I was the 4th 5th or 6th employee so because I can't remember let's settle on fifth. I was hired in Hespler as a draftsman, in a few days became an inspector and a test driver.Red Devil 500 wrote:Were the machine built one by one or on a line?
In Hespler the model 200 was built on a poor excuse for an assembly line. Bases were welded on a jig with four casters then they were rolled around the shop to the next station. Sub assemblies were made in other areas and everything came together in an area where we did the final inspection. One example was a lady who drilled the wooden cleats with a four head drill in a drill press. Pickup a cleat on her right, put it in the jig, drill the holes and drop it in the box on her left. I could have watched her all day but that's a story I will only tell in person. In Hespler we rented a complete manufacturing plant. It was owned by a Mr. Smith and made furnaces. It was a union shop and the costs killed us. We were in Hespler from about Sept. 1st till Christmas. Then everyone was laid off because the McQuat family from Lachute Quebec ran out of money. The Company was called Hus-ski Division of Pioneer Chain Saws Ltd.
Not to be confused with Pioneer Chain Saws Inc. in Peterborough, On. who made the saws. Pioneer chain Saws Ltd was a distributor in Quebec and the maritimes.
When we started in Pointe Claire we built a proper production line to make the 200-A. It was designed by Jim Anderson.
From day one in Hespler, James (Jim) Anderson, not Bob as I have seen him called, was my mentor and one of the fineist people a have ever known.
