Hall and Brown 24″ Surface Planer, Patented in Saint Louis, Missouri, 1903

Bill Hewitson, of Weston Millwork in Weston, Missouri, uses period millwork machinery for producing new period window sash, some over a century old. Certainly these machines were built to last, as their track record has proven, and they have a retro charm, but how productive are they? According to Bill Hewittson, owner of Weston Millwork, productivity is part of a total picture, including cost of acquisition, maintenance and, most important, set up time. For doing the relatively short runs that Weston specializes in, the faster setup time for the legacy machinery more than makes up for the marginal lower production speed. Bottom line, these machines are more versatile, agile and productive than modern, “high speed” equipment. Truly, Weston Millwork lives up to their proud motto, “The Imitator, Not the Innovator”!

Bill Hewitson is a Member of the Guild of Building Artisans.

List of Custom Millwork Specialists.