36"Oliver direct drive Bandsaw

[Mrleft8]

In next to perfect condition.
How much is it worth roughly, and about what does it weigh?
I'm being offered one, and aside from the obvious "DUH! factor" I'd just like to get a handle on what I'm dealing with. I used one pretty much exactly like it out in Mendocino, but I confess that I was more attentive to what this amazing saw could do, than what it was...

[Hughman]

Doug, midway down the page is a link to download the manual.

http://www.owwm.com/MfgIndex/PubDeta...609&PubID=2053


I'll pay $26.00 for it! ....You deliver.

[Robmill0605]

In next to perfect condition.
How much is it worth roughly, and about what does it weigh?
I'm being offered one, and aside from the obvious "DUH! factor" I'd just like to get a handle on what I'm dealing with. I used one pretty much exactly like it out in Mendocino, but I confess that I was more attentive to what this amazing saw could do, than what it was...

If it's in decent shape a couple thousand bucks. As for weight its all cast iron and about seven ft. tall. It's a real monster. You can look it up here:

http://www.owwm.com/

This site will have all the dimensions, weights pics as well as history. If you have the serial number you can even pin down the date.
WHY doesn't someone offer me this thing? Oh well......

[reddog]

Hey Mrleft8;
Can't say how much that beast would weigh,but heavy.I have the "little sibling" an Oliver 192 18" direct drive and it is over 400Lbs. I'm sure.Enclosed cast iron base,solid balanced cast iron bottom wheel with a solid balanced aluminum upper.The 1/2 HP induction direct drive motor is much bigger than a current 3HP unit.A sweet saw for sure.

Earl

[Canoez]

C'mon, Lefty - I thought you just got a hernia fixed - you don't need another. Time for some rollers or an air bearing for moving that puppy...

[Jim Ledger]

I once saw a big beautiful Northfield go for $750 at an auction. There were a lot of lookers, but not many bidders. Although everyone says that they'd love to have one, few actually can. The problem is that you have to have a lot space for one.They stick way out into the room, even when against the wall, and you need room around them to work. Also, most of them are 3 phase which can be a problem for a lot of folks. With a direct drive there might not be a way to change the motor so the only option is a converter. You want a good floor as well. It might weigh 1500 lbs or more, 1000 minimum.

Hiring a rigger is the best way to move a thing like that. It's worth it.A big bandsaw is a top-heavy bitch, probably the most dangerous woodworking machine to move.

[kc8pql]

It might weigh 1500 lbs or more

Check the hight too. Two 36" wheels, 22" under the blade guides plus table thickness and base hight off the floor may add up to well over 8'.

[Canoez]

Hiring a rigger is the best way to move a thing like that. It's worth it.A big bandsaw is a top-heavy bitch, probably the most dangerous woodworking machine to move.

Riggers are cheap compared with hernia surgery. Besides, if they've got good access to the shop, they'd probably think it was a relatively easy job.

[TimH]

This is my 36" Eby. I moved it from Glenview IL to Montague MI myself. Rented a big uhaul covered trailer. When I pulled the saw out of the trailer I noticed that the floor was pretty caved in from the weight. I guess those trailers are really only for moving furniture.
If you have a concrete floor it isnt too hard to move with a big pry bar and some pipes to roll it on. It IS top heavy though.




http://owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=826

[reddog]

Tim;Not to hi-jack Doug's thread but I also have one similar.36" with curved spokes.When we moved it I disassembled the wheels and table.It took four of us to lift the body onto my truck.My mom and I took it off with a chain hoist and some rollers.It has sat in their garage since way back then in oh nineteen and eighty three or so.Waiting for a shop.$500 no motor.

Earl

[PeterSibley]

That is a lovely piece of iron ! I see a few around but finding one without a cracked wheel is hard .Well done !

[Mrleft8]

I belongs to my godparents. (Joyce and Edgar Anderson), and they offered it to me 25 or so years ago, when they no longer seemed likely to use it. That time has come. They kind of forgot that they'd offered it to me, and were going to sell it to someone else last year, and I gave them that...."Oh.... Don't worry about me.....I'll survive..." Puppy dog look. Well, the guy they were going to sll it to has backed out, because he doesn't have enough room. So it's mine again. I have no doubt that I'll be buying a phase converter, which is why I'm wondering what the saw is worth. I don't know if a phase converter that costs twice what the saw is worth makes too much sense..... But I do love the way these saws do their job.....Flawlessly.
If I have to rearrange my shop layout to accomodate it, I will.
BTW, they also have 10s of thousands of BF of cabinet grade lumber, incl some really rare stuff like flamed Zebrawood, and Brazillian Rosewood, if anyone's interested, PM me.

[TimH]

Dont snooze on that one. Unless of course you dont have a place for it.
Like Earls, mine sits in storage across the country.


someday....

[Matt J.]

So, doug, whatcha want for your old saw? ...the saw I tried to break last summer?

[Mrleft8]

So, doug, whatcha want for your old saw? ...the saw I tried to break last summer?

It'll take a whole lot more than a hundred and fifty feet of sopping wet 8/4 White Oak to kill my current saw. Hell, it was just getting warmed up by the time we were finished....

[Draketail]

Mrleft8,

If I may comment... Once you get past the purchase of the phase converter for the 36" Oliver, you open yourself up to all sorts of cheap, high quality three phase woodworking equpment.

Starting thirty years ago, my father and I outfitted a shop with Craftsman stationary power tools. The price and capability matched our skills at the time. My father died 25 years ago, and now, 25 years later, my son and I are replacing those Craftsman tools with industrial quality three phase woodworking tools. One, 10 hp phase converter runs (one at a time) a 16" Sydney table saw, a 16" Sydney jointer, a 32" Crescent resaw, a 36" Fay and Egan bandsaw, a Blount 60" pattern makers lathe, and a 24" Newman Whitney planer. All of these tools have been bought off of eBay or from local shops for about the current prices of the Craftsman tools they are replacing. The difference in quality and capability is astounding.

Gear up to run your 36" Oliver bandsaw and enjoy!

Draketail

[Hwyl]

Hiring a rigger is the best way to move a thing like that. It's worth it.A big bandsaw is a top-heavy bitch, probably the most dangerous woodworking machine to move.

I think it could probably be moved with the help of WBF volunteers; "will work for beer" and I have a CDL,
Where is your CDL bearing neighbour these days, haven't seen him around

[PeterSibley]

Mrleft8,

If I may comment... Once you get past the purchase of the phase converter for the 36" Oliver, you open yourself up to all sorts of cheap, high quality three phase woodworking equpment.

Starting thirty years ago, my father and I outfitted a shop with Craftsman stationary power tools. The price and capability matched our skills at the time. My father died 25 years ago, and now, 25 years later, my son and I are replacing those Craftsman tools with industrial quality three phase woodworking tools. One, 10 hp phase converter runs (one at a time) a 16" Sydney table saw, a 16" Sydney jointer, a 32" Crescent resaw, a 36" Fay and Egan bandsaw, a Blount 60" pattern makers lathe, and a 24" Newman Whitney planer. All of these tools have been bought off of eBay or from local shops for about the current prices of the Craftsman tools they are replacing. The difference in quality and capability is astounding.

Gear up to run your 36" Oliver bandsaw and enjoy!

Draketail

You are SO right ! What I wouldn't give for an adequate power supply ! Actually what I won't give is the $20k the electricity authority wants to upgrade the line and transformer .

[Canoeyawl]

A homemade rotary converter is the way to go, Simple and cheap.
I have a seven hp version and it will run everything in my shop, the more machines that I turn on, the more start-up capability.
I.e. if the converter is running and I start say a 3 hp lathe now we can start (and instantly reverse on the switch) a 10 hp machine and etcetera.

[Jim Ledger]

http://www.exfactory.com/seephoto.as...um=AM%2D010018

[Bark]

I love my Fay & Egan. We used an engine hoist to move it around. It stands about 8 feet tall and probably weighs around 1500 pounds. Not sure about value - I paid $150 for it, but it was in pretty rough shape cosmetically ...

[TimH]

I think it could probably be moved with the help of WBF volunteers; "will work for beer" and I have a CDL,
Where is your CDL bearing neighbour these days, haven't seen him around

a flat bed car trailer would be perfect for moving it. No CDL needed

[TimH]

A homemade rotary converter is the way to go, Simple and cheap.
I have a seven hp version and it will run everything in my shop, the more machines that I turn on, the more start-up capability.
I.e. if the converter is running and I start say a 3 hp lathe now we can start (and instantly reverse on the switch) a 10 hp machine and etcetera.

I have heard of people making these. Did you have plans to go by?

[T.A.R.]

I moved my 36" Silver in the back of an F-150(short distance 7 miles) loaded with block and tackle and a very stout tree. Unloaded using multible tackles to control it through vertical to horizontal in the shed and back to vertical. Alot of fore thought.

[Canoeyawl]

I have heard of people making these. Did you have plans to go by?

Well, I’ve been doing it for years and don’t have plans, and I am not electrically savvy enough to explain it but I can assure you it is not complex. The key is coming up with an old “Wye” or “Star” wired motor to use as a pacer or idler. My understanding is that a Delta wired motor is not appropriate. You will need at least the horsepower rating of the machine you are trying to operate. Used three phase motors are cheap.
The trick is starting what I call the “pacer” motor. When I first stumbled onto this trick it was used to power up an old (really old) Warner-Swasey turret lathe. We actually started the pacer with a pull rope! You can also use capacitors but now I use a static converter to start the pacer motor and just piggyback the actual machine to the pacer or rotary converter. I have a designated three phase wiring system in the shop so that the more machines I run the more available power is converted.

A quick search “rotary phase converter” “homemade” shows wikipedia has a good explanation of this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_phase_converter

Another site has a plan with more info than you need but it is comprehensive.
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/ph-conv/ph-conv.html

[katiedobe]

There is also a great chapter explaining how to do it in the Taunton book titled, "The Workshop Book", by Landis.
I had a huge old 15 hp three phase motor that I gave away to someone who wanted it. I had inherited it in a roomate who moved out and did not take it. Then I needed to buy a three phase converter later on, when with a Phaseomatic, it works great. But was expensive. Only after I bought the converter and after I gave away the 15hp motor did I stumble onto the book. Man did I feel unlucky.

It is easy. And often if you talk to a demolition contractor who does commerical work you can get a three phase motor from them for the cost of what they usually sell it to a scapper for.
But once my 7.5hp 14" american table saw is running I can start the 12" SCMI jointer and run them both at the same time.
Get that saw and get it into shape.

[TimH]

Ok, I have the workshop book and it looks like basically I just need a 3 phase motor and a rope for pull starting it. The motor that came with my bandsaw qould probably work well, its weighs like 200lbs.

Fine Woodworking issue #24 has a article on this also.

[Mrleft8]

Well..... The guy at Eagle Machinery says it weighs about 1,700 LBS...

[TimH]

so what are you waiting for? Go get it! ;-)

[moTthediesel]

I brought my $100 36" E.B. Smith bandsaw back to NNY from New Hampshire in the bed of my old 4wd Toyota P.U.

Hauled it fine, but watch the overhead clearance, and go slow around the corners. With that load it listed like a Nippon tin can coming around for another depth charge run

moT

[kc8pql]

Moving bandsaws is like moving refrigerators. There's an excellent possibility of it falling over unless it can be tied off up high. Like Ledger said, they're top heavy.Go rent a box or stake bed truck with a lift gate It would be a shame to break it's neck (or squash a passing car) if you have to jamb on the brakes or something.

[TimH]

or lay it down on blocks on a car trailer.

[reddog]

or disassemble it,there really arn't that many parts and it sure makes moving easier.The frame is a challenge.

Earl

[Mrleft8]

Took me and my 87 Y/O friend 6 hours to move it from it's hiding place, 10 feet across a concrete floor, through a 34" doorway that was at 45 degrees to the hallway, and 10 or so feet out into the driveway. It now sits tarped up awaiting a brainstorm on how to get it up into a truck. My friend wanted to use 2 14' planks and rollers. I had visions of squashed octagenarian. As Jim Ledger and I were discussing every time you save up enough money to buy something, something breaks and needs fixing, or replacing. I developed a hole in my gas tank, and am losing the clutch in the truck. Good thing I didn't try to haul that saw back in it yesterday. I could just see me sitting in the middle of the Tappan Zee bridge with a smoked clutch, and a 7' bandsaw in the back, trying to explain why the tow truck can't lift the front of my truck....

[emichaels]

Hire a flat bed tow truck. They can winch that wench up there and strap her down good. Those guys haul all kinds of weird stuff for salvage yards.

Eric

[Mrleft8]

Hire a flat bed tow truck. They can winch that wench up there and strap her down good. Those guys haul all kinds of weird stuff for salvage yards.

Eric

Can you imagine the bill for the 300 mile round trip?

[Hughman]

Doug, rent a box truck, they come with hydraulic lifts. It's cheaper than back surgery.

[Mrleft8]

Checked w/Penske. Lift will handle up to 3500 Lbs. $150 +-..... OK who wants to give me a hand this weekend?

[Hughman]

<Hmmmmm.; I've been needing a road trip....>

[Jim Ledger]

I'll lift but you have to do the thinnin', Queek Straw.

[Mrleft8]

I'll lift but you have to do the thinnin', Queek Straw.

What.....You didn't get enough of the insanity this past weekend?

[Mrleft8]

<Hmmmmm.; I've been needing a road trip....>

Lotta good Walnut too Hugh. And some of it's huge. Get down here by Friday evening, and we'll take off Saturday morning.

[Jim Ledger]

What.....You didn't get enough of the insanity this past weekend?

I've got a funny story to tell you about a small pile of lead pipes buried in the leaves.

[Mrleft8]

I've got a funny story to tell you about a small pile of lead pipes buried in the leaves.

When I left he was looking under buckets and rusted out wheel barrows....

[seanz]

I'm sure you don't need my advice..........but just in case you do.......

Not sure how you're moving the saw across the ground (pallet truck?) but when you get it onto the lifting tailgate of the rental truck make sure the saw is sitting on the lift plate and can't move during the lift. Getting heavy or awkward stuff onto the lift plate can be a bit challenging at times but it's 'only' 750kgs.....just don't drop it on your foot.
When it's in the truck secure it at the bottom as well as the top (chock it in place with spare bits of timber, do not use walnut )

Good Luck

[Hwyl]

I have to go down to St T on Saturday, otherwise I'd have been there in an instant (with my license). Sorry.

[Mrleft8]

OK.... I have Figgy on board..... Hugh?

[boylesboats]

Damn Lefty, are you still fighting with it?
I have an idea.. I know you like butching wood.
Why couldn't you make a dolly outta 2 X 6's and bolt on some 5" 1000 pounds capacity casters at each corners?
Do you have picture of it?

[Pagie]

I'd love to come and help, just send me an air ticket. I used to hire out Pottery kilns that weighed 600k. Used a block and tackle and 3 x 16ft scaffold pipes, about 2" od and make a tripod to lift on to a flatbed trailer. These were very top heavy, just angle iron legs on the bottom half. Chock the base and use good rope on the top. I shifted a dozen or so. I had a set of wheels that I bolted on the bottom the legs to push the kiln around the clients yard. I remember as a lad having to start a neighbors irrigation pump..I had to pull start this massive electric motor (about 2ft diameter), never did know why.

[Mrleft8]

One of the other issues is that the saw currently sits atop a "sub base" of 3" I-beams and 1/4" diamond plate steel. This makes rolling it on a flat surface much easier. It also makes the entire unit exactly 1" taller than the truck door, and 1" taller than my shop door. So it must be detatched.