Photo Index - Oliver Machinery Co. - 116-D

Machinery Photo Index

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

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Band Saw
Machine Size:	36"
Submitted By:	Chuck Hess

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	116-D
Date of Manufacturer:	1953
Serial Number:	82783 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	1/1/2009 3:59:57 AM

Comments:

Oliver # 116-D, 36" Band Saw. Serial # 83783, 1953. 1-1-09.
Hey,
Happy New Year everybody! We got home yesterday with a couple of Olivers we snuck out of Chicago, while the northern OWWMers must have been napping. This is a really nice band saw that came from a working pattern and foundry shop. The shop had my favorite 4" x 8" wood block flooring in the machine areas, the kind that looks sort of like brick pavers, I love that stuff.
The saw is a 5 HP, 690 RPM Direct Drive. I am surprised to read in the brochure "that the 720 RPM motor is standard" on these because it seems like most 116s I've seen had the 900 RPM motors. Anyway, I always like a slower speed saw and this is a good one. It looks like it has 2 coats of paint over the original but looks pretty good. The pattern shop had all the machines painted the same color, it must have been a really big can of paint. She runs real smooth now but if I do new tires I will probably go ahead and paint her up real nice. The tables are great shape with the original planer marks. I don't recall having seen another 116 with the bullseye and target in the upper door like this one has. Only thing this saw really needs right now is a new upper guide.
The boys and I did this trip, 1550 miles in 2 days, and we really squeezed this in between some gnarly weather they have been having for the last 2 weeks. But we had 40 degrees and sunny Monday and Tuesday, and this time of year that is about as good as it gets. But, because I waited on the weather we were pretty much the last ones to the party and most of the other machines were gone by the time we got there.
It is always sad to me to see a shop that is being cleared out, I feel like it is watching an old tree, that took a long time to grow, being cut down. It takes a lot of work and years to put a shop together but they can clear one out in a couple of weeks. We also made a stop to pick up a feeder that I purchased from a small time machinery dealer in the area. He had also purchased a couple machines from the same sale, which were also nice Olivers. I was surprised to have to listen to his rendition of what a junky place that pattern shop was, full of old machines and all, and that he knew all about how shops and businesses like that should be run. I always have to bite my tongue when I hear this BS about how you can't make money with old machines, and all this from an expert who didn't even have a sign on his dinky "business". That was one young man that really needs to talk less and listen more. Anyway it was a nice pattern shop and I was sad to see them filling dumpsters out back with old patterns and molds that pattern makers had spent a lot of time making. I hope this coming year is a better one for America!
Happy New Year everyone!

Photo 1:

Comments: Front
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 2:

Comments: Front Quarter
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 3:

Comments: Rear shot
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 4:

Comments: Badge
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 5:

Comments: Bullseye and target
Source: My Nikon

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Photo 6:

Comments: Alum Wheels, Steel Hubs
Source: My Nikon

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