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Total expenditures for additions to long-lived assets other than financial instruments, long-term customer relationships of a financial institution, mortgage and other servicing rights, deferred policy acquisition costs, and deferred tax assets of the reportable segment; if the amount: (a) is included in the determination of segment assets reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) is otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in the determination of segment assets.

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The threshold percentage of customer exceeded 10% of total revenue.

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Total capital expenditures from operations and corporate, adjusted for currency translation adjustment.

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Cumulative translation adjustment resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into the reporting currency. Reported in equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income.

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Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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REPORTABLE SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
REPORTABLE SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 29, 2014	Sep. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 34,393,056us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 35,803,405us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 34,779,773us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 35,849,126us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 34,262,039us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 34,256,086us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 39,247,980us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 34,692,174us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 140,825,360us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 142,458,279us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 157,509,185us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Operating profit									11,718,648us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	10,386,321us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	13,551,423us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest expense									(254,576)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(322,731)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(369,357)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Other income									64,691us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	50,305us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	42,452us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income before income taxes									11,528,763	10,113,895	13,224,518
Assets					113,858,409us-gaap_Assets				121,270,556us-gaap_Assets	113,858,409us-gaap_Assets
Depreciation and amortization									3,486,302	3,825,286	3,439,800
Capital expenditures before currency translation adjustment									3,567,238	5,439,560	4,149,943
Currency translation adjustment									10,347	(245)	(2,730)
Total capital expenditures									3,633,165eml_TotalCapitalExpenditures	5,523,742eml_TotalCapitalExpenditures	4,216,970eml_TotalCapitalExpenditures
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									140,825,360	142,458,279	157,509,185
Operating profit									11,718,648	10,386,321	13,551,423
Assets					94,684,750				102,271,004	94,684,750	94,564,369
Depreciation and amortization									3,486,302	3,825,286	3,439,800
Operating Segments [Member] \| Industrial Hardware [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									58,666,229	60,367,209	72,268,559
Operating profit									5,063,786	4,797,254	7,566,512
Assets					31,820,269				29,660,695	31,820,269	34,425,594
Depreciation and amortization									1,631,521	2,085,618	1,769,097
Capital expenditures before currency translation adjustment									1,929,022	1,967,335	1,552,147
Operating Segments [Member] \| Security Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									49,381,553	48,751,688	50,138,121
Operating profit									4,058,554	2,780,403	4,113,661
Assets					43,582,088				51,573,251	43,582,088	41,857,156
Depreciation and amortization									621,501	592,555	628,652
Capital expenditures before currency translation adjustment									973,365	469,669	260,692
Operating Segments [Member] \| Metal Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									32,777,578	33,339,382	35,102,505
Operating profit									2,596,308	2,808,664	1,871,250
Assets					19,282,393				21,037,058	19,282,393	18,281,619
Depreciation and amortization									1,233,280	1,147,113	1,042,051
Capital expenditures before currency translation adjustment									664,851	3,002,556	2,337,104
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									3,549,925	2,943,464	3,185,578
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Industrial Hardware [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									984,192	373,797	270,911
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Security Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									2,565,733	2,558,127	2,914,667
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Metal Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									0	11,540	0
General Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets					19,173,659				18,999,552	19,173,659	21,289,781
Total capital expenditures									55,580	84,427	69,757
Reportable Geographical Components [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									140,825,360	142,458,279	157,509,185
Assets					113,858,409				121,270,556	113,858,409	115,854,150
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] \| United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									117,478,557	114,085,322	120,604,363
Assets					96,289,200				105,771,961	96,289,200	95,441,029
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] \| Foreign [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									23,346,803	28,372,957	36,904,822
Assets					$ 17,569,209				$ 15,498,595	$ 17,569,209	$ 20,413,121
Sales Revenue [Member] \| Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of major customers									1	1
Threshold percentage of customer exceeded 10% of total revenue (in hundredths)									10.50%	11.50%