Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 287-D Direct Drive

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Shaper, Wood
Machine Size:	1" Spindle, 7 1/2 HP, 120 Cycles.
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	287-D Direct Drive
Date of Manufacturer:	1954
Serial Number:	84699
Last Updated	5/5/2006 2:45:51 PM

Comments:

Oliver 287-D direct drive shaper, 1954 vintage.
That's right a seldom seen 120 cycle direct drive Oliver shaper. A friend of mine encouraged me to tell this story so here goes. The first time I ever even heard of one of these was from Mike Mendenhal of Cal. Wood Working Machinery, he had it on his used machine list several years ago before the internet. He had a 288-D, the double spindle version of this machine. I enquired about the shaper and he told me that I did not want it because it required a frequency converter and that would cost me a fortune. I have never listened when machinery dealers tell me what I want. I became intrigued with it and tried to find info on these. Surprisingly Rich Fink had never seen one and did not know much about them and couldn't help. So I did not get far with finding info and in the mean time Mike sold the machine to someone in South America so that was the end of that.
I saw this machine on fleabay in 2004 and immediately tried to renew my research. I still did not get far but I did find a rude machinery dealer on the internet that actually seemed to know a lot about these. He informed me that he had a converter for $2600. But he sternly warned me not to buy the machine no matter how good of condition it is in. He said that I would be wasting my time and money. He also talked stink about Oliver shapers in general because he is pushing a different brand. So not being one to listen to rude machinery dealers I bid on this shaper anyway since the minimum bid was only $500. It was listed by a dealer in Wash D.C. and I still was not sure it required a converter or not because it was not listed with a converter and the dealer said it was a 60 cycle machine. Now before I go on let me point out that I could tell from the scan that the machine was in very good condition, had all 3 table rings (a $450 value from eagle machinery) and had a ton of Oliver accessories with it. I also know someone on Maui that has an Oliver 287 shaper with an 8' long table and I knew I could sell him the small table if I had to. I hesitate to disclose how lucky I was but those accessories included; an Oliver jointer knife setting block, several Oliver table saw wrenches, spanner wrench for 88 table saw, dado arbor and washers for 88 table saw, spacer block for 260 saw fence and several other cool wrenches and misc. stuff I am still trying to identify. These accessories exceeded the value of the deal, so I concluded that I could not get hurt, even if I could not use the shaper in the worst case scenario. Now I think of this deal anytime a machinery dealer talks to me about how stupid their customers are.
So no one bid against me, the shaper arrived and had even more hardware with it than I thought it would have. The dealer turned out to be a machine shop dealer and I think what happened is anything that they didn't know what it was they threw it in the crate. But anyway sure enough the shaper is a direct drive 7.5 HP 120 cycle motor on shaft requiring a frequency changer. So now I moved my research up a notch but still did not get far. I had a great conversation with a Baldor employee who formerly worked for Louis Allis, the company that made the motor. He started out by saying "in days gone by" and proceeded to explain that some machinery companies were so committed to direct drive machines that they went to great lengths to make this possible. The shaper being a machine that needed a higher RPM would have to be accomplished by increasing the cycles- in this case 120 to produce 7000 RPM. He told me that a new converter would probably not work with this machine because the wave shape is not clean enough. I found some old converters on the internet but no one seemed to know much about them and it seemed risky. In the mean time I e-mailed the dealer and let him know that this is a 120 cycle machine and asked him some questions. He obviously had not even looked at the machine and offered me a refund which was cool. But I did not really want a refund and an amazing thing happened during the ensuing conversation; he questioned me about what a frequency converter was and by my telephone description he suddenly had the epiphany that they had the converter for this shaper from the same batch of equipment but they had not known what it was. Now the converter just arrived last week and I quickly noticed that it says "Oliver Shaper" right on the front of the control panel. Not to mention that it the same shade of gray as the shaper and that all the Louis Allis badges match perfectly on the shaper, the drive motor and the generator. Now I also think of this anytime a machinery dealer talks to me about how stupid their customers are.
So I was reluctant to talk about this deal, which has been in process for almost a year now, until I got the converter. I still have not had time to hook it up but I am confident it will work. I also wanted to get photos from my wife before I posted this but it is a rainy day in Maui and this is a long story so I will post the photos and update later.
Aloha,
Chuck
Update #1 Got her hooked up everything works fine. I have not had time to mount the spindle and cut some wood. I am waiting for a time when I won't be interrupted, could be a while. I have had more time inspect the machine, this is the original paint & color and the shaper looks like it has light gray primer underneath. The freak looks like it has brick red primer under and the gray looks the same as the shaper in the shop but appears a little different in the photos. The wiring inside the control panel is cloth coated wire laced up with twine as it goes throughout the panel. It is immaculate inside. The slip rings in the freak make a little noise at low rpms but sound normal (I've never heard one before but that is what I am telling myself.). The shaper sounds unlike any other I have ever heard. It sounds sort of like a jet or something. There are a couple of mysteries; one is that the serial number 84699 would put the shaper at 1954 according to my info. Inside the control panel is the original blue line drawing of the layout by a Louis Allis employee and the drawing is dated 1956. 2 years later. The other mystery is that the shaper is in immaculate condition and has the nicest brass chicken badge I have ever seen, except that in the front of the spindle housing there are a ton of nicks. The paint is completely gone around the Louis Allis Badge on the shaper and that badge itself is pretty beat up. All the other badges are like new. Go Figure.
Update #2, 3-12-06;
We have been vigorously using this machine for about a year now. We use it for "stick" setup for cope & stick cabinet doors with a 4 wheel power feeder. I love this shaper. it is so smooth and it's a cool machine. I got another e-mail from a machinery dealer telling me these machines are worthless. Well I'm here to tell you that if this machine is worthless then go ahead and send me more worthless machines like this one! This was one of the best machinery deals I ever made.
Aloha,
Chuck

Photo 1:

Comments: Shaper and Frequency changer.
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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Photo 2:

Comments: Louis Allis badge on spindle housing.
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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Photo 3:

Comments: Shot up the skirt. No motors , springs or belts.
Source: My beautiful wife's camera.

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