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

True Manufacturer:
Oliver Machinery Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Machine Specifications
Machine Class: Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type: Jig or Scroll Saw
Machine Size: 36"
Submitted By: Kyle VanMeter
Machine Specifications
Description/Model: 173 Scroll Saw
Date of Manufacturer: 1939
Serial Number: 47411 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated 11/29/2014 10:32:36 AM

Comments:
This one "figuratively" fell into my lap. I made a comment on an OWWM thread pertaining to these large scroll saws, something along the lines of: "I would buy one if the opportunity came up. " Though I never actually thought I would own one though.

A few days later, I received an email from a general contractor who lurks here from time to time that saw my post. He said that he bought an Oliver 173 a while back for some restoration jobs that he had which required some fancy gingerbread and corbels. He said after finishing the jobs, the saw sat idle, so he moved it from his shop to an outbuilding at his farm. There it sat for 10 years, and he now is looking to get rid of it. After discussing the history of the saw, we settled on a nice price (at least for me ;) ), and set a date for me to pick it up.

I drove about a 12 hour round trip to pick up the saw in western-ish Illinois, and it was a rather uneventful. He had a forklift to load, which made short work of it. He gave me a quick tour of his shop, which had some neat equipment for working with sheet metal for roofing. Then I hit the road. The unload went pretty smooth as well using a 2 ton engine lift.

The saw came complete, and the motor ran when I hooked to power at my shop. Some parts were kinda frozen, and everything was rusty. But it was a pretty straight forward project. I disassembled, stripped, de-rusted, cleaned, painted, and reassembled the whole machine. I am happy I took the time to go through it, the machine is a pleasure to use!

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