WorkRite was formed in 1908 by the Meyer family, with the first product being radios for home use. Due to the shortage of aluminum during WWII, Hughes Aircraft started producing aircraft parts out of laminated birch. A radio frequency portable machine was developed in-house to speed up the processing of these parts. After World War II, WorkRite was approached by Robert McDonald, an engineer who had worked for Hughes Aircraft during the war, to manufacture an RF machine for the Woodworking Industry.