Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - #34

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Sander
Machine Size:	30"
Submitted By:	T.J. Forrester

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	#34
Date of Manufacturer:	1920
Serial Number:	23717 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	12/8/2006 12:00:00 AM

Comments:

This sander was the second machine that came home with fellow OWWMer Doug Westlind and I from Don Peterson's "arn Valhalla" near Tacoma, Washington. Basically Doug and I goaded each other into buying the two machines - this sander and Doug's Y36. This machine was very close to the condition of my Dewalt RAS when I recieved it (on a pallet - a pile of rusted parts) Don seasoned this one well in the soaking NW coastal woods. It appears to have been purchased some years ago, and left sitting in its shipping crate which was all but rotted away when we found it under a thick tangle of sword ferms and blackberries. Amazingly, it was all there. Being a 1920 vintage, this was a pretty early ball bearing machine. Many of Oliver's machines were still babbitt at this time.

Doug performed the resto on this machine for an undisclosed sum, of which turned out to not be nearly enough. This was in his words "one of the worst machines I've ever worked on, from many standpoints". We're talking major, major rust here folks. Deep, pitting rust. The kind that turns parts unrecognizable and unuseable. But Doug perservered and presented me with a machine that hardly resembles the crusted over saddest of the sad bastards we found in the bushes at Don's. Parts had to be remachined and in some cases remade, broken and cracked castings repaired, bearings replaced, new electrics, and according to Doug, a GALLON of bondo applied to one of the roughest base castings either of us has ever seen. The only thing that survived fairly well was the motor. All it required was cleanup and new bearings.

I built a mobile base for it and hung a new GE mag starter on it. I will have my new friends at the specialty tire and rubber place here in Eugene make me some new spindle rubbers for it. It sands beautifully. I'll need to spend more time getting the dust collection dialed in, and put a second push button station under the spindle sander table. I can see this machine becoming one of my favorites to use in the shop.

A very special thanks to Doug. Sorry buddy, I'll never make you do anything like that again!

Photo 1:

Comments: This just doesn't do it justice. The rust and damage were extensive.
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IMG Code

Photo 2:

Comments: Disk side. Miter slot filler strips are permenent additions to the table.
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Photo 3:

Comments: Spindle side. Doug remanufactured some of the internal parts.
Source:

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