Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 51-B Motor Head Speed Lathe (before)

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:	12" Swing, 60" Bed
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	51-B Motor Head Speed Lathe (before)
Date of Manufacturer:	late 40s, early 50s
Serial Number:	N/A
Last Updated	11/14/2008 11:11:38 PM

Comments:

Oliver #51 B, 12" Swing, 60" Bed, Motor Head Speed Lathe, 11/17/07. (Before)

Hey, I just scored this lathe from the OWWM classifieds, and havent taken delivery yet. Hoping to get it ruckered or luckered down here from Sewickley, PA to NC. I must admit I had never paid much attention to the smaller Oliver lathes until recently when my kids started turning. I have a professional turner friend, and very good old arn enabler, and he was just telling me how useful his lathe like this one is, in addition to his larger lathes. So I started thinking about getting another lathe since I have 4 turning kids and 1 lathe and it can be a bit of a bottle neck in the shop. Since Christmas is coming up I looked on the net this morning, before we left for our turners club meet, and came up with this one.
What I know about the lathe now, without seeing it in person yet, is the badge is missing but it appears to be pre 50s vintage judging from the brochures. I hope that there may be a serial number stamped in the bed when it arrives. The seller says it has a 3/4 HP motor but the brochures say it will be a 1/2 HP. You know in North Carolina we are always lookin for more horsepower ;^) It is a 4 speed, 600, 1200, 1800 & 3600 RPM motor. The lathe has a 60" bed for 36" between centers and a Pattermaker's Hand Feeding Carriage. Another cool feature is the No. 50 Swivel Set Over Tail Stock, allowing the tailstock to swing 30 degrees in either direction and the quick feed lever for the tailstock spindle. How can you live without that? The seller told me that someone offered the full asking price for the tailstock alone but he didn't want to break up the machine; good on him. He was going to wait and find it a good home, and when I heard that, I knew that this was supposed to be our lathe!

Update; 12-15-07
We have gotten this one back to our shop now. Unfortunately there is no serial number or badge, so the year is still unknown. This one matches the 1951 brochure the best. Lathe runs well and we have started the restro, to be complete by Christmas.

Photo 1:

Comments: Front Shot
Source: My Nikon.

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Photo 2:

Comments: Rare Tailstock
Source: My Nikon.

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Photo 3:

Comments: Speed Changer
Source: My Nikon.

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