I received today a parcel from John, in it was a Master Rule Mfg Co
Slide Rule #106 in almost pristine condition (so much so that i fear i may need
to elevate this rule to 'pool-room' status to ensure it stays that way!).  You
have all seen them.

However,  i am keen to learn when these ceased to be manufactured.  There is a
date, a patent date i assume 24/12/1918  (12-24-18 actually printed on the
rule).

a snippet on this page http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/2/
title/Change%20-%20The%20End%20of%20an%20Era">http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com
/store/blog/2/title/Change%20-%20The%20End%20of%20an%20Era   seems to
suggest the NY factory ceased to exist in the late 40's.  However an archived
post i found from 1998 (would you believe) initiated by Wesley Groot suggests
these rules may have been around as late as the fifties.

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=54878&submit_thread=1
">http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=54878&submit_thread=1

Did the factory move after it was demolished ??

any other wisdom one might care to share ?

Cheers,
Mal
Oz

Sent using Mail on iPad
2------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dahl Manufacturing Co.
Early name of the Master Rule Manufacturing Co. Company made a range of
products, and started making rules in 1910. The company name changed to the
brand name of the new successful folding rule product in 1918.
The company went on to make a range of tape rules, before being taken over
by Lufkin in 1955. There are two useful articles on the company:
* Master Rule Manufacturing Company, The Gristmill, 2003, No. 110, p14-21, G
Wanamaker, a comprehensive history of the company
* The Master Rule Revisited, The Gristmill, 2008, No.116, p24, George
Wanamaker, lists additional products and background data.

I have an Interlox rule in unused condition, seems a lot were made. I think
you can safely assume the rule was made between 1918 and 1955. Whilst Lufkin
continued to sell Master branded tape rules into the 1960s (before being
swallowed up by Cooper Industries in 1967), the Interlox is not seen in the
Lufkin catalogs.

Cheers
Peter

Peter Evans
Sydney, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Malcolm Thomas

	I received today a parcel from John, in it was a Master Rule Mfg Co
Slide Rule #106 in almost pristine condition (so much so that i fear i may
need to elevate this rule to 'pool-room' status to ensure it stays that
way!).  You have all seen them.

However,  i am keen to learn when these ceased to be manufactured.  There is
a date, a patent date i assume 24/12/1918  (12-24-18 actually printed on the
rule).

a snippet on this page
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/2/title/Change%20-%20The%
20End">http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/2/title/Change%20-%20The%20
End
%20of%20an%20Era   seems to suggest the NY factory ceased to exist in the
late 40's.  However an archived post i found from 1998 (would you believe)
initiated by Wesley Groot suggests these rules may have been around as late
as the fifties.

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=54878&submit_thread=1
">http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=54878&submit_thread=1

Did the factory move after it was demolished ??

On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 2:23 AM, Malcolm Thomas wrote:

>   a Master Rule Mfg Co Slide Rule #106
> However,  i am keen to learn when these ceased to be manufactured.  There
> is a date, a patent date i assume 24/12/1918  (12-24-18 actually printed on
> the rule).
>

As Peter noted, they continued beyond the 40's.  There is a
American Lumberman & Building Products Merchandiser - Page 101

book (1959) in google listing them as being located at Middletown NY..

there is also an ad in PopMech in 1958 where they are looking for tech tips
on rules, and giving one out as a prize.  Again, Middletown.

1967 Hardware Age shows Master Rule in Middletown, and Lufkin in Michigan.

A 1969 copy of Welding Engineering lists them at 40 Mulberry St, Middletown
NY, which is now the address of the Times Herald-Record.  Dang, that was a
dead end

http://services.hudsonvalley.com/reader-services/contact-
us/">http://services.hudsonvalley.com/reader-services/contact-us/



Books around 1967 - 1969 tie the Lufkin name more closely with a Michigan
Master Rule company, but they are all snippet views, and I can't open them


Kirk in HMB, CA, where unfortunately, its another bright sunny day.

Good info Kirk, looking at the Gristmill article, after Lufkin took over
Master Rule in 1956 they continued to make rules at Middletown until 1968,
at which time the machinery was transferred to the North Carolina plant.
Whilst Master tape rules _are_ in Lufkin catalogs after 1956, there are no
Master branded rules in such catalogs, and no evidence of anything like the
Interlox.


Cheers
Peter

Peter Evans
Sydney, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Kirk Eppler
On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 2:23 AM, Malcolm Thomas wrote:

>   a Master Rule Mfg Co Slide Rule #106 However,  i am keen to learn 
> when these ceased to be manufactured.  There is a date, a patent date 
> i assume 24/12/1918  (12-24-18 actually printed on the rule).
>

As Peter noted, they continued beyond the 40's.  There is a American
Lumberman & Building Products Merchandiser - Page 101

book (1959) in google listing them as being located at Middletown NY..

there is also an ad in PopMech in 1958 where they are looking for tech tips
on rules, and giving one out as a prize.  Again, Middletown.

1967 Hardware Age shows Master Rule in Middletown, and Lufkin in Michigan.

A 1969 copy of Welding Engineering lists them at 40 Mulberry St, Middletown
NY, which is now the address of the Times Herald-Record.  Dang, that was a
dead end

http://services.hudsonvalley.com/reader-services/contact-
us/">http://services.hudsonvalley.com/reader-services/contact-us/

Books around 1967 - 1969 tie the Lufkin name more closely with a Michigan
Master Rule company, but they are all snippet views, and I can't open them