Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - Model 90-C Dual arbor

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Oliver Machinery Co.
Grand Rapids, MI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Table Saw
Machine Size:	2 x 14", single 18"
Submitted By:	Ray Muno

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Model 90-C Dual arbor
Date of Manufacturer:	1924
Serial Number:	28,965 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	12/7/2006 9:31:26 PM

Comments:

An old Oliver Model 90 bench saw. It is a dual arbor saw that, according to Oliver literature, was designed to be a smaller version of the model 60 dual arbor saw. Overall it is very similar, 2 14" saw blades carryed on a rotating yoke, sliding table, flat belt drive. The model 60 carried 2 16" blades. As with the Model 60, a single larger blade can be used, in this case 18". It could be ordered with either an electric motor (5 HP) or a countershaft for lineshaft drive. This particular machine has the original motor bracket. The serial number, 28,965 puts its manufacture date at 1924.

This saw was purchased new by the University of Minnesota in 1924. A friend of mine bought it 7 years ago from the University recycling center where it was destined to be scrapped. He really had no use for it but did not want to see this grand old machine meet an early demise. It has sat in his shed for the last 7 years, pretty much ignored. Circumstances changed and he no longer had the space to store it. He asked me if I knew anyone interested in it. This set the wheels turning and now I am the owner.

The first picture shows the condition of the saw as it sat in storage. The sliding table, miter gages and other accesories were removed and stored elsewhere.

Other pictures of the saw, as a work in progress, can be found at:

http://www.aem.umn.edu/~muno/Oliver/Model_90

The saw is amazingly complete considering it is 80 years old. The major components are all still with it, the pair of miter gages, the miter quadrant for the sliding table, the rip fence, locking knobs, splitting knives, sheet metal dust door, original motor with mounting bracket and belt guard, blade guard brackets. Missing are the blade guard, some taper pins for the fence and miter quadrant and the cutoff rods for the miter gages.

The model 90 appears in Oliver Catalog 22 which can be found at:

http://www.owwm.com/files/PDF/Oliver/1922-Catalog22-BenchSaws.pdf

This particular saw is a couple years newer than the above catalog and differs in a few ways. The standard saw would have been equipped with bronze sleeve bearings. This one has ball bearings. That option was noted on the invoice. In addition, the catalog specs a table size of 36" wide x 38" long. The table on this particular saw is 38-1/2" wide x 44-1/2" long. This provides a crosscut capacity of 36" on the sliding table. Around this time period, it looks like Oliver may have standardized many of the sliding table components on the bigger saws. The sliding table size (17-1/2" x 44-1/2") and roller bearing configuration matches that of the Model 60, 80, 88 and 260 of later years. Many of the sliding table components (table, gibs, etc.) have numbers that are prefixed with the word "Universal" instead of a model designation as is the case with many of the other cast parts.

Here is a later brochure (1936) that describes the saw much better:

http://www.owwm.com/files/PDF/Oliver/90-3604.pdf

During the 1920's Oliver looks to have started the transition to direct motor drive saws and tilting arbors instead of tilting tables. The Model 90 appears in the 1929 price list.
On a recent trip, Jeff McVey visted Eagle Machinery and looked in to production dates for the Model 90. The last Model 90, S/N 46,243, was made 3/19/1938. It is not clear when the Model 90 entered production. It is shown in Catlalog 16, ca 1910. Its place in the lineup was no doubt replaced in the mid 30's by the Model 290. IMHO, I think the 290, although tilting arbor, would have been much less of a saw. It looks to be underpowered at 2HP per motor and had a much smaller capacity. The other large tilting table saws, the Model 60 and 80, look to have been offered in to the 1940's.

The list price of a Model 90-C in 1929 was $925. Using the CPI inflation calculator provided by the US commerce department, that would equate to $10,500 in 2005 dollars.

Details of the miter gauge set and Type C Rip Fence can be found at:

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=1902
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=1903

Details of the dado arbor extension can be found at:

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=3301

Rich Fink at Eagle provided me with info from the original invoice. (A PDF of it is available here: http://www.aem.umn.edu/~muno/Oliver/Model_90/Invoice_90.pdf)

Ordered February 22, 1924
Shipped March 6, 1924

Sold to University of Minnesota
Shipped by The Sioux Line via Chicago

90-C without No. 135 segment gage
Optional ball bearings
GE motor, frame 936, 5 HP, 3 Phase, 240 volt, 1 1/8 shaft, SN 4184388
Endless leather belt, 9'8", 5" wide
Motor Pulley 6" x 5 1/4" x 1 1/8" bore, 1/4" x 1/8" keyway

Photo 1:

Comments: Oliver Model 90 saw, awaiting restoration
Source: Digital camera

Direct Link
IMG Code

Photo 2:

Comments:
Source: Oliver Catalog 22

Direct Link
IMG Code

Photo 3:

Comments: Work in progress
Source: Ray Muno, Digital camera

Direct Link
IMG Code