Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Oct. 01, 2016	Oct. 03, 2015
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net earnings	$ 22,548,000	$ 37,245,000	$ 21,710,000
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	11,649,000	11,544,000	11,934,000
Amortization of capitalized financing costs	65,000	65,000	89,000
Stock-based compensation expense	2,245,000	2,439,000	2,298,000
Deferred income taxes	2,503,000	536,000	333,000
Pension plan settlement loss, net of cash contributed		620,000
Asset impairment charges	0	20,000	543,000
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	(537,000)	(1,717,000)	(169,000)
Loss (gain) on sale and disposition of property, plant and equipment	64,000	61,000	(2,652,000)
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance policies over premiums paid	(812,000)	(480,000)	(39,000)
Net changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	7,105,000	(607,000)	4,266,000
Inventories	(10,667,000)	(5,177,000)	15,890,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(11,930,000)	9,009,000	(17,861,000)
Other changes	(1,930,000)	978,000	(568,000)
Total adjustments	(2,245,000)	17,291,000	14,064,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	20,303,000	54,536,000	35,774,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(20,575,000)	(12,977,000)	(7,153,000)
Proceeds from surrender of life insurance policies	100,000	140,000	40,000
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance policies	(405,000)	(375,000)	(328,000)
Acquisition of intangible asset			(1,460,000)
Acquisition of business			480,000
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale		180,000	3,537,000
Proceeds from fire loss insurance			1,713,000
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment		60,000	132,000
Net cash used for investing activities	(20,880,000)	(12,972,000)	(3,039,000)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	404,000	328,000	60,978,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(404,000)	(328,000)	(60,978,000)
Cash dividends paid	(26,011,000)	(20,859,000)	(2,211,000)
Cash received from exercise of stock options	107,000	5,065,000	200,000
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	537,000	1,717,000	169,000
Payment of employee tax withholdings related to net share transactions	(824,000)	(1,861,000)	(478,000)
Financing costs		(11,000)	(207,000)
Net cash used for financing activities	(26,191,000)	(15,949,000)	(2,527,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(26,768,000)	25,615,000	30,208,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	58,873,000	33,258,000	3,050,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	32,105,000	58,873,000	33,258,000
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:
Interest			143,000
Income taxes, net	9,300,000	19,184,000	7,805,000
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment in accounts payable	465,000	1,746,000	570,000
Restricted stock units and stock options surrendered for withholding taxes payable	$ 824,000	$ 1,861,000	$ 478,000