This maker of consumer-grade woodworking machinery was created in December of 1926 when the partnership of W. B. & J. E. Boice merged with a business owned by H. G. Crane. At some time, possibly in the 1980s, Boice-Crane went under. See below for more information on support for specific machines.
At the time it was created, the principals of Boice-Crane were Harold G. Crane (owner of the Adrian plant), James R. Rettie (superintendent of the Adrian plant), William B. Boice (co-owner of Toledo plant, in charge of design and production), and John E. Boice (co-owner of the Toledo plant, in charge of sales and finance).
Boice-Crane mostly made lighter weight tools, but some, such as the 12"x44" lathe, were aimed at the industrial and educational markets. Boice-Crane's drill press line was bought by Wilton Corp., and the radial arm saw line was bought by Comet Engineering Inc..
Address (1949 Popular Mechanics): 930 W. Central St, Toledo 6, Ohio.
Parts and service
Gothenburg Manufacturing Co. bought the parts business after Boice-Crane went under. Until recently they supported the spindle sander, belt sander, and scroll saw, but Gothenburg has gone under. The radial arm saw is still supported by Comet. We do not have any information on whether Wilton Corp. still provides support for the old Boice-Crane drill presses.
Information Sources
- Trademark registration indicates that the Boice-Crane name dates to 1926. The last owner of the name was Wilton Tool Manufacturing Co., Inc.
- We have seen 1931 and 1932 catalogs from W. B. & J. E. Boice, which sounds like it contradicts the 1926 date for the creation of Boice-Crane. However, there are several examples (such as the merger of J. A. Fay & Co. with the Egan Co. to create J. A. Fay & Egan Co.) where the partners in a business marriage continued to operate somewhat independently for some years.
- The 1931 catalog gives brief biographies of the principals. Harold G. Crane had been a manufacturer of woodworking machinery since 1910; it is not known what name he operated under. The Boices established their Toledo operations in 1921.
- An ad in the May 1956 issue of The Wood Worker features Boice-Crane Co.'s "Master Monotrol" 10-inch tilting-arbor tablesaw. The company address is given as 928 Central Avenue, Toledo. Note that the "Monotrol" name later showed up on Moak tablesaws.
- 1967 catalog. Batory lists numerous catalogs as well.