PDF. [email protected]

 

[Roberts210]

Special Note to myself I was never using the dining room table in case my wife ever asks...

http://datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=54300&set=6

You can join me in the doghouse if SWMBO ever finds the pictures. Rebuilding my old Chevy 3-speed in the dining room when she was away on a trip:

Ain't I thoughtful--I put down some paper towels so the trans wouldn't get grease on the chair.

 

[Cope]

Woody, thanks for the research. I have a later model #7 with the engraving on the handle rather than the center. Still the same design.

 

[toolmaven]

Yeah, it is an old thread, but I just noticed my ginormous No. 24 (76" long tap wrench) is a Wells Brothers, not a Greenfield. I bough it NEW (ok, dead stock) in 2018. It may have been on the shelf for up to 106 years, since Greenfield bought Wells out in 1912.

 

[leg17]

Yeah, it is an old thread, but I just noticed my ginormous No. 24 (76" long tap wrench) is a Wells Brothers, not a Greenfield. I bough it NEW (ok, dead stock) in 2018. It may have been on the shelf for up to 106 years, since Greenfield bought Wells out in 1912.

Sure like to see some pictures and your purchase details.

 

[Miller72]

Old and Vintage and not forgotten... The Wells Brothers.

Special Notes: There seems to be a little confusion as to some of the starting dates of their company, as best I can I am using the following dates until I learn otherwise.

In 1876 (?) two brothers Frank O. Wells and Frederick E. Wells had left the Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. in order to start their own business, in Greenfield, MA. The Wells Brothers started making their brand of "Little Giant" Trademark taps & Dies along with other tooling. In 1879 (?) with the entry of Franklin E. Snow they became the Wells Brothers & company competing with Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. just down the road.

Special Note: Be sure and have a close look at both of the Tap Wrenches, one from Wiley & Russell and the other from the Wells Brothers.

In 1888 (?) a new move to a larger factory and Incorporation of a new name Wells Brothers Co; this lasted till April the 2nd, 1912 when the Wells Brothers joined up with the Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. to form the Greenfield Tap & Die Co. with Frank O. Wells as their first President.

I have a nice selection of links for you to enjoy on this nice Friday Morning along with a few pictures; just another vintage tool to keep your eyes open for.

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=1269

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-and-history/wells-brothers-taps-dies-115729/

http://industrialhistory.org/histories/wells-bros-company-and-the-samson-tire-upsetter/

https://www.etsy.com/listing/156499581/measuring-wheel-wells-bros-co-little

https://books.google.com/books?id=2...hDoAQgvMAE#v=onepage&q=wells bros co.&f=false

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-wells-brothers-company-taps-dies-box

https://archive.org/details/greenfielddirect1889mass

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=5105

http://datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=19769&set=4

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=13413&set=2

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=27555&set=3

http://datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?id=42213&set=4

https://www.americanprecision.org/i...il&utm_term=0_9c1996d897-d183a90445-433541185

This may be a little older thread but I am glad its here.
Thank you @woody 73

I started looking becasue I recently brought home this beauty Wells & Bros.Tap wrench, little giant, Greenfield Ma, and it looks like a "C" on the handle.
I believe I have it date ranged to 1888-1912 but I could be wrong on that.

15" total length

Thanks for any direction or insight on this fella.
It still holds a bit so very tight, it's always exciting learning about and using these old tools.
Thank you

 

[four.cycle]

 

[woody 73]

Old and vintage but never forgotten good job on all the pictures and information guys.