The history of tact making for boat building goes back to circa 1810. Our machines follow the design of an 1812 patent. Numerous companies were formed to the Northeast producing boat tacks on machines of similar design. A timeline of the manufacturers would include:

1810 B. Hobart, Abington, MA
1811 T. Blanchard, Worcester, MA
1824 Arby Field
1864 American Nail Machine Company (later the American Tack Company)

These four companies were consolidated into the Atlas Tack Company in 1891. This company used our tack machines from 1905 to 1977! In the early 1970's the Strawbery Banke Boat Shop and other regional boat makers were having difficulty finding the nails used in boat construction. Commander John Hallet (Ret.) volunteers to research new sources for the nails.

In 1977 Hallet's research leads to the purchase, by Strawbery Banke Museum, of three copper clench nail machines. Robert Mitchell states, "Commander Hallet arranged for the purchase of the three tack machines and accessory equipment for the boat shops and made a substantial gift toward the purchase. Additional funds were contributed by others including other historic marine museums in New England."

Upon delivery, in 1977, to Strawbery Banke, volunteer Robert Mitchell and the museum's curator accession the machines into the museum's collection and install them in one of the museum outbuildings known as Gorman Garage. In 2005, the three machines, each weighing 5 tons, were relocated to another building at Strawbery Banke Museum where they continue to manufacture rectangular shank, cut copper nails for boat builders in the United States and Eastern Canada. This is the only source in the United States for this type of nail made in this manner!

SOURCE: Robert D. Mitchell, The Strawbery Banke Nail Factory, 1979.