Hardinge - Elgin Tool Works History
Three data points
George Langford, Sc.D.
January 28, 2005
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The Elgin Tool Works of Chicago, Illinois, was known for their precision bench vertical milling machine and for various small lathes.  Rumor has it that the Elgin Tool Works was acquired by Hardinge.  See, for example, this  link by the well-known TonyLathes: http://www.lathes.co.uk/elgin/

Here is a comparison of three virtually identical double cross slides made for small lathes, two with the
ELGIN TOOL WORKS makers mark, and the other marked both HARDINGE and ELGIN TOOL WKS.

Below are the makers marks of the first two cross slides, Victor's on the left and mine on the right.  Note that the one with the higher and presumably later serial number (9-7469) appears to be a newer vintage than the one with the older and cruder double makers marks (9-1546).  The Hardinge/Elgin Tool Wks cross slide has less convenient adjustments for the index dials than does the Elgin Tool Works cross slide.  Also, the degree markings on the Hardinge/Elgin Tool Wks swivelling top slide are stamped with a simpler style of number than is the Elgin Tool Works top slide at left.  At the bottom of this page is another Elgin cross slide, this time with a yet higher serial number (9-10821).

Elgin Tool Works Hardinge


At left is the Hardinge/Elgin Tool Works cross slide in Victor's auction (images reproduced with permission).
At right is the Egin Tool Wks cross slide purchased with a B.C. Ames bench lathe (images by the author).
Below those two are images of another Elgin cross slide made by toolsellinc for an eBay auction
(images reproduced with permission). 
Note that this third Elgin cross slide has the same adjustable dials as Victor's cross slide.

eBay cross slide
Ames Elgin Tool Wks Hardinge
toolsellinc's image of an Elgin cross slide
toolsellinc's image of an Elgin cross slide
toolselinc's image of the Elgin cross slide's serial number