Woods Tour
On October 12, the Leaf River Soaring Eagles 4-H Club visited the Woods Company in Oregon, IL.
Three brothers, Leonard, Keith, and Mervel started the company in 1946. The making of the rotary cutter was
what got the company really going. The company has grown from a Quonset hut with a dirt floor to about 10
acres of building using robots and lasers to make many machines. We were able to see how they bend the metal,
cut the metal, and weld the parts together. When painting, an electrostatic powder is sprayed on the pieces in a
paint booth. Then the pieces are put in a kiln at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit where the powder melts to form a
layer of flawless, glossy paint. We also saw the CAD program used to design the different machines. Woods
makes mowers, snow blowers, rotary cutters, backhoes, and many other tractor attachments.
A special thank you to the Woods' employees for giving us the tour, letting us watch you work, and
showing us how everything is done. It was all interesting and fun. 4-H Club gives us the opportunity to go on
these great tours. The Leaf River Soaring Eagles 4-H Club meets the second Monday of each month. For more
information call the Ogle County Extension at (815) 732 - 2191.