Greenfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1763, with 365 residents, grew quickly due to its strategic location at the junction of the Deerfield and Connecticut rivers. Northampton resident John J. Grant moved to Greenfield with plans for a new die that would make a better screw. This die was patented in 1871 as the "two pieced die". Prior to the creation of this invention, nuts and bolts were crushed into shape with little chance of a perfect fit. The new two pieced die cut the metal rather than compressing it to shape in the old manner. Grant's two pieced die removed all imperfection and guaranteed a perfect fit every time.

In 1874, the Wells brothers, Fredrick E. and Frank O., left the Wiley & Russell tap & die company. In a small building along the Green River in Greenfield, MA, they, along with their father, Elias, started Wells Brothers, a tap and die manufacturing business. Because of a fire, the Wells brothers were forced to relocate to the B. B. Noyes Foundry on Hope Street while they rebuilt their company. Here, the first adjustable die was invented. Their new building, was their home for the next ten years. In 1900 the elder brother, Fredrick, split from his brother and began manufacturing pipe tools. By 1910 he and his son, Fred W. Wells, combined forces with the E.F. Reece company and prospered until 1922 when the company was absorbed by his brother's company, Greenfield Tap & Die.

In 1928, Fredrick founded the Wells Tool Company in the same B. B. Noyes building he resided in during 1889. Although his company was small, it survived because its foundations were laid by the man who virtually founded the tap & die industry. He emphasized the necessity of high quality and customer satisfaction. The company gained fame by being able to provide its customers with a variety of quality standard and specialty items.

In 1946, Wells was acquired by Mr. Harold A. Gardner and Mr. Joseph Ballard, both former employees of the company and well acquainted with how to make a quality tap based on the foundations of its previous owner. They brought fresh and innovative ideas to the company. The first and foremost of these ideas was to include alternative "H" limits not found in other catalogs at the time.

In 1977 Robert Malloy, a former salesman for the Bendix Tap Co., took over the reins of leadership. It was his belief to give his customers the absolute lowest prices. Despite the fact that some consumers believed the lowest prices equated with the lowest quality, they quickly discovered that with Wells taps, this was not true. Customers could spend very little on their taps and have those last just as long as the more expensive, flashy brands. Constantly on the road, he peddled his taps and greatly broadened the Wells customer base. However, in 1994, he fell ill and passed away shortly afterwards. Left to his family, Wells continued for almost five more years. However during those years, the company slowly began to decline. In the fall of 1999, after almost 72 years of making taps in the same building since its inception in 1928, the Wells Tool Co. closed its doors. It seemed that the legacy known as the Wells Tool Co. had come to an end.

On January 2, 2000, I reopened the doors of the all new Wells Tool. Having been in the cutting tool industry all my life with my father John, it was important to me that Wells continue their 130 year heritage. From the history above, you can see that Greenfield, Massachusetts was the center for tap and dies, and at one time had over a dozen tap companies. Wells Tool is a part of this great history.

We at Wells Tool are proud to provide you with this new catalog that contains competitive pricing, in depth tap and die information, and a wide selection of taps, dies, and accessories. If what you are looking for is not within these pages, or if you need a specialty item with quick delivery, please call us at (413) 773-3465, fax us at (413) 773-8632 or visit www.wellstool.com. You will be surprised at what we can offer you from our inventory for immediate delivery.

"Service, quality, and competitive pricing are remembered long after the catalog is discarded."

Phillip M. Duda
Wells Tool Company Inc.