Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 2159

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:	14" x 72" bed
Submitted By:	Dave Potts

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	2159
Date of Manufacturer:	1966
Serial Number:	98002
Last Updated	7/16/2014 7:45:19 PM

Comments:

This machine was originally purchased for use in the model and prototype shop at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, in Princeton, NJ. The lathe was offered up for sale as a surplus item in the late 1980s, where it was purchased by one of the lab's engineers for his basement workshop. The new owner replaced the 1-HP 3-phase motor with a single phase motor, and also purchased a Delta toolrest base, as the Oliver toolrest base was not included. The new owner also kept all of the records for the lathe, including the Oliver bill of sale, the parts manual, an Oliver lathe brochure with accessories, and the receipts for additional parts, both Delta and Oliver. They were all turned over to me, as the new owner of the lathe.

Twenty-five years after making his purchase, the engineer decided to retire and move to another state-- but would not be able to take the lathe with him. The greatest hurdle on my end for retrieving this lathe was that the only way the lathe could be extracted from the basement workshop was through a 14" x 30" basement window. The entire machine had to be disassembled and each component was then slid up a plank and through the cellar window-- sort of a reverse coal chute. My son and I began the ordeal at about 10AM on a Saturday morning and were home for lunch by 2PM.

I've added a Powermatic 90 toolrest base, as it's sized more appropriately than the Delta. A spindle adapter from Best Wood Tools makes it possible to use many modern (1"x8) pieces of woodturning hardware and Oneway stocks inserts for its Sronghold chucks to fit the Oliver spindle (1.125"x8)

Photo 1:

Comments: Oliver 2159 in the seller's cellar
Source: Photo Courtesy Previous Owner

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Photo 2:

Comments: 2159 with a spindle adapter and small chuck mounted
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Photo 3:

Comments: #2159's compound rest
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Photo 4:

Comments: Small tower of Oliver faceplates
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Photo 5:

Comments: The business end of the #2159
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Photo 6:

Comments: Oliver badge
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