Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 399D

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Planer, Wood
Machine Size:	18"
Submitted By:	Kirk Poore

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	399D
Date of Manufacturer:	1950
Serial Number:	75339 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	4/16/2007 11:33:11 PM

Comments:

I bought this from, of all places, the local Woodcraft. They have a relationship with a machinery dealer in Indiana. I was in buying a replacement porta-planer after wearing out my first one and told the store owner that this was a temporary fix until I found a real planer. He said he knew of a used planer, he though it was an Oliver. I was immediately intrigued. He had it shipped to St Louis so I could see it (nothing like the seller doing the Ruckering before you buy!). Planer seemed in good shape after a sample run, other than needing sharp blades and a outboard cutterhead bearing fix. The machine came out of a school, so doesn't have serious wear. The outer cutterhead bearing was spinning in the housing, probably due to a grease dam from over-lubing.

I wound up having a motor shop replace the cutterhead bearings, new cord, paint job, new blades, and a total tune up. Cost up to this point is $1400. The planer runs really well, but does have a serious oil leak in the gear box for the drive system--I put a drip cup under it and got a tablespoon of oil in about half an hour of operation. It only leaks when it runs, though, which I find odd--probably a bad seal around the shaft that leaking.

(Mar 2007) I found time for the final repair, and removed the gearbox. After disassembly, I replaced the four bearings (two each for the Reeves drive and sprocket to the drive wheels). The inner bearing on the sprocket shaft was the leaker. It was shielded, but evidently had developed a space around the shield. All four bearings plus an oil seal on the Reeves drive shaft were only $44 from a local bearing supplier. A big bearing splitter was needed to get the final bearing(the leaky one) off the shaft it shared with the large plastic gear. It sits too closely to the gear for a regular gear puller to grab it. I also turned a new handle for the table raising wheel, since mine was missing. While the gearbox was out I painted the remaining green nooks and crannies of the interior main casting. After reassembly, it runs quiet and clean.

Photo 1:

Comments: Unrestored. Unloaded from the trailer with my engine hoist
Source: My Camera

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Photo 2:

Comments: Front of restored planer on it's new mobile base, err, pallet jack.
Source: My Camera

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Photo 3:

Comments: Backside of planer. The name casting was too nice to pass up.
Source: My Camera

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