Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 232

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:	12"
Submitted By:	JB Lenzi

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	232
Date of Manufacturer:	1937
Serial Number:	(View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	2/20/2006 2:55:52 AM

Comments:

This is the earliest-known Oliver 232 to date on the owwm list. S/N 45501, manufactured in 1937. It came from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, People's Republik of Kalifornia, and appeared to have been last-used as a work table for the art class. I removed various spots of glitter and water colors from the table, and the dried-out contents of most of a bottle of ink which had spilled onto the table, and under the miter guage filler strip. Ink is not a particularly good rust-preventative. It came with a special-model Industrial Arts 50-tooth carbide blade, which was at one time a 60-tooth carbide blade. It also sports the typical Industrial Arts Klown-Kolor paint-job of puke-green, red, yellow, and cream on various parts. I removed most of the small parts (fence, miter guage, knobs and such) for restoration to the original Oliver gray of the era. The main castings of the saw will have to wait their turn for return to gray, and may rise higher on the refinish-list depending upon how long I can stand looking at puke green. Otherwise, the saw is in excellent condition for its' age, and required only a good cleaning, bearing and way re-lubrication, and minor adjustments to be completely serviceable.

On the way to pick up the saw, I stopped at the local Recreational Wooddorking Supply for one of the "Industrial-Duty" 1200 lb. capacity J*t mobile bases, since the saw will have to remain mobile for a while. The salesman asked why I needed such a heavy-duty base, and when I told him it was for an Oliver saw, he proceeded to give me the pros and cons of the new Chiwanese Oliver tools, not knowing I was planning to use it on a real Oliver tool. Later, when I lowered the saw onto the base, it visibly flinched as its' feet touched the foreign metal, but otherwise, no ill effects have been noted.

The second picture shows the saw blade in operation for the usual small-change test of stability and smooth-operating characteristics. Not only does it pass the nickel-test on start-up, run, and shut-down, it passes the penny and dime test too. Not bad for a saw abused by several generations of high school woodshop classes and more-recent art students.

In honor of the worldly Screaming Chicken, and because I am part-Italian, this so far earliest-known 232 saw has been christened "Il Pollo" in lieu of El (La) Gallina.

Photo 1:

Comments: As put into service
Source: Sony No Baloney

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Photo 2:

Comments: Oliver 232 Small Change Test
Source: Sony No Baloney

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Photo 3:

Comments: As received
Source: Sony No Baloney

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