Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - Oliver #12-B

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Jointer
Machine Size:	20"
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Oliver #12-B
Date of Manufacturer:	1956
Serial Number:	87217 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	11/20/2008 11:06:36 PM

Comments:

Oliver #12-B, 20" Pattern Makers Jointer. Serial # 87217, 1956.
I like this jointer it was made the same year I was but she's wearing her age better than I. This is one of my best traveled machines as it came from upstate New York and I am in Maui. I think that is about 5500 miles, give or take. I got her in a deal where I had to purchase my #381 spindle sander with it. The seller told me his dad bought the sander and jointer new from Oliver and would not separate the 2 machines. He told me these 2 were in the "model shop". It must have been a killer model shop to have this jointer and a #381 spindle sander among other things.
No apologies for this machine. The only slight damage was from it being poorly crated for the trip to Hawaii. The crate had just about disintegrated by the time it arrived and the jointer was listing to the starboard side badly. This caused the fence to contact the motor and made a small chip in the bottom of the fence. A lesser machine might not have made the trip as well. The table is the nicest on any of my vintage machines; no pecker marks at all!
This is the patternmaker's model so the infeed table tilts to the right or left originally for putting draft on pattern work to release from the mold. My friend told me his jointer should have that feature just so he could set it up true.
This was not a restoration we just installed it first and painted it later. The paint was fine it just was not the right color. Unreal how smooth she runs. 10 HP direct drive 480 volt motor super strong and quiet too. We were running this on a step up transformer and we loved it but now we have real 480 volt service and this thing snaps to full RPM almost immediately. The unreal thing about this machine is the grinder. First you grind the 20" knives on the head and then there is a stone you flip down to hone the knives, right on the head. We hone about 5 times before it needs grinding again. Bring on the teak. She makes big fluffy shavings and the shavings are very consistent in size. All the knives are cutting. This difference in shavings really impressed me; in my whole career I've never seen or heard of shavings like this from a jointer. I might be the only person I've ever heard use the phrase "jointer shavings"; sounds like something the hand tool guys would say.
Aloha,
Chuck

Update 11-20-08.
To add to the well traveled part of the previous story, this jointer made the trip with me and mine to our new home in the blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I have added some shots of her in the new digs.

Photo 1:

Comments: heavenly jointer
Source: My beautiful wife photographer

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Photo 2:

Comments:
Source: My beautiful wife photographer

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Photo 3:

Comments:
Source: My beautiful wife photographer

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Photo 4:

Comments: In the new shop in NC.
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 5:

Comments: In the new shop in NC.
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 6:

Comments: Accessory holder
Source: My Nikon

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