Located at Mittagong in the scenic Southern Highlands of NSW, Evalock Cedar Windows and Doors is a specialist timber windows and door manufacturer. The company produces architecturally designed windows and doors from a wide range of both imported and Australian native timbers. Evalock’s strength is its performance and reputation amongst Australian’s elite timber window and door manufacturers with the acquisition of a computerised Masterwood mortiser from Gabbett Machinery.

Evalock owner and managing director Gary Evans says the company considers their windows and doors to be top-of-the range. “We are producing tomorrow’s antiques!”

“So when a house with say one of our front door units is demolished that door unit will go into the next house, then the next house. In fact our front door units are virtually bomb-proof and works of art.”

Evalock prides itself as continuing to be an industry leader in innovation. The company’s products are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. “So we can produce fully certified doors and windows. We can add this advance to our initiative of starting the manufacture of double glazed windows and doors 20 years ago,” says Gary.

“We also developed our own counter-balanced window system. Designed, manufactured and patented to handle double glazed window units. Others have since copied our design.”

Evalock boast a modern, computerised factory floor with digital readout machinery. “So the whole factory is set up so that nothing has to be measured and human error is eliminated from the system,” says Gary.

Computerised mortisers, overhead routers, moulders, spindle moulders, docking saws, panel saws and wide belt sanders are part of the sophisticated woodworking machinery mix. “We also make all our own tooling and cutters. We don’t have to rely on anybody.”

Recent acquisitions from Gabbett Machinery have included a new SCM Sandya wide belt sander and a Holytek wood chipper. In January of this year Evalock purchased the CNC Masterwood oscillating mortising machine with a magazine feed system. Gary confirms that this machine has the ability to do all the mortising requirements for windows and doors, louver blades cut-outs, hinge rebates and set-ins for locks on doors and windows required on the shop floor.

The SCM Sandya wide belt sander is specifically designed for the timber window and door manufacturers. The real challenge with sanding these products is the cross grain. With this in mind SCM have designed a radial pad. This along with the small diameter contact rollers reduces the cross grain scratches dramatically.

Gabbetts NSW sales manager Paul Edmunds says the Masterwood range of mortisers are proving to be popular throughout the window and door industry and perform a sequence of different mortises and slots for doors, windows, shutter and louvre door components.

He says the Masterwood machine can be fitted with a vertical workpiece stacker with automatic pushing device. “This allows the operator to load up to 24 door or sash stiles at any one time. A conveyor belt on the work table loads the piece to the left or right reference stop, the piece is then clamped and machining begins. On completion of machining the workpiece is automatically unloaded and the next piece is loaded to continue the process.”